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A serving of cornbread topped casserole on a plate with a fork.

Mexican Cornbread Casserole

This cornbread casserole is a one-skillet meal. Tender chunks of pork, beans, corn, and poblano pepper give this dish a Southwest flavor. It gets topped with a cheesy cornbread crust that the whole family will love.
4.89 from 9 votes
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Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 347kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

For the Filling:

  • 2 Poblano chilies
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin cut in 1/2-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper de-seeded, and diced
  • 1 cup whole kernel corn fresh, frozen, or canned
  • 1 can 14.5 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can 14.5 ounces diced stewed tomatoes
  • 1 chipotle pepper finely chopped (not the whole can)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro optional

For the Cornbread Topping:

  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

Roast the Poblano Peppers

  • Place the poblano peppers on a sheet pan. Slide the peppers under the broiler and broil about 2 inches from the heating element. Turn the peppers frequently until they are blistered and charred all around. It will take about 12 to 15 minutes under the broiler.
  • Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit and sweat in the bowl as they cool down. (about 10 minutes).
  • When the peppers are cool enough to handle, slide the skin off, pull the stem off, and discard the seeds. Dice the peppers and set them aside while you prepare the rest of the skillet dinner.

Make the Filling:

  • In a shallow dish or pie plate, add the flour, chipotle powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the pork cubes and toss to coat each piece with the flour mixture.
  • In a large 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil and when it is hot add half of the pork cubes and brown on all sides. Set aside on a plate and proceed with the remaining pork cubes. Set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the diced roasted poblano chiles and the red pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
  • Stir in the reserved browned pork cubes, corn, black beans, tomatoes, diced chipotle pepper, cumin, and the chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed. If you like really spicy food, you may want to add one more chipotle pepper.
  • Stir the chopped cilantro into the mixture. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside while you prepare the cornbread topping.

Make the Cornbread Topping:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium-size bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to combine well.
  • In a separate bowl, add the milk, oil, and egg, whisk together and add to the dry cornmeal mixture. Add the cheese and stir just until blended.
  • Drop heaping mounds of the batter to the top of the mixture in the skillet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned. Serve at the table from the skillet.

Notes

  • Do not use the whole can of chipotle peppers. One or two peppers will give this dish plenty of spice. You can freeze the leftover chipotle peppers for up to 6 months.
  • You will need a 12-inch skillet for this recipe. If you don't have a 12-inch skillet you can transfer it to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 715mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g