Chili-Stuffed Cornbread

Cheesy chili-stuffed cornbread is what happens when cornbread gets tired of being a sidekick and decides to break into a leading role. This golden, crumbly cornbread has a surprise middle stuffed with beefy chili and cheddar cheese. It’s hearty, a little messy, and unapologetically extra, the kind of dish that makes you wonder why you ever settled for plain cornbread in the first place.

We start by making a simple beef and bean chili. Because we’re making a super-quick version that doesn’t have the benefit of simmering on the stove all afternoon, I've added a little beef stock concentrate for quick depth of flavor. This chili has a modest kick from jalapeño, which is tempered by the cornbread and cheese surrounding it, but you could leave the jalapeño out entirely if you don’t love heat. This chili is on the thicker side to ensure that the cornbread bakes evenly and that the chili stays in place in the center of the cornbread. You could swap in a quart of store-bought chili, so long as it’s on the thicker side and not soupy (if it's too soupy, just strain out some of the liquid).

I opted for a more savory, crumbly Southern-style cornbread here rather than its cakey and sweet Northern counterpart, but I do add just 2 Tbsp. sugar for the tiniest hint of sweetness to balance the savory chili. (Don’t tell my Southern grandma!)

I'm adding cheddar cheese too, because duh, but also because it acts as a structural hero, helping to keep the chili from sinking to the bottom of the cornbread batter. You could swap out the cheddar for an equal amount of any other shredded melting cheese, like pepper Jack or a Mexican cheese blend.

Recipe tip:
Test your cornbread’s doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean with no moist crumbs clinging to it, your cornbread is cooked through.

Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!