Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

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Cowboy cornbread casserole in a skillet is an easy weekday dinner. This savory 2-layer dish features Texas Roadhouse chili topped with golden buttery cornbread. It’s hearty, delicious and extra comforting. The mouthwatering aroma from the kitchen herds all the cowboys inside.

📌 Pin Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

🧅 Why You’ll Love this Easy Recipe

• It’s simple to make with common ingredients. We use a lot of pantry staples like canned beans, canned corn, canned chiles, yellow onion, garlic, etc.
• Cowboy casserole is a combo of 2 cowboy favorites: meaty chili beans with melty cheddar cheese and cornbread. The perfect pairing. We start with a flavorful pot of chili. We transfer it to an oven-safe skillet, then pour cornbread batter over the top and bake.
• It’s a hearty meal perfect for cowboy appetites. Filled with savory flavors like meat, beans and cheese, it’s made to satisfy hunger. The buttery cornbread topping is a special treat.
• This dish is a great way to use a batch of meal-prepped chili in the fridge or freezer.
• It’s loaded with tasty toppings: A scoop of sour cream, fresh diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and jalapeńo slices. It’s served with wedges of lime for squeezing.
• It can be served in bowls or tin camping mugs and enjoyed around a campfire. The warm cozy flavors and comforting aroma will have everyone reaching for seconds.

👩🏻‍🍳 Ingredients

Meaty Chili Beans

• Olive Oil: For sautéing the onion and garlic.
• Yellow Onion: A traditional ingredient for chili beans.
• Fresh Garlic: If you don’t have fresh on hand, use garlic powder instead.
• Lean Ground Beef: For fattier beef, drain off the fat after browning.
• Chili Powder: A traditional spice for chili beans. Add more or less, to taste.
• Dried Oregano: Crush it between your fingers to release flavors and aroma.
• Garlic Powder: For an extra punch of rustic flavor. It evenly disburses throughout the dish.
• Light Brown Sugar: This bit of sweetness balances out the other flavors.
• Ground Cumin: A classic spice for chili. It’s warm and savory with a rich earthy tone.
• Kosher Salt: Brightens the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Ground Black Pepper: Adds an earthy rustic taste with a bit of heat.
• Tomato Sauce (canned): Adds rich tomato flavor and moisture.
• Diced Tomatoes (canned): A must for traditional chili beans with meat.
• Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles (canned): Adds a Tex-Mex cowboy taste.
• Kidney Beans (canned): The bean of choice for cowboy cornbread casserole.
• Black Beans (canned): If desired, you can use different beans, like pinto beans.
• Sweet Whole-Kernel Corn (canned): Adds delicious flavor and texture to this cornbread cowboy casserole. Make sure to drain off all the liquid from the can.
• Chicken Broth (or beef broth): We use chicken broth instead of beef broth because it’s more savory and flavorful. Feel free to use chickenbouillon dissolved in hot water.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a delicious touch of rustic tang.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese: We mix it into the meat mixture for a cheesy savory chili. It’s part of what makes this cowboy cornbread casserole outstanding.

🍞 Buttery Cornbread Topping

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides strength and structure for the cornbread batter.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness. But feel free to reduce the amount from 3/4 cup to 2/3 cup, if desired.
• Yellow Cornmeal (or white cornmeal): For a more buttery-colored topping, use yellow cornmeal. But either type will work. Use what’s already in your pantry.
• Baking Powder: This leavening ingredient produces a lovely rise.
• Kosher Salt: Balances the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Whole Milk: Adds delicious moisture to the cornbread batter.
• Large Eggs: Provide structure and stability within the batter.
• Vegetable Oil: Provides rich moisture for a tender cornbread topping.
• Salted Butter: For a savory buttery taste.

🥑 Optional Garnishes

• Sour Cream: For a creamy delicious mouthfeel with a bit of tang.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Add freshness, color, flavor and texture. We dice them up and sprinkle them over the cowboy cornbread casserole.
• Fresh Italian Parsley: For a fresh grassy taste and vibrant green color.
• Hass Avocado, diced or sliced.
• Lime: Cut into wedges for squeezing.

⏲ Expert Tips

• Choose the Right Skillet: Use a well-seasoned, cast-iron skillet for the best results. Cast iron provides even heating and gives the cornbread a nice crust. It also provides the ideal presentation for a cowboy cornbread casserole – a rustic, outdoor, cowboy look.
• For a Crispier Texture – Preheat the Skillet. Place the cast-iron skillet in the oven while it’s preheating. This ensures that the edges of the cornbread mixture make contact with a hot surface for a nice crispy texture.
• Buttermilk for Tang: If you love tangy cornbread, replace regular milk with buttermilk. The acidity of the buttermilk also enhances the leavening agents in the cornbread.
• Make it Extra Cheesy: Feel free to sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the cornbread batter before baking. This creates a golden and cheesy crust that adds richness to the dish. Or garnish individual servings of cowboy cornbread casserole with shredded cheese.
• Let it Rest: Allow the casserole to rest for 5 to 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven. The layers of the casserole, particularly the cornbread, will continue to set and firm up as it cools, making it easier to cut and serve without the risk of the layers falling apart.
• Leftovers Heat Well: If you have any leftovers, they reheat well. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the leftover cowboy cornbread casserole in an oven-safe dish, or use the original cast-iron skillet. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Rewarm in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s heated through. For a crispy top, you can remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of reheating.
• Stovetop Reheating: If you prefer to reheat on the stovetop, you can do so in a skillet. Place the leftover casserole in a skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth to help prevent sticking and to add moisture. Stir occasionally until heated through.

📖 Recipe Steps

🥩 Make Meaty Chili Beans

RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add onion and minced garlic with a small pinch of salt. Sauté until almost tender.
2. Add meat to the pot with a small pinch of salt, and cook until browned with no more pink. While cooking, use a wooden spatula to break up meat into small pieces.
3. Add all the spices and sugar to the pot. Stir to incorporate. Add in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with all their juices, kidney beans, black beans, corn, chicken broth, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine. Bring the chili to a light boil. Then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover the pot. Let chili simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, so the flavors can combine. We want the chili thick for the cowboy casserole, but if it’s becoming too dry, then stir in a bit more chicken broth.
4. Do a taste test and add more seasonings and spices, if needed. Add shredded cheese to the pot and fold it in.

🥣 Prep Cornbread Batter

1. Melt the butter in the microwave. Use a microwave-safe bowl (like a Pyrex glass measuring cup) or ramekin. Pull out the rest of the ingredients from the fridge and pantry.
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt) in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk briefly. Add milk, oil, and melted butter. Whisk to combine.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix just until blended. Do not overmix.

🥘 Assemble Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

1. Ladle chili into a large cast-iron skillet. If using a 12-inch skillet, all the chili should fit, still leaving room for the cornbread batter. If using an 11-inch skillet, you may have about 2 cups of chili leftover – as we need to make room for the cornbread topping. (No oven-safe skillet? Use a 9×13 baking dish that’s been greased with butter.)
2. Carefully pour cornbread batter over the chili. With the back of a spoon, spread it to the edges of the skillet so the chili is completely covered.
3. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
4. If desired, lightly butter the top of the cowboy casserole. Let it cool for 5 minutes before scooping. Serve with your favorite garnishes.

🧑🏼‍🍳 Recipe FAQ

These are the most commonly-asked questions about cowboy cornbread casserole, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.

🍽 Hearty Meals for Hungry Cowboys

After a long busy day, there’s a hungry cowboy in all of us. Here’s what to serve for dinner. There’s something to satisfy every appetite. Add these favorites to your meal plan.

• Legendary Meat Lasagna
• Pulled Pork Sliders
• Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
• BBQ Meatloaf
• Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
• NOLA Red Beans and Rice
• New Orleans Jambalaya

Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flavor testers rated this the BEST cowboy cornbread casserole. They loved the savory flavor of the chili beans with melted cheese, and the tender, buttery cornbread topping. Two of our testers who grew up with this dish said ours is even better than the beans and cornbread in a skillet their grandmothers made.

If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.

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Cowboy Cornbread Casserole 👉🏻 Join the Convo

Have you tried this beans and cornbread recipe? Did you enjoy the combination of flavors and textures? What are your favorite ways to top this cowboy casserole? Share your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.