Texas Chili & Biscuits

This is weeknight chili with a built-in bread course. Ground chicken simmers with bell pepper, onion, corn and crushed tomatoes under a store-bought chili seasoning boost, then the whole pot slides into a casserole dish. Scoops of cornmeal biscuit dough drop around the edge so they bake into rustic dumplings that stay tender where they touch the chili and crisp on top.

The biscuit mix is lightened by swapping straight baking mix for a blend with actual cornmeal, which gives the dumplings a proper Southern bite and keeps them from going doughy against the wet filling. A shower of Monterey Jack at the end pulls everything together with a cheesy crown.

Kitchen Tips

• Mound biscuit dough around the edge, not the center. The middle stays wettest and will leave middle biscuits gummy.
• Use room-temp milk in the biscuit batter. Cold milk seizes the fat and makes tough dumplings.
• Hold off on the cheese until the biscuits are golden. Adding it too early leaves the tops pale and soft.
• For extra heat, stir a chopped pickled jalapeño into the filling before it bakes.

Variations

• Swap ground chicken for ground turkey or lean ground beef.
• Fold a can of drained black beans into the filling for a heartier pot.
• Use pepper Jack instead of Monterey Jack for a spicier finish.