I Tried Reese Witherspoon's Delicious "Cornbread Chili Pie"
Reese Witherspoon’s cornbread chili pie recipe is widely shared on YouTube and cooking blogs, and it’s lauded for its simplicity and fusion of two comfort foods: delicious chili and warm cornbread. The cornbread chili pie recipe comes from the actress’ cookbook, Whiskey in a Teacup, which features her favorite Southern dishes, many of which come straight from her grandmother.
In the cookbook’s intro, Witherspoon sets expectations by writing: “If you are looking for a how-to, self-help bible, this ain’t it. I love a good party, but I don’t have a ton of free time, so when it comes to shortcuts and good-enough-ing, I have been there and store-bought that.”
Get the recipe: Reese Witherspoon’s Cornbread Chili Pie
How to Make the Cornbread Chili Pie
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Heat olive oil in a large pan, like a cast-iron skillet. Sauté chopped onion and garlic until softened, then add ground beef and pork until lightly browned. Stir in a couple of packets of chili seasoning, canned diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add chicken broth and let the chili simmer while you prepare the cornbread topping.
Whisk together two packets of Jiffy cornbread mix with eggs and milk, stir in frozen corn kernels and shredded cheddar just until combined. Stir more corn into the chili, and add a can of kidney beans. Distribute the cornbread batter evenly across the top of the chili and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Let the cornbread chili pie rest briefly and serve with toppings such as fresh salsa, chopped green onion or cilantro, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.
My Honest Review of Witherspoon’s Cornbread Chili Pie
I love the two-in-one aspect of this dish. The cheesy cornbread gets nice and crispy but also remains fluffy. If you bake the chili pie in the skillet, it’s pretty enough to serve straight out of the oven without one more pan to clean.
Witherspoon says cornbread chili pie is her go-to for an uncomplicated weekday family dinner that pleases both kids and adults. I agree. It was easy to prepare, and everyone in my family, from ages 10 to 75, loved how flavor-packed it was. The only inconvenience was transferring the chili into a larger 12-inch cast-iron pan (the 9- or 10-inch pan suggested in the instructions is way too small).
It would be a great dish to serve during a football party, with all the toppings next to the impressive cornbread-topped chili. And the chili is easily adaptable: Make it all beef, all pork, or swap in your favorite plant-based grind.
I appreciate that Witherspoon doesn’t shy away from using kitchen shortcuts like Jiffy cornbread mix to speed up prep but offers easy ways to add a homemade touch, like shredded cheese and corn. The chili itself does not come from a can — though it uses canned tomatoes, canned beans, and seasoning packets — so it tastes fresh. It comes together quickly and doesn’t require a long list of ingredients or hours of simmering, even if it tastes like it does.
Tips for Making Witherspoon’s Cornbread Chili Pie
Use a bigger pan. The 9- to 10-inch pan noted in the recipe is much too small to fit the recipe. I swapped in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and the chili still overflowed in the oven. That said …
Line the oven. Place a layer of aluminum foil or a sheet pan underneath the skillet to catch any gooeyness that might overflow.
Get the recipe: Reese Witherspoon’s Cornbread Chili Pie
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