Leftover Chili & Cornbread just got a makeover! Our easy layered Chili & Cornbread Breakfast Casserole transforms your leftover cornbread and chili (or stew) into a hearty, company-worthy breakfast.

Casserole in cast iron pan, topped with baked eggs and swirly fried onions.

What's the Story Behind this Recipe

To make this scrumptious layered Cornbread Breakfast Casserole, all you need is leftover cornbread, a cup or two of leftover chili or thick stew, and a handful of standard pantry and fridge staples. Easy-peasy!!!

Cornbread is one of those things that is best eaten the day it is prepared: after that, it quickly begins to toughen and lose its freshness.

Recently, while developing my recipe for Sweet Skillet Cornbread, I made four separate batches of cornbread in the same week. I usually try to string recipe tests out over a few weeks, but that didn't happen this time, and as a result, we had a mountain of leftover cornbread.

Normally when I have leftover cornbread, I crumble and freeze it for use as breadcrumbs for casserole and pasta toppings; but that giant cornbread pile just called out to be made into something wonderful.

My first thought was to make a savory cornbread pudding, but then, Ooo... What about a stratta? (FYI - stratta, or strata, is just a fancy name for a layered casserole, often prepared with bread).

As it happened, we had a fridge full of fresh eggs thanks to Lady Bird Johnson and Harriet Lane Johnston (our two surviving chickens), and a bowl of leftover chili. A plan began to take form.

From Inspiration to Reality

It is a long road from having a cool food idea to creating a viable recipe that is both tasty and can be successfully replicated by others. That road requires knowledge, preparation, organization, and testing, testing, testing.

When I'm working on a new recipe, I usually make it between one and four times, depending upon how involved it is and how many times I've made it in the past.

For tried and true recipes like Mom's Spaghetti Sauce or Split Pea Soup, which I've made countless times in the past, I make a single batch to verify ingredient amounts, instructions, and cooking times - and so that I can take pictures, of course!

For original recipes like this Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Casserole, however, I make the recipe a minimum of three times, and often more. A few years ago, Mr B and I made at least ten batches of (Almost) Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing before we deemed it perfect.

Cornbread crumbs in a cast iron pie dish.

NOTE: The leftovers I used for this Cornbread Breakfast Casserole recipe were equal to roughly ⅓ of a batch of Sweet Skillet Cornbread.

How to Make this Leftover Breakfast Casserole

Make the Pan-fried Onions

Heat 10" cast iron skillet (or cast iron pie dish) over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add one tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl to coat as the butter melts. The butter should sizzle, but not brown. Immediately place the onion slices in hot butter in the skillet in a single layer.

Onion slices frying in a cast iron skillet.

You can crowd them a bit because they will shrink as the cook. Fry onions for about 2-3 minutes, or until golden. Using a spatula, carefully turn onion slices over to fry the other side.

When onions are nicely browned on each side, carefully remove them from skillet using a spatula and set aside on a plate.

Assemble the Casserole

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10" cast iron pie dish (or cast iron skillet). Swirl melted butter to coat bottom and sides.

Cornbread Layer #1 • Cubed

Into the prepared cast iron pie dish, lay in 1 ½ - 2 cups of sliced (or crumbled) leftover cornbread, so that the bottom of the dish is completely covered by about ½ inch of cornbread.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and ⅓ cup milk. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few turns of freshly ground pepper, and pour evenly over cornbread layer in pie dish.

Press down slightly, just enough to flatten layer.

Layer of cornbread pressed into cast iron pie dish.

Grated Cheese Layer

Sprinkle grated cheese over cornbread layer.

"Leftover" Layer

Spread leftover chili (or stew, or whatever you are using) on top of the grated cheese.

Cornbread Layer #2 • Crumbled

Spread 1 ½ - 2 cups crumbled leftover cornbread over the top of the Leftover layer.

Egg & Onion Top

Carefully crack 6 to 8 eggs onto casserole, arranging them evenly in a ring. Arrange pan-fried onions around egg yolks.

Raw eggs cracked onto top of cornbread mix.

This part is actually kind of fun: I was thinking of Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" while I was working.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350°. Eggs whites should be set, and the whole thing is relatively firm to the touch.

Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve warm.

Slice of cornbread and egg casserole on plate.

Now it's time to grab those leftovers out of the fridge and throw together one of the best breakfast casseroles you've had all year!

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5 from 6 votes

Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Casserole

This easy layered Cornbread Breakfast Casserole transforms your leftover cornbread and chili (or stew) into a hearty, company-worthy breakfast.

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Course: Breakfast or Brunch, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time:25

Cook Time:30

Total Time:1 10

Servings:

Calories: 272kcal

Author: Renee

Equipment

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

2 tablespoons butter divided
1 large sweet onion peeled and sliced ⅜" - ¼" thick
3 cups leftover cornbread to 4 cups; sliced, cubed or crumbled (see Notes)
1½ cups leftover thick chili or stew to 3 cups
1½ cups grated cheese to 2 cups (see Notes)
8 whole eggs to 10 eggs

Instructions

Fried Onions

Heat 10" cast iron skillet (or cast iron pie dish) over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add one tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl to coat as the butter melts. The butter should sizzle, but not brown.
Immediately place the onion slices in hot butter in the skillet in a single layer.
You can crowd them a bit because they will shrink as the cook.
Fry onions for about 2-3 minutes, or until golden.
Using a spatula, carefully turn onion slices over to fry the other side.
When onions are nicely browned on each side, carefully remove them from skillet using a spatula and set aside on a plate.

Assembling Casserole

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10" cast iron pie dish (or cast iron skillet). Swirl melted butter to coat bottom and sides.
Cornbread Layer #1 • Cubed
Into the prepared cast iron pie dish, lay in 1 ½ - 2 cups of sliced (or crumbled) leftover cornbread, so that the bottom of the dish is completely covered by about ½ inch of cornbread.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and ⅓ cup milk.
Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few turns of freshly ground pepper.
Pour evenly over cornbread layer in pie dish.
Press down slightly, just enough to flatten layer.
Grated Cheese Layer
Sprinkle grated cheese over cornbread layer.
"Leftover" Layer
Spread leftover chili (or stew, or whatever you are using) on top of the grated cheese.
Cornbread Layer #2 • Crumbled
Spread 1 ½ - 2 cups crumbled leftover cornbread over the top of the Leftover layer.
Carefully crack 6 to 8 eggs onto casserole, arranging them evenly in a ring.
Arrange pan-fried onions around egg yolks.
This is actually kind of fun: I was thinking of Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" while I was working.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350°.
Eggs whites should be set, and the whole thing is relatively firm to the touch.
Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.
Serve warm.

Notes

For best results, use leftover cornbread from my Sweet Skillet Cornbread recipe.

Preparing Leftover Cornbread

If possible, try to avoid making your leftover cornbread into fine breadcrumbs. This will result in a very heavy, dense casserole.

I prefer to cube, or even slice, the cornbread that I use for the first layer. I try to slice it ⅜ - ½" thick, and use the slices to cover the bottom of the pan. That said, occasionally leftover cornbread defies slicing; in which case I try to keep it in the largest crumbled state possible. I use the larger crumbles for the first layer, and smaller crumbles for the top layer.

Cheese

Cheddar and Mozzarella are always safe bets, but feel free to use whatever goes well with your "leftover layer."

Nutrition

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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Leftover Chili & Cornbread Breakfast Casserole