Cast Iron Skillet Hatch Chile Cornbread
If Hatch Chiles are in season, you need to make this Cast Iron Skillet Hatch Chile Cornbread. The tender and fluffy cornbread is slightly sweet and filled with spicy hatch chiles. Although hatch chiles are pretty hot, this cornbread has just the right amount of heat, and its lovely peppery flavor makes this cornbread the best!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.
Why This Recipe is So Good
I savor hatch chile season. Appearing Late July – early September, they have a short growing season, but when they arrive, it’s glorious. These fiery green chile peppers are native to the Hatch Valley region in New Mexico. When roasted, they have a sweet and smoky flavor that makes every dish so much better. For this recipe, I diced them up and then added them straight into the cornbread batter for a wonderful Southwestern twist.
This green chile cornbread has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Hatch peppers can be very hot, but once cooked, I find their spice level mellows out. The best part about this cornbread recipe is how much flavor hatch chiles add to it. This cornbread would be so good to use to make Southern Turkey Cornbread dressing. Or serve it with Instant Pinto Beans, The Best Chili or these Southern Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas.
Recipe Ingredients
- Hatch Chiles – These chile peppers are spicy but have a wonderful peppery flavor. If you don’t like a lot of heat, use mild peppers and remove the seeds.
- Cornmeal – You can use regular cornmeal, medium grind cornmeal or polenta for this recipe. Polenta gives the hatch chile cornbread a coarser texture and it’s delicious.
- Milk – Keeps the cornbread moist, light and tender. Substitute with water or dairy free milk if needed.
- Sugar – A dash of sugar nicely balances out the heat from the hatch chiles. Can substitute with honey if you prefer.
How to Make Cast Iron Skillet Hatch Chile Cornbread
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Preheat the cast-iron skillet
Place a stick of butter into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet to melt in the preheating oven. Once melted, remove from the oven. If you aren’t using a cast-iron skillet, just melt the butter in the microwave or in a sauce pot over the stove.
Make cornbread batter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium mixing bowl or in a large measuring cup, measure milk then whisk with eggs and melted butter until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined and there aren’t any more flour specks. Fold in chopped hatch chiles, save a few for the top if you like.
Pour the cornbread mixture into the greased cast-iron skillet or a baking dish. Spreading it out evenly, then top with a few extra chopped hatch chiles.
Bake
Bake cornbread until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cast-iron skillet hatch chile cornbread to cool slightly, then serve warm with your favorite soup or topped with butter.
Looking For More Recipes?
- Jalapeno Honey Cornbread
- Cornbread Muffins Recipe
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Blue Corn Cornbread Muffins
- Rosemary Polenta Cornbread
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
- Leftover Brisket Enchiladas with Hatch Chiles
- Roasted Hatch Chiles Baked Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Hatch Chile Burgers
- Hatch Chile Guacamole
If you love this recipe, leave a review and a ⭐️ 5-star rating or 📌 save it to Pinterest for later. Subscribe to The Midwest Kitchen Blog’s Newsletter for more recipes like this delivered straight to your inbox! Visit our sister site for more delicious recipes at Matcha and Kale.
Cast Iron Skillet Hatch Chile Cornbread
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet or 9.5-inch pie dish
- Measuring cup
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter unsalted
- 1 ½ large hatch chiles hot or mild, diced, with or without the seeds. I used 2 large hatch chiles for this recipe
- 1 cup cornmeal or polenta
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup milk water or dairy-free milk
- 2 large eggs whisked, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Place a stick of butter into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet to melt in the preheating oven. Once melted, remove from the oven. If you aren’t using a cast-iron skillet, just melt the butter in the microwave or in a sauce pot over the stove.½ cup butter
- Roughly chop hatch chiles(I wore plastic gloves since these peppers are spicy! Don’t rub your eyes). Set aside. I kept the seeds, but you can discard them if you prefer.1 ½ large hatch chiles
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.1 cup cornmeal or polenta, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar or cane sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a medium mixing bowl or in a large measuring cup, measure milk then whisk with eggs and melted butter until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined and there aren’t any more flour specks. Fold in the hatch chiles, save a few for the top if you like.1 ¼ cup milk, 2 large eggs
- Pour the cornbread mixture into the greased cast-iron skillet or a baking dish. Spreading it out evenly, then top with a few extra chopped hatch chiles.
- Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow hatch chile cornbread to cool slightly, then serve warm with honey butter.
Notes
How To Store/ Make Ahead
- Storing: Slice cornbread into desired slices, then wrap in plastic wrap or store a whole pan of cornbread wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Store for the freezer, wrap cornbread slices tightly with plastic wrap and place them inside a freezer-safe bag to freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat cornbread in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees or until heated through. From frozen cover the cornbread in parchment paper or aluminum foil. Heat for 15 – 20 minutes or until heated through.
Tips and Tricks
- Hatch chiles: The spice level for these peppers can range from mild to hot. They can be pretty hot raw and milder once cooked. If you don’t like a lot of heat, start with 1 pepper and remove the seeds.
- Cornmeal: Use regular cornmeal, medium grind cornmeal, or dry polenta.
- Flour: Use regular all-purpose flour or an equal amount of freshly milled hard white wheat(if using freshly milled wheat, allow the batter to sit for 10 – 15 minutes before baking to allow the wheat to hydrate first).
