Chili Cornbread Casserole

Chili Cornbread Casserole Recipe

This Cornbread Chili Casserole has three distinct layers: The bottom layer is traditional chili made with seasoned ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and vegetables. The top layer is golden cornbread made from scratch or a box. The third layer is creamy cheddar cheese tucked between the warm chili and killer cornbread. 

If you’re a fan of green chili like I am, you can whip up a batch of my Mexican Chili Verde and use it instead of the traditional beef and bean chili featured here. Smoked Chili is also a great variation. 

Where’s the corn? I don’t ever add corn to chili, or casseroles in general, but it is a popular addition to cowboy cornbread casserole. To include, just grab canned corn or fresh corn, and throw it in at the same time as the beans.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here are the main ingredients and substitution ideas needed to make this chili cornbread casserole recipe. For the full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below.

CHILI INGREDIENTS

• Ground Beef – Lean ground beef is best. You can substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork. 
• Beans – you can use black beans or kidney beans. I haven’t tested this chili recipe with other options, but any cooked bean variety should work. 
• Bell Pepper and Onion – you can omit one or both if they’re not a fan. 
• Chili Seasonings – Chili powder, cumin, garlic, and cayenne pepper if you like a bit of spice. 
• Tomatoes – you can use crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes. If you’re using diced tomatoes, hand crush or blend them to release some liquid. 
• Worcestershire Sauce – adds complex flavor to the chili. Try not to omit this ingredient.
• Beef Bouillon (Cube or Concentrated) – this is another big flavor booster. If you don’t have beef bouillon, beef bone broth is a good substitution. If you need more options, here a list of Substitutes For Beef Broth.

CORNBREAD INGREDIENTS

If you’re making cornbread from scratch, here’s what you need:

• Cornmeal – you can use yellow cornmeal or white cornmeal
• All-purpose Flour
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda
• Milk
• Butter
• Eggs

Notes From Recipe Testing – During my initial rounds of testing I had double the amount of cornbread (basically 2 boxes of corn bread mix vs. 1). The ratio was off and it felt too “bread-y”. The amount of cornbread mix may seem like it’s not enough, but it rises as it cooks. If you really like cornbread you can double the cornbread portion and test for yourself. No other edits are necessary.

How to Make Cornbread Chili Casserole

Here’s a quick overview showing how to make cornbread chili bake with photos. For the full list of instructions, see the recipe card below. 

Cook The Beef: Brown the beef and use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked beef from the pan. Drain the excess oil. 

Make The Chili: Cook the onions and garlic before adding the beef back to the pan. Add the spices to toast them and bring out the flavor. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5-7 minutes. You don’t want to under-reduce or over-reduce the mixture. The mixture shouldn’t be as liquidy like normal chili nor dry like Shepherd’s Pie. 

Add the Beans and Cheese Layer: Stir in the beans and transfer to a baking dish if the one you use isn’t oven-friendly. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Make the Cornbread Batter: I like to whisk together the cornbread mix while the chili is simmering on the stove. Once mixed, pour on top of the chili. 

Bake the Cornbread Chili Casserole: Bake in the oven for 25-28 minutes until the cornbread mixture is cooked throughout.

Toppings For Chili

The best part of chili is the toppings. Okay, maybe not the best part, but toppings certainly elevate the dish. Here are a few of my favorite chili toppings:

Variations of Chili and Cornbread

Jiffy Chili Cornbread Casserole: to make easy Chili Cornbread Casserole, you can use one box of pre-made corn muffin mix. I like Jiffy Cornbread the best, but any brand will work. I use it to make Jiffy Corn Casserole for Thanksgiving.

Sweet Chili: I do not use sugar in the chili since I’m adding it to the cornbread. You can add up to 1 tbsp of sugar to the chili if you want a touch of sweetness to it. Stir it in when you add the tomatoes.

Corn:  If you want to add corn, use 3/4 cup of frozen or canned corn or kernels from 1-2 fresh ears of corn. Stir in the corn alongside the beans. 

Tips From Darcey’s Kitchen

• Pan Size: You must use a large pan or skillet to hold all the good stuff. I use a 12″ cast iron skillet; you can see how full it is. 
• Oven-safe Pan: Use a pan that can go straight from the stovetop to the oven to clean one less pan. 
• Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
• Reheating: To reheat the chili cornbread casserole, cook it at 350°F until warm throughout.

Similar Recipes

Here are a few more easy dinner recipes and chili recipes to check out:

Chili Cornbread Casserole

Chili Cornbread Casserole, also called cowboy cornbread casserole, is a hearty and comforting dish that combines the bold flavors of chili with the crumbly, slightly sweet texture of cornbread. It can also be made with Smoked Chili or Chile Verde.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F.

• Preheat a large cast iron skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned (approx. 7-9 minutes). Line a glass or metal mixing bowl with paper towels. Use a metal slotted spoon to transfer the beef into the bowl to drain.

• Use paper towels to wipe the skillet and remove most of the remaining oil. Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook until soft (approx. 4-5 minutes). Add the ground beef, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and ground cayenne and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

• Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and beef bouillon. Simmer for 5-6 minutes. There should be a little bit of liquid left, but not a ton like regular chili.

• Mix in the beans and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a oven-safe baking dish. Top evenly with shredded cheese.

• In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and butter. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

• Gently pour the cornbread batter over the chili. Bake for about 25-38 minutes or until cornbread is cooked throughout.

• Serve in individual bowls and top with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Note 1 – Lean ground beef is best. You can substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork. 
Note 2 – To make extra hot chili, add in a 1 tsp. of cayenne pepper and go up from there, to taste. The called for amount adds flavor, but not much heat. 
Note 3 – Good cheese options: monterey jack, pepper jack, and cheddar cheese.
Note 4 – Instead of making cornbread from scratch, you can replace with 1 box of store bought corn muffin mix. 
Note 5 – If you don’t care for overly sweet cornbread use 1/2 tbsp. If you like it on the sweet end, use the full 1 tbsp. 

Nutrition

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 514mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1557IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 237mg | Iron: 3mg

Darcey Olson

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