Barbecue Chicken Cornbread Casserole

5 from 6 votes

A Cheesy, sweet and tangy cornbread casserole made with barbecue chicken and a crispy cornbread topping.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken Cornbread Casserole, Cornbread Casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 499kcal

Author The Seasoned Mom

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
¾ cup barbecue sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels you do NOT need to thaw the corn in advance
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, NOT drained
9 ounces about 1 ¾ cup cooked, diced chicken
1 cup 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 8.5 ounce box cornbread mix (I used Jiffy), plus ingredients called for on the box

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Spray an 11 x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and bell pepper just until tender (about 3 minutes). Reduce heat to low, add barbecue sauce, and simmer until thickens slightly (about 1-2 minutes). Stir in frozen corn, tomatoes, chicken, and ½ cup of the cheddar cheese.
Transfer chicken mixture to prepared baking dish.
In a separate bowl, prepare cornbread batter according to package instructions. Stir in remaining ½ cup of cheese.
Spread cornbread batter over chicken mixture. I like to do this by using a large spoon to dollop the batter all over the top of the casserole. Then use the back of the spoon to gently spread it around until it covers most of dish.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cooked through.

If you don't have leftover chicken use a rotisserie chicken to speed things up
You could also use leftover turkey or cooked ham instead of chicken
Replace the meat altogether with a can of beans or lentils for a veggie option
This is a great way to use leftover veg so throw in whatever you have
If you don't have cheddar try using another good melting cheese with strong flavor such as fontina, gruyere or provolone