Make Chili An Even More Filling Meal With A Scoop Of This Thanksgiving Favorite

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As the weather starts to cool down and fall and winter descend upon us, nothing is more comforting than a warm bowl of chili for dinner. It's hearty, filling, and has just the right balance of savory and spicy to satisfy. There are so many different ways to top chili before serving, but one of the most filling ones requires a typical Thanksgiving staple — cornbread stuffing. Instead of eating cornbread on the side, topping your bowl of fresh, steaming chili with crumbly stuffing makes it even more filling and delicious.

Start by cooking homemade or canned chili. If you're making it from scratch, we suggest using one of these 16 delicious chili recipes to keep you warm in the winter. Some include beans and others don't, and the spice level varies with each. If you're going the canned route, try out Tony Packo's Cafe Chili with Beans, which came in first place in our canned chili ranking. Once it's cooking or warming up on low on the stove, get started on your cornbread stuffing.

Homemade cornbread stuffing typically involves flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, savory additions like chicken broth and celery, and a variety of herbs and seasonings. But if in doubt, follow this from-scratch cornbread dressing recipe, or pick up a premade mix at the grocery store. Trader Joe's Cornbread Stuffing Mix and Mrs. Cubbison's Stuffing Mix made our list of the 11 best packaged stuffing mixes out there. When it's done, pile it on top of the chili.

There are plenty of ways to add more flavor to canned or homemade chili, but cornbread stuffing is one of the best ones — and chili aficionados tend to agree. "I'm not a fan of cornbread, but the stuffing with chili was amazing!" one Redditor said. Another Redditor said, "I make this often in the colder months. I use my old stand by recipe for corn bread and it turns out every time. I use the Quaker cornmeal recipe." Some people bake the cornbread right on top of the stuffing, similar to the Tex-Mex tamale pie. But adding it as a topping after the fact is easier and a little more customizable.

Speaking of customizing, Redditors also shared ingenious ways to upgrade this pairing further. One added more butter, herbs, and salt to the stuffing mix to amp up its savory flavor for chili, while another suggested incorporating jalapeños and cheddar cheese and putting the mix into a waffle iron to make it slightly crispy. A spoonful of sour cream or a layer of corn kernels could easily take the entire dish to another level, too. Sounds super comforting, perfect for chilly winter nights.