This dish brings together cornbread and chili in one skillet for a cozy, hearty meal.

By

Andee Gosnell

Andee Gosnell is a San Francisco born, Birmingham-based food photographer, writer, and recipe developer with five years experience who loves cooking and sharing her love of food through photographs.

Updated on February 7, 2025

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Servings:

6

Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

1/2x

1x

2x

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 pounds 90/10 lean ground beef

1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

Cornbread

1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), divided

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish

1 jalapeño, finely chopped, plus more for garnish (about 2 tablespoons)

3/4 cup whole buttermilk

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add beef and onions; cook, stirring often, until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. 1.

Stir in tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, oregano and pepper; cook on medium, stirring constantly, until fragrant and ground beef is coated in tomato paste, about 1 minute. 1.

Stir in beans, diced tomatoes, chicken stock and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. 1.

Stir together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, 1/2 cup Cheddar, scallions, jalapenos, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in, buttermilk, melted butter, and egg, until fully combined. Pour batter over hot filling in skillet, spreading batter to edges of skillet. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar. Place skillet on a rimmed baking sheet. 1.

Bake until topping is golden and firm, about 20 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

About this recipe

There’s nothing better than a warm, hearty bowl of chili paired with a slice of cornbread. In this recipe, we combine both into an easy skillet meal that’s ready in under an hour. It starts with a classic chili made from ground beef and kidney beans, flavored with canned fire-roasted tomatoes and spices like chili powder and cumin. Next, a simple homemade cornbread batter is poured over the chili and baked until it forms a tender topping with lightly crisp edges. You can also make this chili using ground chicken or turkey, or you can make it vegetarian by skipping the meat all together and leaning on the beans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cornbread recipes vary, but often include cornmeal, flour, milk or water, butter, and a leavening agent such as baking soda or baking powder. Some recipes include sugar for a bit of sweetness. In some cases, like Southern-style cornbread, eggs are added to the batter for a cake-like texture. The batter is baked in a square baking pan or cast-iron skillet.

If your chili is too thin, you can thicken it by letting it simmer longer, allowing more liquid to evaporate. Alternatively, you can create a simple cornstarch slurry by mixing one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Gradually add this mixture to the chili, one tablespoon at a time, while stirring to prevent lumps from forming.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

If you need to save more time, you can use your favorite store-bought brand of prepared cornbread mix instead of making it from scratch.

Make ahead

Reheat any leftovers covered in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds on HIGH until cornbread and chili are warmed through.

This recipe was developed by Renu Dhar; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.