Chili cornbread casserole is a cheap and family friendly. Use canned, homemade or our 5 ingredient chili with Jiffy cornbread or make from scratch as we share here. With ground beef or sausage it is a feel good comfort food everyone loves year round.
Cornbread casserole with chili is an easy meal we love. A layered meal with your main dish and side dish all baked together in a baking dish. You can make a bit spicy if you’d like or keep it mild for little ones. A great leftover chili recipe the day after too. (affiliate links present)
Chili and Cornbread Recipe
Ok so there are tons of variations as far as this one goes. You can make super easy with canned beans and meat from Hormel with boxed mix for the top like our Jiffy Chili Cornbread Casserole. Still delicious and for super busy days when you are stressed out, a great option for times like that.
If you don’t want to use the stove you can make a quick batch of our 5 Ingredient Instant Pot Chili first. Then just pour that on the bottom and make the batter for the top as you like. As I said, lots of options as far as leaving the meat out entirely to make it vegetarian or going all out. You could double it too and bake in a 9×13″ pan.
Jiffy Chili Cornbread Casserole
Yes this is an amazing Hamburger HotDish but you could use spicy Jimmy Dean sausage for all of the protein or half and half. For leaner meats, go for ground turkey or chicken instead.
This is a little like our Taco Cornbread Casserole which is yet another tweak you can do with the same steps, just a different bottom layer. Have your own favorite way of making this popular Mexican dish, go for it!
Ingredients
- Ground beef or half spicy sausage
- 1 tbsp olive oil is best
- Onion diced we love
- Minced garlic is a must for us
- 1/2 c corn kernels, drained, optional
- Kidney beans canned, drained
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Beef broth or stock
- 1/2 c diced tomatoes
- Salt and pepper are basic seasonings
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Chili powder or red pepper flakes for heat
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Jiffy corn muffin mix + ingredients to make batter
If you used a box mix you would then follow their directions for ingredients, time and temperature on the back. Still pour the batter over the top but for larger boxes you may be able to only use half to prevent it from overflowing. Jiffy is about the right amount. You can tweak it too like we did with our Jiffy Mexican Cornbread batter.
Homemade cornbread option
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp cornmeal
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 c milk
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
If you want to start from scratch as far as the topping goes, we have the ingredients necessary below. I have done it both ways with this and our sloppy joe cornbread casserole too.
To start on our Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix Recipe get out a skillet over medium high heat to precook the homemade chili. While it is bubbling you can make the cornbread topping in a bowl. When all prepped just layer the meat on the bottom and spread the cornbread batter on to the top.
How to Make Jiffy Chili Cornbread Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add onions in olive oil for 3 minutes, stirring.
- Then add ground meat, garlic, stir and cook for another 4 minutes all together until meat no longer has any pink. Drain excess grease.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and broth (any).
- Cook covered for another 10 minutes on low heat.
- Add beans, corn, stir, wait another 2 minutes and remove the pan from heat. In another bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add egg, milk, butter and stir with a whisk.
- Pour the meat mixture in a 7×9 or 9×9 inch pan and smooth it out.
- Pour cornbread dough on top of this or your chosen bottom layer.
- works well with our shipwreck casserole on the bottom too
Place the baking dish in the oven and wait about 30 minutes. After half an hour you can add cheese if you’d like.
Sprinkle shredded cheese onto hot cornbread if desired at end. Place the chili casserole dish in the oven and wait another 5-10 minutes for the cheese to melt and become perfectly golden brown. Let sit in the pan for 5 minutes and then serve with sour cream on top.
How to save leftovers
If you do have leftovers, save it in an airtight container. Remember that the top texture will change when reheated because it will soften. Microwave for about 1 minute though and enjoy again for lunch the next day. Jump to recipe below and get started.
Chili Cornbread Casserole
Equipment
- 1 8×8 pan or 7×9 was used
- 1 pan
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, or half spicy sausage half ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 c corn, kernels, drained, optional
- 1/2 c kidney beans, canned, drained
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 c beef broth
- 1/2 c diced tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/3 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Cornbread
- 4 tbsp cornmeal
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 c milk
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3/4 c cheddar cheese, grated, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add onions in olive oil for 3 minutes, stirring. Then add ground meat, garlic, stir and cook for another 4 minutes all together until meat no longer has any pink. Drain excess grease.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and broth (any). Cook covered for another 10 minutes on low heat.
- Add beans, corn, stir, wait another 2 minutes and remove the pan from heat. In another bowl, mix all dry ingredients and mix. Add egg, milk, butter and stir with a whisk.
- Pour the meat mixture in a 7×9 or 8×8 inch pan and smooth it out. Pour cornbread dough on top. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake 25-30 minutes. After half an hour you can add cheese if you'd like.
- Sprinkle grated cheddar onto hot cornbread. Place the chili casserole dish in the oven and wait another 5-10 minutes for the cheese to melt and get golden brown. Remove once cornbread is browned and cooked all the way thru.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
