Little arms reaching toward the shelves for the sweetest, most colorful box of cereal. Two-year-old tantrums when I won’t purchase another bag of chips. A cart loaded with cookies, donuts, and other “extras” that we definitely don’t need. Let’s face it: grocery shopping with kids just isn’t easy…and that’s why I do my best to avoid it as much as possible!

Sometimes my lack of grocery store motivation results in chicken nuggets for dinner, or buttered noodles with frozen broccoli. Hey, it happens to the best of us! But other times, an attempt to delay the necessary shopping trip spawns great creativity and I end up with a pantry meal that we all devour. Those are the pleasant surprises that really make me happy…

This Barbecue Chicken Cornbread Casserole was the latter – a last-minute easy dinner that I threw together when I was looking into a very bare refrigerator with 3 very hungry little boys staring at me across the counter. I literally pulled together each of these ingredients from my cabinets, freezer, or refrigerator and dinner was in our bellies about 45 minutes later. Can’t beat that!

Best of all, the Cornbread Casserole is a complete meal in one pan. You don’t have to scramble to pull together a side dish or veggies at the last minute, since the filling is loaded with plenty of bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and corn. A small amount of leftover (or rotisserie) chicken goes a long way and adds a protein boost; or you can substitute a can of beans for the meat and create a vegetarian option. It’s cheesy, it’s sweet, it’s tangy, it’s filling, it’s comforting, and it’s finished with a delicious cornbread crust!

I hope that your family enjoys this supper as much as mine does, and I hope that it saves you from at least one stressful trip to the grocery store!