Chili Con Carne Corn Bread Pie

This recipe takes a delicious chili con carne and tops it with a quick and easy corn bread crust for a hearty and comforting meal. The corn bread batter comes together in just a few minutes, making this a perfect weeknight dinner. You can bake it as one large pie or as individual servings. For extra flavor and texture, consider adding vegetables like corn and peas to the chili filling.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Spoon 1 cup of Shredded Beef Chili Con Carne into each of four individual pie dishes, or all 4 cups into one large pie dish.

3. 3

   In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients for the corn bread topping: polenta/cornmeal, self-raising flour, sugar, and salt. Give them a quick stir to mix.

4. 4

   Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients: melted butter, eggs, milk, and creamed corn. Mix until the batter is smooth and lump-free.

5. 5

   Carefully pour the corn bread mixture over the chili filling, creating a layer about 1.5 cm (1/2") thick. Avoid making the topping too thick, as it will take longer to bake and the top may brown too much before the center is cooked through.

6. 6

   Place the pie(s) in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If you are baking one large pie, it will take closer to 35 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the center of the corn bread; it should come out clean. If there is still batter on the skewer, return the pie to the oven for a few more minutes.

7. 7

   Allow the pie to rest for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Recipe Notes

• Topping thickness – It’s important not to make the corn bread topping much thicker than 1.5 cm (1/2"). If the layer is too thick, the top will brown before the center of the corn bread is fully cooked. This recipe works best in flatter, wider dishes rather than very deep ones. The individual pie dishes used in the video are 15cm x 12cm (6" x 5") and 4cm (1.4") deep.

• Leftover batter – You may have some corn bread batter left over, usually about a quarter to a third of the total amount. This is because pie dishes can vary in shape and size, making it difficult to create a recipe with an exact amount of batter. If you have any leftovers, you can pour it into greased ramekins or a muffin tin and bake it alongside the pie. A standard-sized corn bread muffin will take about 15 to 20 minutes to bake.

• Polenta vs. cornmeal – In many countries, like Australia, "polenta" refers to fine yellow cornmeal, which is the ingredient used in this recipe. However, in other parts of the world, polenta is a porridge-like dish made from cornmeal, similar to mashed potatoes. For this recipe, look for fine yellow cornmeal in your grocery store.