Chicago-Style Layered Chili with Cornbread Crust

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-03 · Updated 2026-08-03

A hearty layered chili featuring ground beef, beans, and spices topped with a golden cornbread crust, capturing the comforting soul of Chicago’s Midwest flavors. This American-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs ground beef, yellow onion, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed kidney beans
• 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed black beans
• 1 can (14.5 oz), undrained diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg

The cast-iron skillet we’d sear this in → Best Cast Iron Skillets for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown 1 lb ground beef with 1 diced medium yellow onion and 3 minced garlic cloves for 6-7 minutes until beef is fully cooked and onion is translucent. Drain excess fat.
2. Step 2: Stir into the beef mixture 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, 1 can (15 oz) black beans, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes until thickened and flavors meld.
3. Step 3: While chili simmers, combine 1 cup cornmeal, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 2 tbsp granulated sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 1 large egg until blended.
4. Step 4: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour the chili evenly into a 9-inch baking dish, then carefully spoon the cornbread batter over the top to form a crust.
5. Step 5: Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until cornbread is golden and cooked through. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.