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Cornbread Chili

A rich beef and kidney bean chili topped with a tender, golden cornmeal crust baked directly in one skillet.

45 minMediumServes 6480 cal/serving

Southern AmericanDinnerStovetop and OvenHigh ProteinStandardHigh FiberNut-FreeShellfish-FreePork-FreeAlcohol-FreeSesame-Free

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 cans canned diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans canned dark red kidney beans, drained
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In an oven-safe skillet, brown 1.5 lbs lean ground beef and 1 cup diced yellow onion over medium heat until meat reaches 160 degrees F.

  2. 2

    Stir in 2 tbsp chili powder, 2 cans canned diced tomatoes, and 2 cans drained canned dark red kidney beans, then simmer for 10 minutes.

  3. 3

    Whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, 1 cup whole milk, and 1 beaten large egg in a bowl until smooth.

  4. 4

    Spread the cornbread batter evenly over the simmered chili in the skillet.

  5. 5

    Bake for 20 minutes until the cornbread topping is golden brown and cooked through.

Questions

Can I make Cornbread Chili dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, 1 cup whole milk. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Cornbread Chili gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 1 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Cornbread Chili keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through. It also freezes well for up to three months.

Can I halve or double Cornbread Chili?

Yes. As written it serves 6. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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