Chipotle Chili and From-Scratch Cornbread

SHARING IS CARING!

This smoky, flavorful chili is a no-fail, budget-friendly 30 minute meal. Paired with from-scratch yellow cornbread and topped with your favorite chili toppings, it’s a delicious staple to add to your Fall meal plan.

This weekend, Fall finally made its appearance. On Sunday morning, we woke up to a crisp 32℉ and a frosty lawn. Although it’s bittersweet that Summer (and my Summer garden) is over, there is one plus — it is officially chili season!

I love chili. And, this smoky chipotle chili is — by far — the best chili I have ever had. I stumbled upon this recipe two years ago, when I needed to use an opened can of chipotle chilis. I decided to toss them in my usual chili recipe, and fell in love with the results. Needless to say, I never looked back. However, I did switch from those canned chipotle chilis to chipotle powder (to save my chopping boards from the stains!)

This chipotle chili is perfect for a chilly weeknight — it’s an easy 30-minute meal that uses just a pound of ground beef. I bulk it up with the addition of three cans of beans. We pressure can our own dried beans, and I love finding ways to use them up. Adding beans to recipes like this makes my grocery budget go much further — without sacrificing flavor or nutrition.

Of course, no chili is complete without a side of homemade yellow cornbread!

Don’t forget to pin this recipe!

Make this 30-minute Fall dish your own:

• Up the spice by adding fermented hot sauce or peppers, or my favorite — cowboy candy.
• Try different toppings — I enjoy shredded cheddar cheese, but sour cream, plain greek yogurt, or sliced avocado are also delicious! Chopped cilantro also adds a fresh bite.

How to make it gluten-free

Although this smoky chili recipe is naturally gluten-free, the cornbread can easily be made gluten-free using 1:1 gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour. This chili also pairs well with rice or tortilla chips, if you don’t have gluten-free flour on hand.

Swaps to make this dairy-free

Chili is also naturally dairy-free, but to make the cornbread dairy-free, use an unsweetened dairy-free milk like almond, coconut, or soy milk.

Can you use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker?

Absolutely! First, press the sauté function on your pressure cooker. Heat oil or butter in the pot, add diced onion, and sauté until soft. Add the ground beef and brown, breaking up any large chunks. Then, add minced garlic and seasonings, stirring to combine. Add all of the remaining ingredients — diced tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, and beef broth — and stir well. Now, place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it in place. Press the manual button, set the pot to high pressure, and adjust the cooking time to 20 minutes. Finally, press start.

When the timer goes off, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5-10 minutes. Switch to venting to release any remaining pressure.

Can you make the chili in the slow cooker?

Yes, but I would recommend sautéing the meat, onions, and garlic in a separate pan before transferring to a 6-quart slow cooker. Then, add the remaining ingredients — seasonings, diced tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, and beef broth. Stir together and place the lid on your slow cooker. If you’re making this in the morning for dinner, set your slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. If you need it sooner, set the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours.

30-Minute Chipotle Chili Ingredients

• Butter or olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ground beef
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Black beans
• Navy or pinto beans
• Kidney beans 
• Ground cumin
• Chili powder
• Chipotle powder
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Low-sodium beef broth
• Salt
• Pepper

Ingredients for From-Scratch Cornbread

• Lard, shortening, or vegetable oil
• Yellow cornmeal (not self-rising)
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Sugar
• Milk
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil or melted butter

Tips:

• If you can’t find chipotle powder, canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce will definitely work. You’ll want about 1 tablespoon of diced peppers, which is about 1-2 whole peppers. Just watch out — the sauce will stain your chopping boards!
• You can use normal paprika instead of smoked paprika, but it adds to the overall smoky flavor.
• You can use low-sodium homemade or store-bought broth in your chili, but I highly recommend homemade bone broth. Not only does it taste better, but it also increases your dish’s protein, vitamin, and mineral content. 
• If you can only find self-rising cornmeal, omit the baking powder and salt. Self-rising cornmeal has this already mixed in.
• Feel free to omit the sugar if you don’t like sweet cornbread. I like my cornbread to be slightly sweet — I promise, this doesn’t taste like cake!

Tools you may need:

To make the chili

• Large lidded pot or Dutch oven — I’m using a 5.5 quart Dutch oven here
• Knife — I can’t live without this 6 inch Victorinox knife. It stays sharp for a long time but is also easy to sharpen.
• Chopping board
• Garlic press
• Measuring spoons

To make the cornbread

• Measuring cups
• 2 mixing bowls
• 8-inch round cake pan or cast-iron skillet

How to make Chipotle Chili with From-Scratch Cornbread in 30 minutes

Before you start: If you plan to make the cornbread as a side, set your oven to 350℉.

For the Chipotle Chili

Heat butter or olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion to the pot, and sauté until tender. Then, add ground beef and brown, breaking up any large chunks. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. 

Turn heat down to low, and add cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir this into the meat mixture, and then add the tomato paste, canned beans, diced tomatoes, and beef broth. I like to rinse my beans before adding them to the chili, but it’s not necessary.

Stir to combine all ingredients.

Simmer chili, uncovered, on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally to prevent sticking. If the chili gets too thick, you can loosen it by adding 1/2 cup of water and stirring it through.

How to make cornbread from scratch

While the chili simmers away, start on your cornbread. Begin by adding lard, shortening, or vegetable oil to your cake pan or cast-iron skillet, and placing it in your 350℉ oven.

While your fat melts, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl or measuring cup, mix milk, eggs, and vegetable oil. Then, pour your liquid ingredients into your dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. The batter won’t be completely smooth.

Now, remove your pan or skillet from the oven. Quickly pour the cornbread batter into the melted fat. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Bringing it all together

Serve chili and top with your favorite toppings — we love shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, and pickled peppers. Enjoy alongside a slice of warm cornbread.

If you tried this 30-minute recipe and loved it, I would appreciate it if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you xx

SHARING IS CARING!