A cast iron skillet is one of your best friends in the kitchen and is perfect for making one-skillet meals, like this BBQ chicken skillet cornbread bake!
I love my Lodge cast iron collection. I have more pieces of Lodge than I can count in my head, and I love that it’s made just an hour or so away from my house in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. The skillets are my favorite; I use my 10-inch skillet almost daily, and my 12-inch skillet is a pretty popular choice, getting used once or twice a week. The stuff is virtually indestructible and with enough use becomes practically nonstick without, you know, all those nasty chemicals that come along with nonstick coating.
Lately I’ve been having fun trying to find new ways to stretch my skillets (figuratively, of course). I’ve been making casseroles in them for quite some time, but things like broccoli casserole usually require at least one second pot so I’ve been looking for ways to minimize the number of dishes that have to be washed. Layering from the bottom up is the way to do it, starting with onions or your protein then adding whatever-liquid, pasta, topping (I did a one-pot beans, greens, and pasta a few months ago that I was pretty happy with).
For this dinner I really wanted to get some summery flavors in the pan. Barbecue chicken and cornbread seemed like a good idea, and turns out this BBQ chicken skillet cornbread bake was. I started by seasoning the chicken (thighs, of course-always thighs) and searing them in the skillet, then finishing them in the oven. I shredded the chicken and stirred in barbecue sauce and corn, then topped with with cornbread batter. I was certain the cornbread was going to bubble over the top of the pan, but it didn’t, for which I was very grateful. This BBQ chicken skillet cornbread bake isn’t exactly a quick meal, but it’s definitely an easy one and with one pan and one bowl to wash, it’s hard to beat (by the way, if your toaster oven is big enough-mine is-you can bake it right in there are avoid heating up your kitchen)!
Make this BBQ chicken skillet cornbread bake for dinner soon!
6-8 servings
15 minPrep Time:
50 minCook Time:
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 cup corn kernels
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is preheating, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the trimmed chicken thighs.
- Place the chicken thighs in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove from heat and place into the oven. Roast for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the cornbread batter. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, beat the egg into the buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk/egg mixture into the cornmeal mixture then add the butter. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Remove the chicken from the oven. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Stir in the barbecue sauce and the corn and spread the chicken evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Pour the cornbread batter over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes (check the center when you take it out-mine was a little underdone right in the middle). Serve immediately.
Click here to print the recipe for BBQ chicken skillet cornbread bake!
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