Cowgirl Caviar Chili with Hot Honey Cornbread Croutons
A zesty twist on classic chili inspired by cowgirl caviar, loaded with colorful veggies, beans, and a tangy vinaigrette, then topped with creamy avocado, pickled shallots, and crispy hot honey cornbread croutons!
If there are two dips that belong at a game day party, it’s pimento cheese and beer cheese, so I really don’t know why we haven’t been combining them this entire time! This Pimento Beer Cheese Dip has all of that sharp, tangy, slightly peppery pimento cheese flavor, but instead of a thick spread, it’s warm, silky smooth and perfect for dipping. Sharp cheddar, cream cheese and pimentos give it that classic pimento cheese flavor, while lager and a little American cheese turn it into the creamiest beer cheese.
And because a dip this good deserves something better than a bag of pretzels, I made Pretzel Pigs in a Blanket to go with it. Little smokies are wrapped in crescent dough, given a quick baking soda bath and finished with flaky salt before baking until golden and perfectly pretzel-y. Dunk one straight into the warm pimento beer cheese and you have the salty, cheesy, bite-sized game day appetizer that might actually give you a reason to look forward to football season!
Here is the Ingredient Breakdown for the Cowgirl Caviar Chili with Hot Honey Cornbread Croutons:
Produce: Shallots, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, green onions, cherry tomatoes, limes, avocados, cilantro, jalapeños
Protein: Ground beef
Canned Goods: Pinto beans, black-eyed peas, crushed tomatoes, sweet corn (if canned)
Pantry: Olive oil, red wine vinegar, hot honey, red pepper pesto, beef broth, Jiffy cornbread mix
Spices & Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne, flaky salt
Dairy: Unsalted butter
Cowgirl Caviar Chili
A zesty twist on classic chili inspired by cowgirl caviar, loaded with colorful veggies, beans, and a tangy vinaigrette, then topped with creamy avocado, pickled shallots, and crispy hot honey cornbread croutons.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 large shallots, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup green onions, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ cups sweet corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- zest from 1 lime
- 2 tbsp red pepper pesto (Barilla has a great one)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1–1 ½ cups beef broth
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp hot honey
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 box prepared cornbread (I use Jiffy)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1–2 tbsp hot honey
- Pinch of cayenne
- Pinch of flaky salt
- 2 ripe avocados, diced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Sliced jalapeños, optional
- Lime wedges
- Hot honey cornbread croutons
- Pickled shallots
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and seasonings and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add the diced shallots, bell peppers, green onions, and cherry tomatoes directly to the pot. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the corn, black eyed peas and pinto beans and cook for a few minutes. Then stir in the red pepper pesto and lime zest. Combine all ingredients listed to make the vinaigrette and add that into the chili. Then add in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth.
- Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional broth as needed to reach your preferred chili consistency.
- While the chili simmers, cook the cornbread. Whisk the butter, cayenne and hot honey together. Cut the cornbread into 1" cubes and toss with the butter, cayenne and hot honey mixture. Spread them onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 F for 12-18 minutes until golden and crispy.
- While still warm, drizzle with hot honey and sprinkle with flaky salt. Return to the oven for 1–2 minutes if you want the honey to caramelize slightly, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Ladle the warm cowgirl caviar chili into bowls. Top generously with diced avocado, pickled shallots, fresh cilantro, and a handful of hot honey cornbread croutons. Finish with an extra squeeze of lime and serve immediately.
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