Cast Iron CHili Cornbread skillet
This Cast Iron Chili Cornbread Skillet is the coziest 30-minute dinner—hearty chili on the bottom, fluffy cornbread on top. One pan, family-friendly, and so easy.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
There is just something about a cold night, a cozy kitchen, and a cast iron skillet bubbling away on the stove. This Chili Cornbread Skillet is the kind of dinner that feels like you worked hard on it… but actually comes together in 30-ish minutes while the kids are finishing homework or running wild in the living room. It’s warm, hearty, and such a crowd-pleaser. Truly the definition of comfort food, but in a busy-mom-friendly way.
I grew up eating chili with cornbread on the side, and one day I thought… why am I dirtying two pans? So now we’re combining them into one cozy skillet where the chili simmers on the bottom and gets all thick and flavorful, and then you pour the cornbread batter right on top and bake it until it’s fluffy, golden, and SO good. You get a little scoop of chili, a little scoop of cornbread, and I’m telling you—it hits every time.
The chili itself is super customizable. I use lean ground beef most of the time, but turkey or chicken works perfectly too. Add beans, skip them, throw in extra peppers—whatever your family likes. And because it cooks in a cast iron skillet, the flavor gets that deep, rich, simmered-all-day vibe… even though it definitely did not simmer all day. My kind of weeknight win.
And then we get to the cornbread. You know I love a homemade moment when I have the time, so I included a from-scratch version with simple pantry ingredients. But listen… the BOXED version? It works beautifully. Zero shame. It browns perfectly, rises perfectly, and saves you time on a night when time is everything. I use Krusteaz or Jiffy depending on what I have on hand.
This whole skillet comes out of the oven golden, steamy, and absolutely irresistible. The top is light and fluffy, the chili underneath is thick and cozy, and the whole thing tastes like you spent way more time on dinner than you actually did. That’s the goal around here.
It also reheats really well, so it’s a great meal prep option for busy weeks or to pack for school lunches. My kids love scooping the chili and cornbread together—it feels like comfort food but still has plenty of protein to keep everyone full.
This is one of those dinners that just feels like winter. It’s perfect for Sunday dinner, game day, snow days, or the nights you just want to feed everyone something warm, comforting, and easy.
Shortcut Tips
Because busy moms deserve shortcuts:
Use boxed cornbread mix — it bakes perfectly every time.
Swap ground beef for pre-cooked rotisserie chicken in a pinch (just reduce broth).
Use frozen diced onions + peppers to cut down prep time.
Make the chili earlier in the day, then just top with batter and bake at dinner time.
Variations
Spicy: Add extra chipotle in adobo or jalapeños.
Sweet Heat: Add 1–2 tbsp honey to the cornbread batter.
Southwest Style: Add corn kernels + pepper jack cheese.
Gluten-Free: Use a GF cornbread mix or GF 1:1 flour in the homemade version.
Storage + Reheating
Cast Iron Chili Cornbread Skillet
Ingredients
For the Chili
- 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey/chicken
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 14 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 4 oz can green chiles
- 1 cup black beans or kidney beans drained
- ½ cup beef broth — just enough to simmer & keep it thick
- 1½ tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chipotle in adobo optional
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup — balances acidity
For the Cornbread Topping:
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or GF 1:1
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup honey or sugar
- 1 cup milk almond or 2%
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 egg
Let's Make It
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brown the ground beef with salt and pepper.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, beans, and broth.
- Add chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, chipotle, salt, pepper, and honey.
- Let simmer uncovered 10–12 minutes to thicken.
- While the chili simmers, whisk the cornbread ingredients (or stir together the boxed mix).
- Top + bake
- Spread the cornbread batter evenly over the chili.
- Bake at 400°F for 18–22 minutes, until the top is golden and cooked through.
- Scoop big servings and add toppings like pepper jack cheese, sour cream, and green onions.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Estimate (per serving, 6 servings)
Homemade cornbread version
Approximate:
Calories: 420
Protein: 27g
Carbs: 43g
Fat: 14g
Fiber: 6g
