This Chili and Cornbread Casserole made with homemade chili seasoned with ground beef, chili beans, green chiles, broth, tomatoes, seasonings, and corn, and topped with a cornbread mix is an easy and delicious weeknight meal. We love the cornbread chili ratio and the slightly sweet cornbread combined with the flavorful seasoned chili. This casserole is tasty, healthy, comfort food sure to please kids and adults alike, it is a tried and true family favorite!
What we love about this Chili and Cornbread Casserole
First the chili! We love chili night or a chili bar with all the toppings. The chili is delicious. I love the addition of the chili beans and mild green chiles which add excellent flavor and a little heat. The chili recipe is perfectly seasoned and is the right thickness for the cornbread topping, not too soupy or dry. The addition of the chicken broth helps to make sure the chili doesn’t dry out as the cornbread does absorb a little of the moisture as it cooks.
There is something about the slight sweetness of the cornbread with the flavorful seasoned chili that is amazing. My son who says he doesn’t like cornbread really likes this dish. The chili and cornbread are the perfect balance of flavors. I have kids who like this casserole better than a bowl of chili with toppings. It is delicious comfort food.
The chili and cornbread come together quickly, and the homemade chili is done in minutes. Once you brown the beef, you just add the seasonings, tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, broth, green chiles, and corn. I like using a jiffy cornbread mix, it is so accessible and easy to make. Just spread it over the top and bake, and you have a lovely dish that is tried and tested kid-friendly, and a favorite family meal.
For toppings, we like sour cream and shredded cheese but feel free to add chopped green onions or sliced jalapeños. Looking for other easy family meals? Try our Italian Sausage and Broccoli Pasta or our Shredded Beef Sliders which are easy to put together and delicious.
What you need to make this Chili Cornbread Casserole
You will need the following ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chili powder
- Salt
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Brown sugar
- Coarsely ground pepper
- Chili pinto beans
- Tomato sauce
- Diced tomatoes
- Chicken broth
- Diced green chiles
- Frozen corn
- Cornbread mix
- Milk
- Egg
Cornbread Chili Casserole Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- You could use ground turkey or chicken in place of the beef.
- You could use spicy chili beans or mild or chili kidney beans instead of pinto beans.
- You could try a gluten-free cornbread mix or another cornbread mix besides Jiffy, though I haven’t recipe-tested them.
- You could try using chili seasoning if you don’t have the seasonings called for in the recipe, but the taste would slightly differ
- You could use hot or mild diced green chiles or substitute canned diced jalapeños for a little more heat.
- You could use canned corn in place of the frozen corn, but I would drain the corn before adding.
- You could use vegetable broth or beef broth in place of the chicken broth or substitute water if necessary.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. In a 12-inch cast iron or other oven-safe skillet, brown the ground beef and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic. Add the chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, and pepper.
Step 2. Add to the ground beef the chili beans, tomato, sauce, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, green chiles, and corn. Simmer for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the cornbread mix.
Step 3. In a small bowl, combine the cornbread mix, milk, and egg according to the package directions.
Step 4. Using a spatula smooth the chili so it is an even layer in the skillet. Pour the prepared cornbread mix over the top and smooth with a spatula or offset spatula into an even layer.
Step 5. Bake the casserole in a preheated 350-degree oven for 28-30 minutes or until the cornbread is golden brown.
Step 6. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes and then serve, topping each serving with sour cream, shredded cheese, or other additional toppings.
Tips
- Don’t drain the canned tomatoes when adding to the chili. The broth and juice from the canned tomatoes help ensure that 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 it being soupy on the bottom of the casserole.
- This recipe fits perfectly in my 12-inch cast iron skillet. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, I highly recommend this Lodge cast iron pan. I’ve had mine for 10 years and it is in excellent condition. If you don’t have a cast iron or deep 12-inch skillet, you can make this in a 9×13 casserole dish. Read the details for for how to adjust the cornbread mix for a 9×13 pan in the notes after the recipe.
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Frequently Asked Questions
| How to store and reheat Chili and Cornbread Casserole? |
| a. Place in a covered container and refrigerate. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Chili Cornbread Casserole can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months. b. Reheat in a 350-degree oven, covered with foil, for about 10-15 minutes. Microwaving until warm in the microwave in 20 second intervals is also a possibility. |
| What to serve with Chili and Cornbread Casserole? |
| Common toppings and sides include: salsa, avocado, sour cream, chopped onions, black olives, chopped green onions, shredded cheese, or sliced jalapeños. Additionally, serve with tortilla chips or corn chips, baked potatoes, a side salad, hot dogs, queso, veggie tray, fruit salad, or jalapeño poppers |
Chili and Cornbread Casserole
6
servings25
minutes30
minutes55
minutesThis Chili and Cornbread Casserole made with homemade chili seasoned with ground beef, chili beans, green chiles, broth, tomatoes, seasonings, and corn, and topped with a cornbread mix is an easy and delicious weeknight meal. We love the cornbread chili ratio and the slightly sweet cornbread combined with the flavorful seasoned chili. This casserole is tasty, healthy, comfort food sure to please kids and adults alike, it is a tried and true family favorite!
Ingredients
1 1/2 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
1 8.5-ounce box cornbread mix (I use Jiffy)
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, sliced jalapeños, chopped green onions
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a 12-inch cast iron skillet or other oven-safe 12-inch skillet, cook brown beef, breaking into smaller pieces as you cook, for 5-7 minutes over medium heat until mostly browned. Add onion and cook an additional 5 minutes until the onion becomes softened and starts to look translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Drain excess grease.
- Add chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, and pepper and stir into the meat mixture to season the beef.
- Stir in chili beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, green chilies, and corn. Simmer for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the cornbread.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the cornbread mix, milk, and egg until fully incorporated. Remove the chili from the heat and using a spatula, spread the chili in an even layer. Pour the cornbread mixture over the chili and using a spatula or offset spatula, spread it evenly over the chili.
- Place in the oven and bake for 28-30 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Let rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven then serve immediately with optional toppings.
Notes
- This recipe fits perfectly in my 12-inch cast iron pan. If you are worried your skillet may be more shallow or about any potential spillage over the pan, place a lined sheet pan underneath the skillet when baking. I have not had this problem before.
- You can also bake this in a 9×13 pan, which I have often done before. I increase the ingredients to prepare 2 cornbread mixes but only use about 3/4 of the cornbread mixture so that the cornbread topping isn’t too thick which results in having more cornbread than chili. Use enough cornbread mixture to just cover the chili evenly when spreading it in the pan.
- I use Bush’s brand mild chili pinto beans, Ortega’s brand mild diced green chiles, and a Jiffy cornbread mix when preparing this Chili Cornbread Casserole.
Loved this. There are only 2 of us so I cut it back a bit, cooked it in an 8×8 pan, and it still turned out perfect. Loved the sweet cornbread with the spicier Chili. Great combo.
I love hearing that you enjoyed this recipe and adjusted the amount for your family’s needs. I’m glad to hear the 8×8 pan was a success. We love the combination of the cornbread with the chili as well. Thanks so much for the great review!
I used to make a similar recipe for my family but I like this recipe so much better. It was quick and easy to make and it has such a good flavor. Thanks for bringing me back to a great meal.
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! We have loved the ease and taste of this recipe as well. There’s something about cornbread and chili together we just all love. Thanks for trying the recipe and for the great review!
This looks absolutely delicious! I love how delicious and flavorful this recipe is. Adding it to my must-try list!
Thank you so much! This is my kids’ favorite way to eat chili, we love the flavor combination of the chili with the cornbread. I am so glad you like it, thank you for the great review!