1/2cupshredded Mexican cheesesuch as cheddar or Jack
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place a medium (10-inch) cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Brown the meat, about 10 minutes; then push it to the side of the skillet and add the chopped onion and salt. Cook until the onions have softened, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add the chile powder, cumin, coriander, green chiles, enchilada sauce and cheese. Stir well and turn off the heat. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina flour, baking powder and salt. Stir, then mix in the chicken broth and melted butter until smooth and lump free. Fold in the cheese.
Scoop the thick masa batter over the beef mixture and spread all the way to the edges of the pan. Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread topping comes out clean. Scoop and serve hot.
Notes
Meat Filling Options: While I used ground beef, you could use ground pork, chicken, or turkey instead. For a vegetarian version, you could even try using canned beans! When switching from beef to something lean, I recommend coating the skillet with olive oil first.Vegetable Add-Ins: If you want to add frozen corn (no need to defrost), chopped bell pepper, or black olives, add them after sweating the onion (at the end of step 1).Spices and Spiciness: I can't find fault in this recipe as-is. That being said, rather than the 50/50 blend of cumin: coriander, you could try 1 teaspoon of either spice. I used Chipotle chile powder (smoky and spicy) but you could use regular chile powder (milder) or paprika (milder yet) depending on what you already have.Enchilada Sauce: Adds moisture, flavor, and heat. If replacing, I suggest adding something acidic and liquidy, like canned tomato sauce. You will need to add 1 teaspoon garlic powder and increase the chile powder by 1/2 teaspoon.Chicken Broth vs. Chicken Stock: Chicken Broth contains salt already while chicken stock does not. If using chicken stock, you may add an extra pinch of salt to the masa if you like.