I'll be honest. When summer rolls around, most casseroles in my arsenal find themselves on hiatus. I don't want the oven on for an hour or more during the summer heat and if chili shows up at all, it's to be slathered atop a hot dog in the back yard. However, this casserole is a notable exception, in part due to how quickly it comes together and the mere 20 minutes it spends in the oven. What's not to love?
Make your chili however you like it. I know there's a good basic chili recipe within this recipe, but you can work any chili recipe as the base for this recipe. Likewise, if you have a cornbread recipe that gives you life, use it. I have one based on a common mix and like this merely because it helps make the recipe even quicker to make. A chili and cornbread casserole in just a touch over half an hour? Yes, please!
This casserole is fun to serve with all the toppings you'd normally reserve for a hot cup of chili. Then, to bring it back to summer, include a plate of sliced watermelon on the table. Half of summer's fun is the no rules nature of what finds its way to the dinner table, so dig in and enjoy!
Chili Cornbread Casserole
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons sun dried tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 pkg, Jiffy cornbread mix
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
To make the chili, heat the oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the beef and onions; cook, stirring often, until the beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the sun dried tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and black pepper; cook on medium, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the ground beef is coated in the tomato paste, about 1 minute.
Stir in the drained beans, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
To make the cornbread topping, stir together the cornbread mix, buttermilk, and egg in a medium bowl. Pour the batter over the hot chili in the skillet, spreading the batter to the edges of the skillet. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake the skillet until the topping is golden and firm, about 20 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes