Chili Cornbread Bake

Chili cornbread casserole topped with green onions on a brown board next to a bowl of sour cream and tortilla chips.

4.21 from 86 votes

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.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: servings

Calories: 468kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

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.

Video

Nutrition