This chili with cornbread dinner is a family-friendly, budget-conscious meal that’s easy to prepare and packed with flavor. It’s the perfect go-to recipe for busy weeknights or simple weekend meals.
This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she will be sharing easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.
Three-Bean Chili and Cornbread
This is the perfect meal for a chilly fall evening! And anytime I can make a large pot of chili and an entire pan of cornbread that my entire family likes for less than $10 – that’s a win in my book!
The soup recipe is SO flexible. I threw in an extra half can of garbanzo beans that was sitting in my fridge and an extra cup of chicken broth to stretch it a little further.
Another easy addition would be corn. The topping possibilities are pretty much endless… think shredded cheese, corn chips, sour cream, chopped cilantro, green onions, black olives, etc.
In fact, if you’re really short on time, you could skip making the cornbread and serve this with a bag of tortilla/corn chips instead. It’s about the same price comparison. But I recommend the cornbread if you have five extra minutes to stir a few things together. 
Three-Bean Chili Chowder and Cornbread Dinner Menu:
- Three-Bean Chili Chowder
- World’s Easiest Cornbread
- Shredded Cheese for topping
Ingredients for Dinner with Three Bean Chili Chowder and Cornbread
Three Bean Chili Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, diced chicken (this is equivalent to 3/4-lb uncooked chicken) (Aldi — $2.49/lb) – $2
- 1 large onion (or two small) (Aldi) – $0.30
- 2 Tablespoons oil (Aldi – $2.89 for 48oz) – $0.06
- 2 cans of diced tomatoes (Aldi – $0.75 per can) – $1.50
- 1 cup chicken broth (Aldi – $1.79 for 25 bouillon cubes. I used 2 cubes and 2 cups water) – $0.14
- 3/4 cup salsa (Aldi – $1.99 for 2.5 cups) – $0.60
- 3 cans beans (Aldi – $0.77 per can) – $2.31
- Shredded cheese (Publix – $1.99 for 8oz) – $1.49
- Salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, and other spices, as desired
Total for Chili: $8.40 (serves 6)
Cornbread Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour (Harris Teeter — $1.97 for 5lbs) – $0.15
- 1 1/4 cups cornmeal (Aldi – $2.85 for 15 cups) – $0.24
- 1/2 cup oil (Aldi – $2.89 for 48oz) – $0.25
- 2/3 cup sugar (Aldi – $2.86 for 4lbs) – $0.20
- 2 eggs (Aldi – $2.68 per dozen) – $0.44
- 1 3/4 cups milk (Aldi – $3.05 for 16 cups) – $0.33
- baking powder
- salt
Total for Cornbread: $1.61 (serves 8-10)
Grand Total for Dinner: $10.01 (serves 6+)
How to Make Three Bean Chili Chowder and Cornbread
1. Follow the directions here to make World’s Easiest Cornbread.
2. While cornbread is baking, follow the directions here for the Three Bean Chili recipe. (Oh, and be sure to add the extra step of blending the salsa and diced tomatoes together with a stick blender before putting them into the pot if your family is like mine and hates chunks of tomatoes and other vegetables in their chili. Haha!)
3. Shred the cheese.
Three-Bean Chili Chowder with Cornbread ($10 Dinner Idea)
Ingredients
Three-Bean Chili Chowder Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked diced chicken (this is equivalent to 3/4-lb uncooked chicken) (Aldi — $2.49/lb) – $2
- 1 large onion or two small (Aldi) – $0.30
- 2 Tablespoons oil Aldi – $2.89 for 48oz – $0.06
- 2 cans diced tomatoes Aldi – $0.75 per can – $1.50
- 1 cup chicken broth Aldi – $1.79 for 25 bouillon cubes. I used 2 cubes and 2 cups water – $0.14
- 3/4 cup salsa Aldi – $1.99 for 2.5 cups – $0.60
- 3 cans beans Aldi – $0.77 per can – $2.31
- 6 oz shredded cheese Publix – $1.99 for 8oz – $1.49
- 1 teaspoon cumin pepper, garlic, cumin, and other spices, as desired
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cornbread Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour Harris Teeter — $1.97 for 5lbs – $0.15
- 1 1/4 cups cornmeal Aldi – $2.85 for 15 cups – $0.24
- 1/2 cup oil Aldi – $2.89 for 48oz – $0.25
- 2/3 cup sugar Aldi – $2.86 for 4lbs – $0.20
- 2 eggs Aldi – $2.68 per dozen – $0.44
- 1 3/4 cups milk Aldi – $3.05 for 16 cups – $0.33
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Three-Bean Chili Chowder:
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Cook onion in oil until tender.
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Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
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If desired: garnish with shredded cheese, green onions and sour cream.
Easy Cornbread:
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Preheat oven to 375º F.
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In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together (I use a whisk).
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Pour into a greased 9×13 pan.
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Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
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Enjoy immediately with butter and honey, syrup, or jam.
Nutrition
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Creamy Tortellini Soup and Pumpkin Crescent Rolls ($10 Family Dinner Idea)
- Homemade French Bread Pizza ($10 Family Dinner Idea)
- Creamy Chicken Gravy and Rice ($10 Family Dinner Idea)
- Crockpot Taco Soup Recipe
- Cheeseburger Meatloaf
- Moist Cornbread Recipe with Honey
- Our Favorite Zucchini Bread Recipe
Do you have a favorite family dinner for under $10 or a suggestion for what I should make next? Share your ideas in the comments below!
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