Chili Casserole is chili and cornbread baked in one skillet: ground beef simmered with kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, green chiles and chili spices, then covered with a thin layer of cheesy cornbread and baked until golden. It serves 4 and takes under an hour.
How to make it: Brown a pound of ground beef in an oven-safe skillet, stir in the beans, tomatoes, chiles, spices, tomato paste and broth, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Let it cool a few minutes, spread a box of corn muffin batter thinly over the top, and bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.
Why You’ll Love It
- Chili and cornbread together: no separate pan of cornbread to bake.
- One skillet: the chili simmers and bakes in the same oven-safe pan.
- Pantry friendly: canned beans, canned tomatoes, a can of green chiles and a box of corn muffin mix.
- Easy to change: skip the beans, swap in ground turkey, or add more heat.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef: One pound. Ground turkey works too.
Beans: One 15.5-ounce can each of light red kidney beans and black beans, drained. Leave them out if you prefer chili without beans.
Tomatoes and green chiles: A 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes, a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles and 3 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Onion and garlic: A quarter cup of chopped onion and 3 cloves of garlic.
Chili spices: A tablespoon of chili powder, half a tablespoon each of paprika and cumin, half a teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.
Beef broth: One cup, or water. Add a little more if the chili gets too thick.
Cornbread topping: One 8.5-ounce box of corn muffin mix, 1 egg, 1/3 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of shredded cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) light red kidney beans, drained
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth or water, more as needed
- 1 box (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup shredded cheese, plus more for topping
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
How to Make Chili Cornbread Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Brown the beef. In a large oven-safe skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink (160°F).
3. Make the chili. Add the onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, Worcestershire, tomato paste and broth. Mix well and simmer over medium to low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Mix the cornbread. While the chili simmers, mix the corn muffin mix, egg, milk and cheese in a medium bowl.
5. Top. Let the chili cool for a few minutes. Spoon the cornbread batter thinly over the top and gently spread it into an even layer.
6. Bake. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the cornbread is cooked through and golden brown on top and a toothpick in the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
7. Rest and serve. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Serve with cilantro and your favorite toppings.
How to Get Cornbread That Bakes Through on Top of Chili
The cornbread bakes on top of a hot, saucy chili, so how you add it matters. These steps give a golden top that is cooked all the way through.
Simmer the chili first. Give it the full 10 to 15 minutes on medium to low heat, stirring now and then, so it thickens before the batter goes on. If it gets too thick, add a splash more broth.
Let it cool a few minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and wait a few minutes before adding the batter.
Spread it thin. Spoon small dollops of batter over the chili, then gently spread them into one thin, even layer that reaches the edges of the pan.
Test the center. At 400°F the topping needs 12 to 15 minutes. It is done when it is golden and a toothpick pushed into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
Baking in a dish instead of a skillet? Move the chili to a greased 8-inch square baking dish at least 2 1/2 inches deep, cover it with the batter, and bake at 350°F for about half an hour, until the cornbread tests done.
Tips for Success
- Use an oven-safe skillet: the chili goes from the stovetop straight into the oven.
- Drain the beans: both cans go in drained.
- Stir cheese into the batter: it bakes into the cornbread; save a little extra for the top.
Variations
- No beans: leave them out for a beef-only chili layer.
- Ground turkey: use it in place of the beef.
- Spicier: add cayenne, or chipotle powder for smoky heat.
- Chili rice casserole: skip the cornbread and bake browned beef, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, green chilies, water, chili powder and uncooked long grain rice together.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Top it with sour cream, shredded cheese, cubed avocado and chopped cilantro. For more chili, try Wendy’s chili or Frito pie. For other Tex-Mex bakes, there is tamale casserole, walking taco casserole and taco casserole, and for a soup night, quick and easy taco soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chili casserole made of?
A layer of beef and bean chili with tomatoes, green chiles and chili spices, topped with cornbread made from a box of corn muffin mix, an egg, milk and cheese.
Can I make it without beans?
Yes. Leave out the kidney and black beans for a chili layer of beef, tomatoes and chiles only.
How do I know the cornbread is done?
It is golden brown on top, and a toothpick in the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes. Ground turkey works in place of the ground beef.
Final Notes
Simmer the chili until thick, let it cool a few minutes, and spread the cornbread thin. If you make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Chili Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can light red kidney beans 15.5 ounces, drained
- 1 can black beans 15.5 ounces, drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces
- 1 can diced green chiles 4 ounces
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth or water, more as needed
- 1 box corn muffin mix 8.5 ounces
- 1 egg for the cornbread
- 1/3 cup milk for the cornbread
- 1/3 cup shredded cheese more for topping
- fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink (160°F).
- Add the onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, Worcestershire, tomato paste and broth. Mix well and simmer over medium to low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the chili simmers, mix the corn muffin mix, egg, milk and cheese in a medium bowl.
- Let the chili cool for a few minutes. Spoon the cornbread batter thinly over the top and gently spread it into an even layer.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the cornbread is cooked through and golden brown on top and a toothpick in the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
- Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Serve with cilantro and your favorite toppings.
