Chili Cornbread Casserole

This chili cornbread casserole layers hearty, slow-simmered chili with a fluffy, golden cornbread topping for the ultimate cozy comfort meal. It’s an easy one-pan dinner that delivers bold flavor, satisfying texture, and classic chili night vibes in every bite.

Course Appetizer, dinner, game day, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican, tex mex

Keyword chili cornbread casserole, comfort food, hearty, one-pot, spicy

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Servings Servings

Calories 404kcal

Author Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

Skillet Chili Ingredients

2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
1 Green Bell Pepper diced
1 medium Yellow Onion diced
2 small Jalapenos minced
3 cloves Garlic minced
2 packets Chili Seasoning divided
1/4 cup Adobo Sauce
28 oz. Crushed Tomatoes
15 oz. Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 can Kidney Beans do not drain
1 can Pinto Beans do not drain

Cornbread Casserole Topping

1 cup Flour
1 & 1/3 cups Corn Meal
2 tbsp Sugar or honey
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Whole Milk
1 Egg
5 tbsp Melted Butter cooled slightly
1/2 cup Shredded Cheese cheddar, colby, or pepper jack work well

Optional Garnishes

Sliced Jalapenos
Green Onions
Avocado
Sour Cream

Instructions

Assemble the Skillet Chili

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
In a large, oven-safe skillet (preferred), brown 2 pounds of ground beef with 1 packet of chili seasoning over high heat. If not using lean ground beef, drain any excess grease before adding the vegetables.
To the cooked and seasoned ground beef, add the bell pepper, onion, jalapenos, and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes until tender.
Next, stir in the adobo sauce, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and both cans of beans in the liquid (the liquid is needed for the recipe- do not omit).
Stir in the second seasoning packet and mix everything until combined. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently.

Make the Cornbread Topping

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine.
To the dry ingredients, add the milk, egg, and melted butter. Stir to combine; the mixture will be fairly thick. Fold in the shredded cheese.

Assembly & Baking

Remove the chili from the heat. If you are not baking the chili directly in the skillet, transfer it to an oven-safe dish. Use a large cookie scooper, measuring cup, or large spoon to carefully add the cornbread batter over the top of the chili base. The cornbread batter should sit nicely on top of the chili. If the scoops are really tall or too thick, lightly spread them out with a fork or the back of a spoon.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The cornbread should be fully set and lightly golden brown. Use a toothpick gently inserted into the cornbread to test for doneness.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve with your preferred garnishes and enjoy.

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