Healthier Chili Cornbread Casserole
Introducing my Healthier Chili Cornbread Casserole! With a saucy, hearty chili base and a tender, buttery cornbread topping, it’s a one-pot, better-for-you comfort food dish you’ll want to make on repeat all fall and winter.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 474kcal
Cost: $12.66 or $1.58/serving
Equipment
- 1 large oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
Chili Layer:
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 lbs ground turkey
- 1 large carrot diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 28 oz canned petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 15 oz red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup frozen corn
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Cornbread Layer:
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup fine cornmeal
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the ground turkey and carrots and saute until the turkey is cooked through, breaking it up as you go.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and onion powder and saute for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, broth, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- While the chili is cooking, preheat the oven to 375°F and make the cornbread layer. In a mixing bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, melted butter, and sugar until well combined. Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt and stir to combine.
- Once the chili is done cooking, spread the cornbread batter evenly over the chili in the oven-safe skillet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cornbread is cooked through and golden brown. Serve with sour cream, honey, green onions, cheese, and/or jalapeños!
Notes
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the casserole to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the casserole in the refrigerator overnight until thawed.
- Reheating: Warm the casserole in a covered baking pan in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
- Use an oven-safe skillet. This saves you from dirtying multiple pans. If possible, simmer the chili in the same skillet you'll use for baking. Don't have an oven-safe large skillet? Simply simmer the chili in a Dutch oven or large pot, then transfer it to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish before spreading on the cornbread batter.
- Simmer, don't boil. Although you can increase the heat to medium-high to bring the chili to a simmer more quickly, but reduce it to medium while it cooks. This keeps the chili thick and prevents burning.
- Don't overmix the cornbread batter. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Overworking the mixture will make the cornbread dense and heavy. No fun!
Nutrition
Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 1002mg | Fiber: 8g
