Lazy? I call this one genius 🙂
Ever since becoming a mom, I’ve realized that ease is EVERYTHING when it comes to getting dinner on the table.
So when Justin and I were craving a cozy bowl of chili and a side of honey jalapeño cornbread, my “mom brain” kicked in and thought: why not bake them together in one skillet and save myself some dishes?
The first attempt was pretty tasty, but the cornbread sank a little too far down into the chili. A few tweaks later (hello, extra beans and a longer simmer!) and we landed on the version you’ll see below.
And y’all… it’s pure chili-cornbread-casserole magic. Hearty, flavorful, and the best part? It makes a TON of leftovers—which is basically a love language in our house, since our two-month-old seems to think Mom and Dad are on-call 24/7 right now!
It’s also perfect for bringing to Game Day parties since everyone is guaranteed to get a scoopful 🙂
What’s different about this recipe?
While ease is my priority, that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice on taste. The chili gets a hint of cinnamon to make those taste buds dance, while the cornbread has a bit of honey to balance everything out!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Ground meat. I used 85/15 ground beef for testing. Fattier meat may need draining to avoid a runny chili, and leaner beef or turkey works too, but you’ll lose a bit of that rich, savory flavor.
- Chili seasoning. A mix of chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and a hint of cinnamon, my secret touch! Play with the flavors by adjusting the cayenne, trying smoked paprika, or switching up your chili powders.
- Tomatoes. I originally planned for crushed tomatoes but used tomato sauce instead, and honestly, it was even better! You can swap these two without issue.
- Brown sugar. This helps mellow out the acidity of the canned tomatoes. Feel free to add 1 tablespoon at a time and adjust to taste.
- Beans. I used a mix of black and kidney beans, but you can easily use all of one or sub in pinto. If you want to skip the beans, just double up on the beef!
- Cornbread. This is basically my jalapeño honey cornbread recipe plopped right on top. Tweaks you can make: leave out the jalapeños or increase for heat; use regular milk or even plant-based milk in place of the buttermilk (just make sure it’s full-fat!); or change up the cheese you use!
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Cook the chili.
Brown the ground beef in a large oven-safe skillet, then toss in onion, jalapeños, and garlic. Stir in tomato paste and spices, add tomato sauce, beans, and broth, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
Pro Tip: At least a 12-inch skillet is a must (or else it will overflow!) You can also use a 13×9-inch baking dish with the same cook time!
Mix the cornbread.
Whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the eggs, buttermilk, honey, and butter in another. Combine them gently, then fold in jalapeños, chives, and cheddar.
Pro Tip: Make sure not to over mix! You want to keep it a little lumpy so the cornbread stays fluffy.
Top the chili and bake in the oven.
Spoon the cornbread over the chili, leaving a little chili peeking at the edges.
Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until the cornbread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool a few minutes, then serve with extra chives or sour cream if you like.
FAQs
Yes! You can prep the chili base a day ahead and keep it in the fridge, then add the cornbread and bake when ready. Just give it a quick stir before topping with cornbread.
Totally. You can freeze the baked casserole in portions. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.
A large 12-inch skillet is ideal, but you can also bake it in a 13×9-inch dish with almost the same cook time.
What to serve with it?
- Simple greens. A quick side salad or sautéed spinach balances the richness of the chili cornbread.
- Roasted veggies. Roasted broccoli or Air Fryer Brussels sprouts are both pretty easy sides.
- Toppings bar. Sour cream, extra chives, shredded cheese, or avocado slices let everyone customize their portion.
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Cornbread Chili Casserole (One-Skillet Recipe)
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Ingredients
Chili Base:
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 1-2 jalapeños finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 28-ounce can tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Cornbread Topping:
- 1 cup medium-grind cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk or whole milk
- ¼ cup honey
- 4 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1 jalapeño finely diced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives plus more for serving
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the Chili Base: Add the ground beef to a large, oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat, and cook for 7-8 minutes, breaking apart as you do. Once browned, drain any excess fat.1 pound ground beef or turkey
- Add the onion, jalapeños, and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.1 small sweet onion, 1-2 jalapeños, 3 garlic cloves
- Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the spices are toasted.2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add the tomato sauce, kidney beans, black beans, beef broth, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chili begins to thicken.1 28-ounce can tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes, 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed, ¾ cup beef broth, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Prepare the Cornbread Topping: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 cup medium-grind cornmeal, 1 cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, milk, honey, and melted butter until well combined.2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, ¼ cup honey, 4 tablespoons salted butter
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the diced jalapeños, chives, and cheese.1 jalapeño, 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Spoon the cornbread batter evenly over the simmering chili, spreading it out to cover the surface.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the skillet cool for a few minutes before serving with additional chopped chives or sour cream, if desired.
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Notes
- Skillet size matters. Use a large 12-inch oven-safe skillet to avoid overflow. If you don’t have one, a 13×9-inch baking dish works too, with the same bake time.
- Ground meat tips. Fattier beef may need draining to avoid a runny chili, leaner beef or turkey works too, but the flavor will be slightly less rich.
- Chili seasoning. Adjust the spices to taste, more or less cayenne, smoked paprika, or a different chili powder can change the heat and flavor.
- Tomatoes. Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes both work, so use whichever you have on hand.
- Brown sugar. Adds balance to the tomato acidity, adjust 1 tablespoon at a time to taste.
- Beans. You can use any beans you like, or skip them entirely and add more meat.
- Cornbread tweaks. Jalapeños can be left out or increased for more heat, swap buttermilk for full-fat milk or plant-based milk, and switch up the cheese to your favorite variety.
- Cheese tip. Finely shredded cheese works the best since it mixes in evenly.
- Leftovers. This casserole tastes even better the next day, and can be stored in the fridge or frozen in portions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy One-Skillet Recipes
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