Hearty Chili Cornbread Bake (Printer-Friendly)
A comforting blend of spicy chili and golden cornbread baked to perfection in one pan.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chili
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 pound ground beef or turkey
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - 1/2 cup water
→ Cornbread Topping
17 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
18 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
19 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
20 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
21 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
22 - 1 cup milk
23 - 2 large eggs
24 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
25 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
26 - 1 jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Set the oven to 375°F (190°C).
02 - Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef or turkey and cook, breaking it up, until browned.
03 - Add chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced red bell pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and water. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - In a medium bowl, whisk together yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
06 - In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and melted unsalted butter.
07 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in shredded cheddar cheese and diced jalapeño if desired.
08 - Evenly spread the chili in the skillet. Gently pour and spread the cornbread batter over the chili.
09 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cornbread topping is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before portioning and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's genuinely a one-pan dinner, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying food with people you care about.
- The chili layer stays moist and flavorful while the cornbread bakes to pure golden perfection on top.
- You can easily adapt it for guests with different preferences without making multiple dishes.
02 -
- Your skillet must be ovenproof; any skillet with a non-oven-safe handle will betray you when the oven door closes and heat hits that handle.
- Don't overmix the cornbread batter or it'll turn tough instead of tender; lumpy is your friend here.
- The chili layer needs those 10 minutes of simmering to thicken and let the spices fully develop, so don't rush it.
03 -
- Use good cheddar cheese; it actually matters when it's melting into warm cornbread batter, so don't default to whatever's cheapest.
- If your cornbread topping browns too quickly before the interior sets, loosely tent the skillet with foil for the last few minutes of baking.