Name: Barbecue Chicken with Corn Bread Crust Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 28 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 11/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs, cut into 3/4-inch cubes; 1 can (about 15 ounces) red beans, rinsed and drained; 8 ounces tomato sauce; 1 cup chopped green bell pepper; 1/2 cup barbecue sauce; 1 package (6 ounces) corn bread mix, plus ingredients to prepare mix

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Last Updated on November 27, 2019

Mmmm…just picture it…a nice sweet cornbread crust filled with all sorts of piping hot fillings. That’s what you can expect when you make our barbecue chicken with cornbread crust recipe for your family.

Read on to find out more about how you can prepare this Southern comfort home-cooked recipe for your hungry crew as well as some variations you can make on the theme.

Barbecue Chicken Cornbread Casserole

To create the dish, you cook the chicken in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for five minutes.

Then combine the chicken with red beans, tomato sauce, green bell pepper and barbecue sauce in a microwavable container. Cover and cook through.

Prepare cornbread mix according to directions and spoon the batter over the mixture. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

This is a great meal to serve for your family because it’s full of hearty goodness. Chicken is a slice of lean meat and a great source of protein. Beans are heart-healthy and an excellent source of fiber. Green bell peppers are rich in antioxidants making them ideal for lowering the risk of various diseases.

The dish as a whole has representation from various food groups. You have your meat and vegetables and the cornbread is a tasty starch that makes the meal hearty and delicious.

The dish is distinctively Southern. Although cornbread is food that originated in Native American cuisine it was quickly adopted by Southern colonies to become a cornerstone of their cuisine.

Barbecued meats are also distinctively Southern as barbecuing is a form of cooking that developed in that region of the country. Cooks in the south perfected the art of slowly roasting tough cuts of meat over fire pits to produce a tender texture.

The dish can also be classified as comfort food. Comfort foods are defined as foods that typically have high sugar or carbohydrate content and provide a sense of wellbeing associated with childhood or home cooking.

Southern cooking typically has characteristics that make it fall under the umbrella of comfort food.

BBQ Chicken Casserole

In our recipe, the cornbread is something that gives the dish its character. But there are several types of BBQ chicken casseroles that can be prepared with or without the use of cornbread. Here are some we recommend.

Shredded BBQ Chicken Casserole: Here’s a take on the dish minus the cornbread topping.

To prepare this recipe, start by mixing shredded chicken with black beans, corn, green pepper, and barbecue sauce. Pour the mixture in a casserole dish and top with cheddar cheese. Place the dish in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Top with French fried onions and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until onions are browned. Let cool for five minutes, top with cilantro and serve.

BBQ Ranch Chicken Casserole: This variation counters the bold barbecue taste with the cooling hint of ranch.

To make this recipe, start by preparing the pasta of your choice until it’s almost done. Then cook the chicken until it’s done.

Combine chicken and pasta in a large bowl with tomatoes, onion, and corn.

Whisk together Ranch dressing with parmesan and Monterey Jack cheese. Top the chicken with the mixture and top the casserole with more cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Loaded Barbecue Chicken and Potato Casserole: This recipe is brought to you by the Betty Crocker company and it uses the brand’s roasted garlic mashed potato mix.

To make the recipe, boil water with butter added. Remove from heat and stir in potato mix. Let stand one minute, then stir in sour cream and cheddar cheese until blended. Spoon mixture into baking dish.

Stir together chicken, BBQ sauce and green onions in a medium bowl. Spoon the mixture over the potatoes and top with bacon and more cheddar cheese.

Bake 22 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with more green onions.

If you like barbecue chicken, these meals will provide the ultimate in comfort on a hot summer day or a cold winter night. With cornbread or without, BBQ chicken casserole provides a delightful southern kick your family will enjoy. How will you be preparing this recipe to put a smile on their faces tonight?

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to check out our Summertime Chicken and our Olive Oil Garlic Chicken.