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★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
This chili casserole offers a lot to love. It's layered with flavor and texture yet is ready in just one hour.
Cornbread Crust
Featuring a cornbread crust infused with green chilies, layered with seasoned ground beef and chili beans, then topped with melty cheddar cheese and crunchy corn chips.
This super easy casserole dish starts with a sweet crust of cornbread, balanced with green chilies for a touch of heat.
Meaty
Hearty ground beef, golden sautéed onions, and pinto beans in chili sauce are seasoned with delicious traditional chili seasonings to create the chili layer.
Crunchy
The thick and flavorful chili layer is topped with melted cheese and crispy, crunchy corn chips to give that perfect bite to bring it all together. Such a great recipe to feed a crowd or serve this up for dinner and enjoy leftovers the next day!
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
Here's a look at everything you need to make this casserole from scratch.
The Cornbread Layer
Make your own mix with:
- Cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Then add an egg, milk, and green chilies.
You can save yourself some time by using a boxed cornbread mix. I prefer the Krusteaz brand personally. I'm just not a big Jiffy fan but if you are, then you can also use that.
The Chili Layer
- Ground beef. Use a lean ground beef or simple drain away excess fat after cooking.
- Chili beans. Chili beans are pinto beans in a mildly spicy sauce. You'll find these in a canned beans aisle.
- Onion. You can use yellow or white. A red onion also works and will be a bit sweeter.
- Tomato sauce. A can of basic tomato sauce is all you need.
- Seasonings: chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, beef bouillon, salt, and pepper to taste.
You can use a chili seasoning spice blend packet if you don't have all these spices or if you want to save time. The benefit to using your own individual spices is that you can adjust each one to your liking. So go with whatever method suits you and your time constraints and preferences.
Cheese & Crunchy Topping
- Cheese. You can use plain shredded cheddar or a blend of cheeses. A Mexican cheese blend will add additional flavor.
- Corn chips. Fritos or store brand. You can also use tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
This oven-baked chili casserole comes together in just a couple steps. It's quick and easy!
Here's a look at what's involved:
- Combine cornbread ingredients.
- Layer cornbread batter into casserole dish.
- Brown beef with onions. Stir in tomato sauce, chili beans, and seasoning.
- Layer chili with sauce on top of cornbread batter.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Add crumbled corn chips and bake.
Serve with sour cream and green onions.
Easy as that!
★ Tips & FAQs ★
Feel free to customize the chili with your favorite ingredients such as different types of beans or meats. You can also adjust the level of spice to suit your taste preferences. Try adding a layer of whole-kernal sweet or cream corn, or you can stir it into the cornbread layer.
Additionally, you can experiment with different types of cheese or toppings like raw onions, sour cream, and hot sauce for added flavor. Chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, or diced avocado also make great toppings.
es, you can prepare this casserole ahead of time by assembling it up to the cheese (leave off the corn chips) and then covering and refrigerating it until you're ready to bake. Add corn chips right before baking. This makes it a convenient option for meal prep or entertaining.
You can also freeze this casserole. Again, in an airtight container and without the corn chip topping. Add that before baking. Make sure to bring to room temperature first before baking or you will need to add additional bake time. About 10 minutes more.
This chili bake pairs well with a crisp salad, a refreshing smoothie, or some your favorite steamed or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Leftovers of this casserole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Be sure to cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container to maintain freshness. You'll also want to remove the corn chips and add fresh ones since they tend to get soggy when stored.
Yes, you can make this casserole vegetarian or vegan by substituting the meat with plant-based alternatives such as textured vegetable protein (TVP), lentils, or extra beans. For a vegan version, use a plant-based milk and egg substitute in the cornbread batter, and ensure the corn chips and other ingredients are vegan-friendly.
★ More Chili Recipes ★
Want more easy dinner ideas for a family?
Browse all my dinner recipes and be sure to Pin your favorites for later.
Chili Casserole
Ingredients
Chili
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 cup chopped white onion (1 medium-large onion)
- 16 oz chili beans
- 30 oz tomato sauce
Chili Seasonings
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
- salt and pepper to taste
Cornbread Crust
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar or honey
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 4 oz can chopped green chiles
Crunchy Topping
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 oz corn chips more or less as desired
Optional Garnishes
- sour cream
- sliced green onions
Mighty Mrs. is a #WalmartPartner.
Instructions
- Prep oven and baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray 13 x 9 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray or use a little oil or butter.
- Prepare chili. Add ground beef and onion to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until beef is browned and onions lightly caramelize. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in tomato sauce, chili beans, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and beef bouillon. Reduce heat and let simmer while mixing the cornbread crust.
- Prepare cornbread layer. Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl to combine. Or use cornbread mix.Add milk, egg and green chilis, stirring until well combined. Spread cornbread batter in the bottom of the casserole dish in an even layer.
- Layer chili, cheese, and corn chips. Add chili with sauce on top of the cornbread mixture; spreading in an even layer.Sprinkle on cheese next, in an even layer.Crumble corn chips on top of cheese.
- Bake. Oven bake for 35 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if corn chips begin to brown.
- Garnish and serve. Makes 9 servings. When chili is bubbling and cheese is completely melted, remove from oven. Spoon onto plates or bowl and top with garnishes if desired.
Notes
- The topping is best using the smaller corn chips (not the dipper size).
- Save time by using chili seasoning mix and cornbread mix.
- Use leftover chili if you have some available.
Janna says
chili beans chopped??
Angela G. says
That should be the onion not the beans! Sorry about that. Fixed. You may need to refresh to see the correction.