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Perfect Slow Cooker Football Chili with Easy Cornbread

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A hearty, set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker chili with a built-in cornbread topping that steams into tender, savory dumplings. Perfect for game days, cold weather, and feeding a crowd with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 or 85/15)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (stone-ground preferred)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over (6-8 minutes). Leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Add diced onion to the pan with the beef. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Bloom the spices: Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper over the meat and onions. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Deglaze the pan: Pour in 1/2 cup of beef broth and scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Let bubble for 1 minute, then transfer everything to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  5. Add remaining chili ingredients: Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, remaining beef broth, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
  6. Cook the chili: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
  7. Make the cornbread batter: About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Fold in cheddar if using.
  8. Add the cornbread topping: Uncover the slow cooker. Drop spoonfuls of batter evenly over the chili surface (8-10 dollops). Do not stir.
  9. Cook the cornbread: Cover and cook on HIGH for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into a dollop comes out clean.
  10. Rest and serve: Turn off slow cooker and let sit uncovered for 5-10 minutes. Ladle into bowls, ensuring each serving gets a piece of cornbread. Top with desired toppings.

Notes

For best flavor, brown the meat and bloom the spices—do not skip. Adjust liquid levels: if chili is too thin after 4 hours on LOW, cook uncovered for the last hour. Test cornbread at 30 minutes; every slow cooker varies. Season at the end to avoid over-salting. Chili tastes even better the next day. For freezing, freeze chili without cornbread and make fresh cornbread when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chili, football chili, cornbread chili, game day chili, easy chili recipe, comfort food, ground beef chili

Find it online: https://rowanrecipes.com/perfect-slow-cooker-football-chili-with-easy-cornbread/