You know those times when you have the energy to cook something, but the thought of making multiple dishes to make up a whole meal is completely beyond you?? We obviously know this feeling well, so we packed everything we could think of into this one recipe, that way, once it’s cooking away we can wipe our hands of it and go get comfortable before putting dinner on the table.
Inspired by the time-tested classic, chicken pot pie, we decided to take things in a southwestern, Tex-Mex direction and turn our meal into a chili pot pie. We swapped beef chili in for chicken and used a hearty cornbread topping instead of the traditional, flaky crust. This stuff is ridiculously good. While you’re more than welcome to use store-bought chili – it’s definitely a huge timesaver – we figured we’d make a batch from scratch, then top it with some doctored up box mix cornbread. A little work in the beginning, followed up with an easy fix for some seriously good cornbread to complement the spicy, zesty flavors from the chili.
Ingredients:
The chili :
1 1/2 pound of ground beef
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes with green peppers
1 can of red or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of oregano
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cornbread topping :
2 packages of cornbread mix (8 oz)
2 eggs
2/3 cup of milk
1 can of creamed corn
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, optional
PREPARATION :
Preheat the oven to 400º F.
In a large ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until softened and translucent, for about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add beef to onion and garlic mixture and cook until browned, 8-10 minutes, then season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and all the beans and stir until blended.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
While the chili is simmering, prepare the cornbread by whisking the cornbread mixture, eggs, and milk in a large bowl. Once mixed, stir in the creamed corn and cheddar cheese, if necessary.
Pour the cornbread into the skillet over the chili and spread it in an even layer.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook the cornbread until the chili mixture boils for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot. Enjoy!