One-Pan Spicy Chipotle Chicken Cornbread with Hot Honey Butter

| Prep Time | Cook Time | Cool Time | Total Time | Servings |

|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------|----------|

| 20 mins | 50 mins | 5 mins | 1 hr 15 mins | 6 |

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Ingredients

For the Skillet

• 3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise into thin cutlets

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon chipotle pepper powder

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup self-rising flour

• 1 cup medium-grind cornmeal

• ½ teaspoon fine salt

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1 ½ cups buttermilk

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 2 ounces grated Monterey Jack or sharp Cheddar cheese

• ¼ cup sliced green onions, for garnish

For the Hot Honey Butter

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• ½ cup raw honey

• ½ teaspoon chipotle pepper powder

• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

• Fine salt, to taste

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Directions

1. Prep and season your chicken first: Place the sliced chicken cutlets in a medium mixing bowl, add olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon chipotle pepper, then toss until all pieces are evenly coated. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the recipe.

2. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

3. Place ½ cup unsalted butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, and melt it over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and a small pinch of salt, cooking for 2-3 minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent. Stir in the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and minced garlic, then cook for 1-2 more minutes just to remove the raw bite from the vegetables. Turn off the heat once done.

4. Scoop half of the cooked pepper-onion mixture out of the skillet into a small bowl and set it aside for later. Let the skillet cool at room temperature for 5 minutes to prevent scrambling your eggs when mixing the batter.

5. While the skillet cools, whisk together the self-rising flour, cornmeal, and ½ teaspoon fine salt in a separate bowl to make your dry cornbread mix, then set it aside.

6. Add the honey, buttermilk, and beaten eggs directly to the cooled skillet, and whisk until fully combined. Fold in your pre-mixed dry ingredients, stirring only until just incorporated — avoid overmixing to keep your cornbread tender.

7. Nestle the seasoned chicken cutlets into the batter, pressing them down gently and arranging them in a loose spiral around the pan. Spoon any leftover batter into the open center of the pan, then top with your reserved pepper-onion mixture and sprinkle evenly with grated cheese.

8. While the skillet bakes, make your hot honey butter: Combine all hot honey butter ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the butter melts completely and all spices are evenly mixed. Set aside.

9. Bake the skillet for 38-42 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean and the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Let rest for 5 minutes, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve warm with a generous drizzle of hot honey butter.