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–+ servings
chili in bowl with cornbread and sour cream on top.
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Chili Cornbread Casserole

A family-friendly casserole that combines chili and cornbread in one pan, saving you time without sacrificing the flavor of either. Makes 8 servings.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: chili cornbread casserole, Winter
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 277kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • Large skillet or Dutch oven
  • 13x9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

Chili

  • 1 ½ pound ground beef
  • ½ large onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 3 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • 1 16-ounce can chili pinto beans
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
  • 1 cup frozen corn

Cornbread

  • 2 8.5-ounce box cornbread mix I use Jiffy
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • 2 eggs

Optional Toppings

  • sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, sliced jalapeños, chopped green onions

Instructions

  • Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 375 ℉.
  • Cook beef and onion. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook ground beef over medium-heat, breaking into smaller pieces as you cook, for 5-7 minutes until browned. Add onion and cook another 5 minutes until the onion becomes softened and looks translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Drain excess grease.
    beef and onion cooking in pot.
  • Add seasoning. Add chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, and pepper and stir into the meat mixture to season.
  • Add beans, broth, and chilies. Stir in chili beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, green chilies, and corn. Simmer for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the cornbread.
  • Make cornbread. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the cornbread mixes, milk, and eggs until fully incorporated.
  • Cover chili with cornbread. Pour the chili into a 9x13 baking pan and use a spatula to spread the chili in an even layer. Pour enough cornbread mix on the chili to cover it and spread evenly over the chili. (I only use about ¾ of the cornbread mixture).
    chili in casserole dish covered with cornbread mixture.
  • Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
    cooked chili with golden brown cornbread topping.
  • Cool. Let rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven, and then serve immediately with optional toppings.

Notes

  • The broth and juice from the canned tomatoes help make sure the chili doesn’t dry out as it cooks. The cornbread absorbs just a bit of liquid as it cooks. The result is a perfect texture for the chili without being soupy on the bottom of the casserole.
  • I use Bush’s brand mild chili pinto beans and Ortega’s brand mild diced green chiles.

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 399IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg