Game Day Chili with Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Crust

Hosting a Superbowl party? Score a touchdown by making this game day chili with jalapeno cheddar cornbread crust topping!

It’s the big game this weekend and we’ve decided to invite our football crazy friends over (even though they’re Bronco fans). Let’s just say my husband is a tad passionate about NFL football, and I know he’s particularly excited for this game since the Seahawks are his team.

I’m not too much of a football fan (Sunday afternoons are my time for puttering around the house), but I am looking forward to catching up with our friends, watching the Bruno Mars halftime show, and, of course, eating!

Here’s what I’m planning on serving up…

Game Day Chili (with Honey Brown Beer)

(printable version below)

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs lean ground beef
2 TB. tomato paste
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½  cups mushrooms, sliced
2 bell peppers (I used orange and green)
1 can (540 mL or 19 oz.) red kidney beans
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 ½  tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. crushed red chili flakes (optional)
1 can honey brown beer
¼ cup green onions, chopped

Directions:

Brown ground beef in large pot on medium heat. Drain off grease. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Add onions, celery, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, add mushrooms and bell peppers, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the green onions. Simmer on medium-low partially covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chili should start to thicken.

Adjust seasoning to taste and simmer covered for another 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Turn off heat, stir in green onions and let sit covered for 10-15 minutes (prepare the cornbread crust during this time).

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Crust

Note: you can bake this crust right on top of the chili in an oven-proof pot or transfer chili to individual oven-safe bowls.

Ingredients:

½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all purpose flour (I used Nutri Blend white)
1 cup corn meal
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 TB. baking powder
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup corn (I used frozen)
¼ cup jarred jalapenos, diced (use more if you like it spicier)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, sift together flours, corn meal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the buttemilk and slowly pour in the melted butter while stirring. Mix in the Tabasco sauce if desired.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and gently stir. Fold in the cheese, corn, and jalapenos.

Spread evenly over the top of the chili in the pot or individual bowls. Note: Lightly grease the edge of the pot or bowl first to prevent the cornbread from sticking.

Bake until it is golden brown on top and firm to the touch at the center (about 35-45 minutes depending on the size of the dish).

Let cool 10 minutes before serving. ENJOY!

Note: If you want to make these into cornbread muffins instead, line a muffin tin with parchment paper or cupcake liners. Divide the mixture evenly (about 12 muffins). Bake for 25 minutes.

The beer-infused chili with zesty cornbread topping is so, so good!

Would you be up for a bowl of game day chili?

Print

Game Day Chili with Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Crust

A beer-infused chili topped with zesty cornbread. Perfect party food!

Course Main Course

Ingredients

For the Chili:

• 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 TB. tomato paste
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 celery stalks chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 ½ cups mushrooms sliced
• 2 bell peppers I used orange and green
• 1 can 540 mL or 19 oz. red kidney beans
• 1 cup tomatoes diced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. crushed red chili flakes optional
• 1 can honey brown beer
• ¼ cup green onions chopped

For the Cornbread Crust:

• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup all purpose flour I used Nutri Blend white
• 1 cup corn meal
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 TB. baking powder
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ½ cup butter melted
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce optional
• 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
• 1 cup corn I used frozen
• ¼ cup jarred jalapenos diced (use more if you like it spicier)

Instructions

Chili:

1. Brown ground beef in large pot on medium heat. Drain off grease. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Next, add mushrooms and bell peppers, and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the green onions. Simmer on medium-low partially covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chili should start to thicken.
5. Adjust seasoning to taste and simmer covered for another 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
6. Turn off heat, stir in green onions and let sit covered for 10-15 minutes (prepare the cornbread crust during this time).

Cornbread Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flours, corn meal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the buttemilk and slowly pour in the melted butter while stirring. Mix in the Tabasco sauce if desired.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and gently stir. Fold in the cheese, corn, and jalapenos.
5. Spread evenly over the top of the chili in the pot or individual bowls. Note: Lightly grease the edge of the pot or bowl first to prevent the cornbread from sticking.
6. Bake until it is golden brown on top and firm to the touch at the center (about 35-45 minutes depending on the size of the dish).
7. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

You can bake this crust right on top of the chili in an oven-proof pot or transfer chili to individual oven-safe bowls first. If you want to make cornbread muffins instead, line a muffin tin with parchment paper or cupcake liners. Divide the mixture evenly (about 12 muffins). Bake for 25 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by!