This is a really easy recipe that gives people the impression that you might actually know what you’re doing in the kitchen (although, we’ll still know the truth).
This recipe comes down to 2 essential ingredients: your favorite chili and your cheapest favorite cornbread mix.
I don’t really believe in sticking to one tried and true chili recipe. I have the firm belief that a chili recipe should be based on the freshest ingredients you can get and your mood based on the weather, the event, or whatever is in your pantry. That being said, I will share the chili recipe I used to make this pie. Don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients, you probably have a lot of this stuff on hand, if not, improvise! Please feel free to use any chili (canned is acceptable in dire cases, try Amy’s organic).
Chipotle Turkey Chili
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
- 1 can red kidney beans
- 1 can black beans
- 1 large chile pepper (I used a Jalapeno)
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 Tablespoons Chipotle hot sauce (pureed chipotles are fine too)
The following optional spices are to be added to taste:
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
- Dried chile flakes
- Black Pepper
- Salt
- Cumin
- Cinnamon
- Cocoa Powder
- Coriander
- Mexican oregano
- Cilantro
For the cornbread topping:
- Cornbread mix
- 1 can of creamed corn
- 1 Tablespoon agave syrup (optional)
Brown turkey meat in a saucepan with olive oil, salt, pepper and chili powder. Stir in everything else (except beans) and cook covered on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add beans and replace lid. Cook on low for 20 minutes. Adjust spices to your liking. You can add water, stock, or beer if you want a soupier chili (not recommended for this recipe because you want a thicker chili that will hold up in pie form).
Spread chili out into a shallow baking dish. Mix cornbread batter with creamed corn and agave syrup and spread evenly over the chili. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (20-25 minutes). Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.