Some nights you just need something warm, comforting, and easy to help melt off the stresses of the day, like a big bowl of chili. And maybe some cornbread, too, for good measure. This easy Chili Cornbread Skillet has all the comfort of a pot of chili, with homemade cornbread baked right on top to avoid excess dishes. Oh, and I hid a layer of gooey cheddar cheese between the chili and cornbread, too. Because cheese makes everything better!🧀
What Kind of Skillet Should I Use?
You’ll want a deep, 4-quart skillet for this recipe. I used my 10″ 4-quart Oxo stainless steel skillet for this recipe. If needed, you could also use a smaller wide soup pot or Dutch oven. Using an oven safe skillet or pot is the best option, but read on if you do not own an oven safe skillet or pot.
What if I Don’t Have an Oven Safe Skillet?
If you only own teflon skillets, skillets with plastic handles, or skillets that have other non-safe parts, you can still make this recipe. Simply let the chili simmer in your skillet or pot while you make the cornbread, and then transfer to a 4-quart casserole dish before topping with the cornbread batter and baking.
Can I Add Meat to the Chili Cornbread Skillet?
Absolutely! I made a vegetarian version this time around because it’s quite cost effective and it makes the meal more pantry-staple friendly, but you can always add meat if you have it on hand or prefer your chili con carne. Simply replace one can of beans with one pound ground beef or turkey. Brown the meat in the skillet before adding the onion, garlic, and jalapeño in the beginning.
Meal Prep and Freezer Friendly
This Chili Cornbread Skillet holds up extremely well in the refrigerator, and is also freezer friendly. As with any meal prep recipe, make sure to divide the dish into single serving portions right after cooking and get it into the refrigerator as soon as possible, so it cools quickly. Once cooled, the chili cornbread will keep in the refrigerator for about four days, or can be transferred to the refrigerator and kept frozen for about 3 months. You can see some of my favorite meal prep containers here.
Chili Cornbread Skillet
Servings 6Ingredients
Chili
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 1 jalapeño (optional) ($0.15)
- 1 15oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes ($0.89)
- 1 6oz. can tomato paste ($0.39)
- 3 15oz. cans beans (kidney, pinto, black) ($2.67)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder* ($0.30)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar ($0.85)
Cornbread
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal ($0.24)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour ($0.15)
- 1/4 cup sugar ($0.20)
- 4 tsp baking powder ($0.24)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 cup milk ($0.31)
- 1 large egg ($0.23)
- 1/4 cup cooking oil ($0.16)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Slice the jalapeño lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and then dice the pepper. Add the cooking oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeño to a large 4-quart oven safe skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Drain the canned beans then add them to the skillet with the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and water. Stir to combine.
- Allow the chili to come up to a simmer. Let the chili continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, as you prepare the cornbread topping.
- Begin to preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until very well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and oil. Pour the milk mixture into the bowl with the cornmeal mixture and stir just until everything is moistened.
- Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over top of the simmering chili. Carefully pour the cornbread batter over the chili and cheese, and spread it around until the surface is evenly covered.
- Transfer the skillet to the fully preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown on the surface. To serve, simply scoop the cornbread and chili beneath onto a plate or bowl, and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Love chili? Check out my Simple Homemade Chili recipe with tons of ways to customize the flavors to make it your own!
How to Make Chili Cornbread Skillet – Step by Step Photos
Dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Slice the jalapeño lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, then dice the remaining pepper. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to a skillet with 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Drain three 15 oz. cans of beans (any combo of kidney, black bean, or pinto—I used two black beans, one kidney). Add the beans to the skillet along with one 15 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, one 6 oz. can of tomato paste, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup water. Stir to combine. Allow the chili to come up to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer the chili, stirring occasionally, as you prepare the cornbread batter.
Begin preheating the oven to 425ºF. Combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Stir until they are very well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup milk, 1 large egg, and 1/4 cup cooking oil. Pour the bowl of whisked wet ingredients into the bowl with the cornmeal mixture and stir just until the batter is combined (don’t over stir).
Before adding the cornbread batter to the chili, sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar over the surface of the chili.
Carefully spread the cornbread batter over the surface of the hot chili, making sure to spread from edge to edge.
Bake the Chili Cornbread Skillet in the fully preheated 425ºF oven for about 25 minutes, or until the top of the cornbread is golden brown.
To serve, simply scoop the cornbread and chili beneath out of the skillet and onto a plate or bowl.
COMFORT FOOD.
YUM! Made this earlier this week. We particularly enjoyed the cornbread – it seemed like the perfect flavor/texture. Would it stand alone? Or would proportions need to be increased?
That’s the exact recipe that I use when making cornbread on its own. You won’t need to change a thing :)
Well then, I guess I know what to make to go with the leftover white chili we’re having for Sunday lunch tomorrow! AND THEN we’ll be having Beth’s beef stew for dinner, mmmmmmmm!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! I follow a lot of food blogs and make a couple new recipes from them a week. This is probably the best new recipe I’ve made all year! Thanks for sharing and thanks for the food inspirations!
Beth, just want to say thank you for this website! As a mother of 3 we sometimes struggle for groceries, and life is so insane I don’t know what the heck to make! These recipes are so easy, inexpensive, healthier, and delicious! Love how you lay out the steps too! Keep doing what you’re doing, I’ll be sure to share your site!!
This feels brilliant!
I have leftover chili in the fridge now – so I’ll just warm that in the skillet & top with the cornbread batter… dinner is done :)
Can you use maseca in this? What’s the difference between that and corn meal? Think it would work
I’ve never heard of maseca, so I went and looked it up. I don’t think they’re the same thing. Maseca is a brand and they make several products. I think the one you are talking about is a corn flour used for making tortillas. It’s more finely ground than cornmeal and is sometimes pre-cooked (then dried), so it will have a different texture and physical properties when cooking.
OMG that looks delicious! I want some immediately :D
Got no beans on hand right now tho darn it.
I am putting the missing ingredient down on the shopping list so I can have a go at making it after pay day :D
If I baked it in smaller containers eg pyrex bowl or some ramekins would I be able to freeze them and reheat at a later date? Or would you freeze them before baking in the oven, but with the topping poured on?
I would be making the recipie into a single-two serves situation
I would bake and then freeze. :)
Looks very good!!!!!!gotta try this ….my family luvs chili n cornbread
If I use a casserole dish, what size do you recommend?
An 8×8 or 9×9 inch dish. Round or square, doesn’t matter. :)
Lady, you have made my mouth water. I throw together meals in my cast iron skillet on the stovetop all the time, never considered putting it in the oven. Definitely will be trying this.
Typo alert! “bread down” = Break down, I assume! ‘love your blog! Unless bread down is a break down during which one eats too many bread-related carbs!
Thanks!! (even though your definition of a “bread down” was still pretty accurate!)
I often make chili and cornbread. I would never ever eat chili without cornbread. They go together like two peas in a pod! Although I make the two often, I have never made them together. Wow! I ‘m going to have to try this recipe!
Oh, wow! This looks brilliant. I’m always looking for ways to use my cast iron skillet.
this is a wonderful dish for those hurry-up hungry days. my mom used to make something like it that she called ‘tamale pie’. while the onions and filling items are in the saute stage, and the oven pre-heats, you can easily whip up the corn bread topping, then it all goes in to bake while you make a salad or just sit down with a glass of wine.
it’s very handy for using up bits of this and that, too. mince a limp carrot, chop that scant half cup of green beans, cut the kernels off that last sad corn on the cob. very warming and filling and tasty and a budget winner!
I agree! I have some savoury mince I made up a lot of a while back in the freezer and I think adding the spices here, some more Vege and the beans I can make it into a ‘new’ dish I want to eat!
Thanks for your take on it-I won’t have to start from scratch to try it out :D
Oh my! This looks amazing! Thanks for the recipe.