This easy chili cornbread casserole is made with canned chili with beans, fresh jalapeño and green bell pepper, cheese, and Jiffy cornbread mix.
Skip the homemade chili by using your favorite canned chili. Adding fresh jalapeños, diced onions, and diced green bell pepper adds texture and elevates the chili. Plus, you can mix up the ingredients directly in the casserole dish.
Shredded cheddar is added on top of the chili. The casserole is topped with a layer of Jiffy mix that's combined with cream corn, eggs, and milk for a simple and sweet cornbread layer. Serve this with your favorite chili toppings such as sour cream and cilantro.
If you need more easy family dinners like this cornbread chili casserole, try this Mexican cornbread casserole or this turkey tater tot casserole.
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Recipe Highlights
- Easy recipe: No need to make chili from scratch with this easy dinner recipe.
- Classic comfort food: The whole family will enjoy this cozy recipe.
- Weeknight dinner: Preparation time is only 15 minutes. Let the oven do the rest.
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Ingredients
- Chili with beans: Ready-to-use chili with beans, typically available in cans, for a savory and hearty base. This usually contains beef and/or pork.
- Fresh jalapeños: Spicy green chili peppers that add heat. Deseed and dice.
- Diced tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes that have been drained for a chunky chili.
- Green bell pepper: Diced peppers add texture and color to the chili.
- Sweet onion: Diced, with a mild, sweet flavor.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar has a tangy, strong flavor.
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix: Pre-packaged mix for making cornbread muffins.
- Cream style corn: Creamed corn from a can.
- Eggs: Large eggs for binding the cornbread mixture.
- Whole milk: The liquid for the cornbread topping.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190ºC). Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
Directly in the baking dish, add the chili, diced jalapeños, diced tomatoes, diced green bell pepper, and diced onions.
Stir to combine. Spread into an even layer.
Top the bean mixture with an even layer of cheddar.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, cream style corn, eggs, and milk. Evenly spread the corn mixture over top of the beans and cheese, from edge to edge.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top starts to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top becomes too brown, cover the casserole with foil and continue to bake until the corn muffin layer is fully cooked.
Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Substitutions
- Chili with beans: Homemade chili, store-bought chili without beans, or vegetarian chili would all work in this recipe.
- Fresh jalapeños: Canned jalapeños or canned green chilies are perfect substitutes, but the jalapeños can also be omitted for a mild chili.
- Diced tomatoes: Fresh diced tomatoes or Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies have a similar texture and taste.
- Green bell pepper: Replace with any color bell pepper or omit bell peppers entirely for a less chunky texture.
- Sweet onion: Try yellow onions, white onions, Vidalia onions, shallots, or green onions.
- Sharp cheddar: Monterey Jack, Colby, or medium cheddar are great alternatives. You could also create a layer of American cheese slices.
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix: Homemade cornbread mix or a different brand of pre-made mix.
- Cream style corn: This can be substituted with whole kernel corn from a can (drained).
- Eggs: I do not recommend omitting or substituting the egg, but you can get by with just one egg if needed.
- Whole milk: Reduced-fat milk or skim milk will also work but may result in a slightly less moist cornbread muffin mix.
Variations
- Homemade chili: Try a made-from-scratch chili cornbread casserole. Chili recipes vary but typically contain lean ground beef (or pork sausage), jalapeño, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder (or a packet of chili seasoning), chili beans, black beans or kidney beans, and diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. If you're looking for a great savory chili, try my classic beef and sausage chili.
- Mexican: Bookmark this Mexican cornbread casserole with Rotel and ground beef.
- White chili: Try this recipe with a white chicken chili base.
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish - For baking the casserole. Alternatively, you can use two 8x8-inch baking dishes.
- Mixing bowls - A medium mixing bowl is needed for mixing the cornbread ingredients.
Storage
Allow the casserole to cool to room temperature. Cover it with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for 2-3 months. When freezing, you can double wrap with plastic wrap and aluminum foil for maximum freshness.
To thaw a frozen casserole, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the casserole either in the oven, covered with foil, or in the microwave using short intervals to prevent overcooking.
FAQ
Chili and cornbread is a classic combination which is why chili cornbread casserole is a perfect dinner for the entire family.
Related
If you love this delicious casserole, try one of these easy casserole recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Chili Cornbread Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cans chili with beans 15 ounces each
- 3 fresh jalapeños deseeded and diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes drained, 15 ounces
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- ½ sweet onion diced
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix 8.5 ounce
- 1 can cream style corn 15 ounces
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup whole milk
Toppings
- sour cream
- cilantro
- shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190ºC). Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
- Directly in the baking dish, add the chili, diced jalapeños, diced tomatoes, diced green bell pepper, and diced onions and stir to combine. Spread into an even layer.
- Top the bean mixture with an even layer of cheddar.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, cream style corn, eggs, and milk. Evenly spread the corn mixture over top of the beans and cheese, from edge to edge.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top starts to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top becomes too brown, cover the casserole with foil and continue to bake until the corn muffin layer is fully cooked. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
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