Flavorful chili is baked over a layer of cornbread with plenty of melted cheese. This Chili Cornbread Casserole is a hearty choice for your next game day gathering or a comforting meal any night of the week.
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I truly believe that chili and cornbread might just be the best combination ever, so baking them together, casserole-style, just makes sense. What sets this recipe apart from other Chili Cornbread Casserole recipes is that the chili is baked right on top of the cornbread layer. As it cooks, the cornbread rises and peeks through the chili, creating a deliciously unique result.
The homemade chili topping is packed with protein from lean ground turkey and two kinds of beans, and it’s loaded with flavor – the kind you’ll find yourself craving the next day. And, good news – it reheats beautifully.
The cornbread layer underneath is made easy thanks to a trusty box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. I’ve been a big Jiffy fan for decades! It’s my go-to for making Mexican Cornbread and my beloved Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples. It’s a great kitchen shortcut and so inexpensive.
Many years ago, when my boys were just little cutie pies, recipes using ground turkey started to circulate like crazy. This Chili Cornbread Casserole was one of the first dishes I tried, and it completely won me over. Even now, many of my favorite recipes feature ground turkey, like my Turkey Chili, Turkey Burgers, and Turkey Tacos.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Ground turkey: I use 93% lean ground turkey for the chili, but this recipe would also be delicious with lean ground beef.
- Cornbread: You’ll need two boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix plus the amount of milk and eggs needed to prepare them, as listed on the box. If you’re using a different brand of corn muffin or cornbread mix, see the package for the amounts specific to the brand you’ve chosen.
- Canned goods: Tomato sauce, chili beans in mild sauce (I use Bush’s), and cannellini beans.
- Produce: Yellow onion, celery, and minced garlic.
- Seasoning: Chili powder, cumin, freshly ground black pepper add great flavor. Ground turkey is quite bland on its own so it needs a good amount of spice to wake it up. You can add red pepper flakes for a little zip or omit them, if you’d like.
- Cheese: A combination of shredded cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese.
- Optional for serving: You can garnish the casserole with a little thinly sliced green onion if you’d like. And, I always set out some sour cream (light or regular) and tortilla chips. See the serving suggestions below for more ideas.
How to Make Chili Cornbread Casserole
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place it over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, celery, and onion. Cook, breaking up the turkey with the spoon, until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
- Add the garlic and seasonings and stir well.
- Add the tomato sauce, the can of undrained chili beans with chili gravy, and drained cannellini beans.
- Let the mixture simmer while you prepare the cornbread.
- Prepare the cornbread according to the package directions. Coat your baking dish with some nonstick cooking spray and spread the cornbread mixture into the pan. I have this nice, deep 13- x 9-inch pan. You can also use a slightly larger pan, like a lasagna pan, if you’ve got one.
- Now grab that chili you just made and spoon it over the unbaked cornbread layer.
- Bake it at 350 degrees until the center appears set and the edges of the cornbread are golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. The cornbread will rise up and bake though portions of the chili.
- Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the casserole with cheese. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Serving Suggestions
- Top servings with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro – and don’t forget the hot sauce!
- Pair it with tortilla chips and a scoop of Copycat Chipotle Guacamole or Corn Guacamole for a fun, Tex-Mex-inspired twist.
- For a balanced meal, serve it with a side of Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables or a crisp green salad, like my Southwest Chopped Salad.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Refrigerate: Let the casserole cool completely before covering it tightly with foil or transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Place individual portions in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw safely in the refrigerator overnight for an easy lunch or dinner the next day.
Reheating: Warm leftovers in the microwave for 30-second intervals until heated. To reheat in the oven, preheat it to 350 degrees F, cover the pan, and bake it just until warmed through.
More Casseroles You’ll Love
- Tamale Pie
- Taco Pasta Bake
- Chicken Tortilla Casserole with Salsa Verde
- Chicken Tamale Casserole
- Browse my entire collection of casserole recipes for more ideas!
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Chili Cornbread Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey, or lean ground beef
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 16 ounces can chili beans in mild sauce, (like Bush's Chili Beans (Pinto Beans) in Mild Sauce) undrained
- 15 ounces cannellini beans or small white beans, drained
- 2 (8.5) ounce packages Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
- 2 large eggs, (see corn muffin mix package for amounts suggested)
- ⅔ cup milk, (see corn muffin mix package for amounts suggested)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
Optional for Serving
- Thinly sliced green onion, cilantro, sour cream, hot sauce, tortilla chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a deep 13- x 9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
For the Chili Mixture
- Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place it over MEDIUM heat. Add the turkey, onion, and celery, and cook, breaking up the turkey with a spoon, until it is cooked through. Drain off any excess grease and return the skillet to the heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, undrained chili beans with sauce and drained cannellini beans. Turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer while preparing the cornbread.
Prepare the Cornbread Batter
- Prepare the corn muffin mix in a large bowl with eggs and milk according to the package directions.
Assemble and Bake
- Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared baking dish and spoon the chili mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges of the cornbread are nicely browned and the center appears to be set. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the oven and bake 5 to10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted.
Serve
- Garnish with green onion, if desired and serve with any of the optional ingredients.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
This post was originally published on February 2, 2012. It has been updated with new text and images.
hi valerie,
been thinking of this recipe for a while, and want to try – i’m going to switch out jiffy muffin for corn flour for the bread and canned chili for the chili. i’m actually thinking of making the full amount, but put 1/2 in a 8 x 8 pan, and the rest into muffin pans – should make a REAL cool snack as a small muffin!
That sounds so good, Pat! Please come back and let me know how that works out for you. Could be a fun game day idea!
haven’t gotten it together to do that yet, i have another idea…….i have packets of beef stew – in place of the chili, what do you think?
Pat
Just made this and it’s fantastic!! Definitely a keeper!! Thanks for sharing =)
I’m so glad you liked it, Debbie! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Tried to print this recipe. Wasted paper and ink getting all the comments and no recipe. What a waste.
Hi Kathy. Please be sure to click on the Print button on the recipe at the end of the post to print out just the recipe card. Thanks.
This is a great recipe….however, the cornbread was not done by any means after 26 minutes at 400 degrees! I had to put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes for the cornbread to get done.
Hi Ann. I wonder if your dish might have been smaller than mine which could account for the cornbread needing more time in the oven. Regardless, I’m glad it ended up working out well for you. Thanks!
This is delicious but needs some salt!!! Thank you for the recipe.
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals! Thank you!
That’s wonderful! Thanks for the feedback, Lori 🙂
This is one of my favorite go to recipes. I add peppers, corn and mushrooms. I top mine with salsa and sour cream. Thank you for posting this.
That looks delicious!! Oh how I love anything with lots of melted cheese. I think I will try it with “Scoops” Fritos.
I love this…I have always put the cornbread on top! We call this chili corn pie..we add a can of corn to yours!
I made this for dinner last night .I made it very simple.Turkey fried with onion, 2 boxes cornbread. When the turkey was cooked I added a can of sloppy joe mix to it.I also used coby jack cheese…so yummy…
I used ground beef because it’s why I had on hand…. Turned out fabulous!!!!! In love with this dish!!!! 🙂
Yay! Thanks for the feedback, Bralyn. I’ve had lots of others ask about using ground beef so it’s good to know you got a good result 🙂
I was wondering if you could make this with ground beef instead of turkey, picky eaters in my house also (doesn’t like turkey). Thanks can’t wait to try this.
Absolutely, Joann. Just follow exactly as directed and substitute ground beef.