Description
This hearty Chili Pot Pie with a rustic cornbread crust combines a flavorful ground beef chili topped with a moist and slightly sweet cornbread. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, this dish features a rich chili simmered with kidney beans and tomato sauce, covered with a homemade cornbread batter, and baked until golden. Serve warm with shredded cheese and sour cream for an indulgent twist on classic chili.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chili:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 8oz cans tomato sauce
- 1 15oz can kidney beans, undrained
- 1 1.25oz packet chili seasoning
For the Cornbread Crust:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cornmeal (finely ground)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 egg
To Serve:
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the pot pies.
- Cook Ground Beef: In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Drain any excess fat to keep the chili from becoming greasy.
- Add Chili Ingredients: Stir in the tomato sauce, undrained kidney beans, and chili seasoning. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally.
- Simmer Chili: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and let the chili simmer for about 10 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare Dry Cornbread Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda.
- Mix Wet Cornbread Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, canola oil, and egg until well combined.
- Combine Cornbread Batter: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined to form a batter.
- Assemble Pot Pies: Spoon 1 cup of the chili evenly into four 9-ounce ramekins. Spread about 1/2 cup of the cornbread batter evenly over the top of each ramekin. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
- Bake: Bake the assembled pot pies in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is cooked through and golden brown.
- Serve: Remove the pot pies from the oven. Serve immediately topped with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream for extra richness.
Notes
- Use finely ground cornmeal for a tender cornbread crust.
- For a spicier chili, add extra chili seasoning or a dash of hot sauce.
- Ramekins should be oven-safe and about 9 ounces in size for best results.
- Leftover chili can be stored separately and used with fresh cornbread topping.
- Can substitute buttermilk with regular milk plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar if needed.
