slow cooker chili with jalapeño cheddar cornbread
there is no better fall meal than slow cooker chili with jalapeño cheddar cornbread. it is such a comforting dinner, especially on a cool night. i live in palm beach, so we don’t get many of those, but i make it anyway (because let’s be honest, it tastes good no matter what the weather may be..)!
this recipe is great because it utilizes the slow cooker, which means it’s easy. and, i love anything that involves lots of toppings: sour cream, cheese, cilantro, avocado, scallions, you name it. plus, making it with the spicy, cheesy cornbread with just the perfect amount of kick turns this meal into perfection. you can dunk the cornbread into the chili, or eat it on the side with butter or honey. last, but not least, both recipes make a lot of food. that means you can eat it all week! or, you can freeze it; i’ve frozen both the cornbread and the chili, and they both thaw super well. you’d never know they were previously frozen! so much goodness in one meal means it’s time to get cooking!
slow cooker beef chili & homemade jalapeño cornbread
Ingredients
chili:
- 1 onion diced (I cheated and bought packaged, pre-diced)
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lbs. ground beef preferably grass-fed & organic. I used 85/15 (lean to fat ratio).
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3-4 carrots peeled & diced
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced
- 2 tsp. adobo sauce from can of chipotle peppers
- 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz. can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 bottle of beer whatever you like to drink
- 1.5 tbsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. cilantro
- 2 tsp. oregano
- 2 tbsp. chili powder
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
- 15 oz. can of black beans drained & rinsed
- 15 oz. can of kidney beans drained & rinsed
- 15 oz. can of pinto beans drained & rinsed
- salt to taste
- 1 lime
toppings:
- sliced green onions
- shredded cheddar cheese
- diced avocado tossed in lime juice & sprinkled with sea salt
- fresh cilantro leaves
- sour cream
- sliced limes to squeeze over individual bowls of chili
jalapeño cheddar cornbread
- 1.5 c. yellow cornmeal
- 1 c. all purpose flour
- 4 tbsp. seeded jalapeños chopped
- 1/3 c. chopped scallions
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 c. milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 sticks butter + extra to grease pan
- 2 c. grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- heat skillet & add ground beef. break up meat with wooden spoon & cook until brown. then add in chopped up onions, bell pepper, and garlic. cook until veggies are wilted and garlic is fragrant (be careful not to burn the garlic).
- add cooked meat mixture, carrots, crushed tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, beer, beans, and seasonings to slow cooker.
- stir, cover, and cook on low for 6-7 hours (or in high for 4 hours if you don't have as much time).
- before serving, taste. it probably needs a good amount of salt--sprinkle, stir, and keep tasting until it's just right.
- serve with all of the toppings, let everyone assemble their own masterpiece, and enjoy!
jalapeño cornbread
- preheat oven to 350 & grease an 8 in. square baking dish with butter.
- mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder & salt.
- in a separate bowl, mix milk, eggs & melted butter (let the butter cool before adding to the eggs so that the eggs don't scramble).
- add the wet ingredients to the dry & stir until combined (don't overmix!).
- mix in the jalapeño, scallions, and 1.5c. of the cheddar.
- pour mixture into prepared pan & sprinkle top with remaining cheese.
- bake until golden & firm (until toothpick comes out clean), roughly 30 minutes.
- slice and serve plain, with above chili, butter, or drizzled honey--leftovers make a great breakfast!
Notes
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