Chef notes
When it comes to getting dinner on the table, even the most seasoned cook will appreciate a recipe that has minimal prep, doesn’t create a mountain of dishes and, of course, tastes fantastic. This chicken chili skillet dinner with cheddar-jalapeño biscuits checks all of these boxes and gives “winner, winner, chicken dinner” a new, spicy twist.
What makes this recipe such a home run? First, there are just two ingredients — green onions and one jalapeno — to chop. Second, the recipe uses time-saving pantry staples such as biscuit mix, shredded cheddar and chicken chili seasoning mix to achieve maximum flavor with minimal fuss. Plus, the chili is simmered, baked and served in one oven-safe skillet, and the biscuits are mixed up in one bowl, so the clean-up is really easy too.
The other thing that makes this recipe a keeper? The flavor, of course! A hearty, gently spicy chili is topped with fluffy four-ingredient biscuits and green onions. Customize your own bowl with any of your favorite chili toppings — sour cream, pickled jalapeños, cilantro, chopped tomatoes or avocado and even more cheddar cheese would all be delicious here.
This one-pan casserole is as flexible as it is delicious. Both black beans and kidney beans can be used in place of pinto beans. Want more veggies? You can cook a chopped bell pepper with ground chicken in step one. Alternatively, add two cups of baby spinach into the chili before you top with the biscuits.
Swap Option: This recipe is as flexible as it is easy. Ground turkey can be used instead of ground chicken. Plant-based ground or ground beef can also be used, although you may want to eliminate the added salt (since many plant-based meat is pre-seasoned). Add a few minutes to the cook time in step one if using ground beef.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (1.25-ounce) package chicken chili seasoning mix
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn
- 1¼ cups green onions, thinly sliced, divided
- 1 (8-ounce) package buttermilk biscuit mix
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar, divided
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 425 F with a rack in the center position.
2.In a 12-inch oven-safe or cast-iron skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the ground chicken, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is lightly browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes.
3.Sprinkle the chicken chili seasoning over the chicken and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the pinto beans, diced tomatoes and their juices, corn and 1½ cups water. Bring to a simmer, then remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in 1 cup of green onions.
4.In a medium bowl, prepare the biscuits according to package directions, then add the jalapeño and 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix until just combined. Drop ¼ cup portions of the biscuit mixture on top of the chili. (The chili will not be completely covered.).
5.Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the biscuits are puffed and golden brown and the chili is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar and bake until melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
6.Garnish the casserole with the remaining ¼ cup of chopped scallions before serving.
