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plate of skillet chili cornbread
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5 from 1 vote

Skillet Chili Cornbread

Skillet chili cornbread is an easy comfort food made in your trusty cast iron pan.  Serve this family friendly recipe for dinner tonight.  Your friends and family will be asking for seconds.  Plus, clean up is a breeze as it dirties one dish.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 584kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

For the Chili

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 4 large garlic cloves minced
  • 1 28- ounce can petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • ¼ cup tomato paste 85g
  • 1 15- ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons salt

For the Cornbread

  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk or 15 tablespoon almond milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter or coconut oil melted

For the Topping & Garnish

  • ⅓ cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

Making the Chili

  • In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef in one tablespoon of hot oil over medium heat until no pink remains.  Once it's cooked, drain the fat into a small bowl, then put the hamburger in a medium bowl.
  • In the same skillet over medium heat, saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of hot olive oil for a few minutes, then add the garlic.  Stir occasionally and cook until fragrant.
  • Dump the hamburger back into the skillet.  Add the diced tomatoes with the juice, tomato paste, and the rinsed kidney beans.  Stir in the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, and salt.  Mix all the ingredients really well.  Turn the heat down to medium low and let simmer for a minimum of 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, and stir. If you want, sprinkle 1 ½ cups of grated extra sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top.

Making the Cornbread

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  • In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients.  Start by beating the egg with a fork, then add in the buttermilk and melted butter.  Stir to combine.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Mix well so there is no dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Spread the batter evenly over the top of the chili. Bake for 20 minutes at 400F if you want to add cheese. If you don't, bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top has good color.
  • Optional, take the chili cornbread out of the oven and sprinkle 1 ½ cups (170g) of grated cheddar evenly over the cornbread.  Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes at 400F.  Allow the cornbread to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro, jalapeno coins, or chopped green onions.

Notes

  • The ratios of chili to cornbread should be equal when assembling this dish.
  • If you want to add cheese, use 1 ½ cup of grated extra sharp cheddar sprinkled on top between the two components and on top of the cornbread.

Nutrition

Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 1167mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1705IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 370mg | Iron: 5mg
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