Slow Cooker Chili Casserole

So I'm still breaking in the slow cooker, and thought I'd try a traditional slow cooker meal: chili. I decided to put a twist on it by topping it with cornbread and cheese, because what could be better than chili with cornbread and cheese?! This is another super easy one, and perfect with a green salad or other simple vegetable.


The Ingredients:



-1 ½ lbs ground beef
-1 large (2-3 small) onion, small dice (I could only find tiny onions at the store, so I used 3)
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 red bell pepper, medium dice (any color would be fine)
-1 tbsp chili powder
-1 tsp ground cumin
-1 chipotle in adobo (depends on how spicy you like this. Next time, I might add 2)
-½ cup low sodium vegetable stock (chicken or beef stock would be fine, too. This is what I had on hand.)
-1 can black beans, strained (I had black beans in my pantry, but kidney beans would great here, too.)
-1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
-1 box cornbread mix
-1 egg (or whatever the package directions are for the cornbread)
-1/3 cup canola oil (or whatever the package directions are for the cornbread)
-1 ¼ cup milk (or whatever the package directions are for the cornbread)
-1 cup grated cheddar cheese
-1-2 tbsp minced cilantro

The Directions:

1. Brown beef over medium heat. Drain fat from beef and return to heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and chipotle, and sauté until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add stock and bring to boil, about 2 minutes.
4. Put meat mixture in 4 quart slow cooker. Top with can of black beans and can of tomatoes. Cook over low heat, 3-4 hours.
5. Prepare cornbread batter according to package directions. Stir ¾ cup of grated cheddar into batter. Spoon batter over chili, cover and cook on high another hour. (I think this had too much cornbread for the amount of chili. Next time, I'll use half the batter on the casserole, and bake off the other half in muffins.)
6. Top bread with remaining ¼ cup of cheese, cover, and cook until cheese melts, about 5-10 minutes. Top with cilantro and serve.



This was great! I was worried that Boyfriend wouldn't like it, but he really loved it and had seconds. He usually complains that chili isn't a particularly satisfying meal, but the addition of the cornbread made it heartier, and he thought it was perfect. I liked it too, although thought there was too much cornbread. And next time, I'll add more chipotles and chili powder - it could use a bit more kick. I think this would also be great with ground turkey, rather than ground beef.