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30-Minute Chicken & Cornbread Casserole Skillet

Casserole comfort without the casserole dish: creamy chicken, corn, black beans, and green chiles bubbling under a golden cornbread top — one skillet, 30 minutes, about 32g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels thawed
  • 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles drained
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar divided (1 cup filling + 1/2 cup top)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided (1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (8.5 oz) box Jiffy-style cornbread mix
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
  • Lime wedges and extra sour cream for serving

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet with lid (12-inch, cast iron or stainless — no plastic handles)
  • Mixing bowl and whisk

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and sear until golden and nearly cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Remove to a plate — it will finish cooking under the cornbread.
  2. Add the onion to the same skillet, season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook until softened, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin; cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the black beans, corn, green chiles, chicken broth, sour cream, and 1 cup of the cheddar. Return the chicken to the skillet and bring to a lively simmer, stirring, about 3–4 minutes. The filling should be thick and bubbling.
  4. While the filling simmers, whisk the cornbread mix, egg, and milk in a bowl until just combined — a few lumps are fine. Spoon dollops of batter evenly over the bubbling filling and spread gently to the edges with the back of a spoon.
  5. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the cornbread is set and puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 10–12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the broiler to high.
  6. Uncover, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the cornbread top, and broil 2–3 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Shower with cilantro and serve with lime wedges and extra sour cream.

Notes

Food safety: Chicken to 165°F. Boxed cornbread mix keeps this at 30 minutes; scratch cornbread would add 10–15. Oven-safe skillet required for the broiler step. Leftovers 4 days refrigerated / 3 months frozen. Protein ~32g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.