This chili cornbread casserole features the classic combination of a hearty chili topped with a Jiffy cornbread mix.
As a bonus, this family meal is easy and super cheap to make. Read on and I'll you how to make it in just over an hour. All for about $1.50 per serving!
If you are wondering what to do with leftover Chili, this easy cornbread casserole is your answer!
What is it?
When cold weather comes, comfort food rules at our house. and this chili cornbread casserole always hits the right spot. I call this Dutch oven chili a one-pot wonder and my whole family calls it delicious.
A great use for leftover chili
This easy family meal can also be a is a delicious leftover recipe that starts on the stove top and finishes in the oven. You can use your favorite leftover chili as a base and then mix up a batch of cornbread for the topping.
I took the convenience route and threw a boxed mix of Jiffy brand together.
For the base of this easy family dinner, I use a combination of browned pork and beef, along with some aromatics and cilantro.
This all combines to create a mouthwatering Mexican cornbread casserole.
The heat from the chili and flavor from the cilantro turns this into a delicious chili cornbread casserole.
I take a mostly straightforward and easy route with this cornbread casserole. Still, I jazzed it up a bit by roasting about half of the corn in the oven, while the chili cooked on the stove.
Then I like to roast some corn and mix that into the cornbread batter.
This gives it an added natural sweetness and some nice texture. Both add substance, and flavor to the meal. Our kids refer to this meal as Mexican cornbread casserole. It has all the right flavors!
A big dollop of sour cream makes this recipe even tastier!
My mother-in-law was in town when we made this, and one of the things that she loved about this family dinner was how the boys devoured it.
Recipe highlights
- Make it in one pot.
- The entire meal costs only about $12.00
- Kids love it
Next time you're wondering what to do with leftover chili, make this chili cornbread casserole. I'm pretty sure you're going to love it too!
Make this easy family meal with leftover chili in just over an hour.
Our favorite chili recipes
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📖 Recipe
Chili Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion coarse dice
- 2 cloves garlic
- Ground beef and sausage 1.5 - 2 lbs total
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 packets chili seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes drained
- 2 8.5 oz boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1 cup corn divided
- 1 16 oz can kidney beans drained
- 1 handful cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Using large oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high setting.
- Add onion and garlic, sautée until onion is soft and translucent.
- Add beef and sausage, brown while stirring. Drain or reduce excess fat or water, if present.
- Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes and chili seasoning and bring to a boil while stirring then reduced to low simmer.
- Stir in tomato paste and stir until thickened.
- Meanwhile, prepare cornbread batter as directed, stir in cheese (and ½ the corn.)
- Add remaining corn, kidney beans and cilantro to meat mixture and mix well.
- Pour cornbread mixture over chili. Place in oven and bake 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven, allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- Serve with sour cream if desired.
Joyce
I've resorted to checking out the frozen meals, as 5/7 days a week I eat alone, and I don't enjoy cooking for one,
Last week, I was going to buy a Marie Callender Pot Pie, but then I saw her Corn Bread Pie, with Corn Bread on top of Chili.
Of course, it could have been better (No fault on Marie! I enjoy her pies, but home made is always better).
I wanted more corn bread, spread evenly over the chili, and I have a favorite chili recipe, similar to the one here. I never thought of topping chili with cornbread! Thanks for this recipe.
c
Dan from Platter Talk
Joyce, this cornbread and chili combination is a match made in heaven; thanks for the great comments and enjoy the love!
Ethel
This is my twin sons favorite
I make it at least 3-4x a month
I have my own recipe, yours is also delicious
Judy
DO you think I could freeze the leftovers. There are only 2 of us.
Dan from Platter Talk
Hi Judy, absolutely. Store the leftovers in the fridge for a day or two, or you could freeze for a longer period of time. When you are ready to enjoy the leftovers, I would reheat in an oven if possible.
lynn
I see that one can of diced tomatoes is listed twice on the ingedients, are we suppose to use 2 cans?
Dan from Platter Talk
Hi Lynn, thanks for pointing out the redundancy, it should be just one can.
Melissa
True comfort food! I love that it is so hearty too, the cornbread topping is simply genius!
April
I love super easy and cheap recipes. They usually turn out to be one of the most delicious ones. Such a treat to find your recipe before the holidays!
Marisa Franca
What a great looking dish! It sounds like pure comfort food. This is the type of meal that warms you up from the inside out. I'll be making this recipe soon.