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BBQ Chili Cheese Biscuit Casserole

written by Ashley Fehr

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5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 9 servings

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Last updated on February 27, 2024

A hearty, make ahead and freezer friendly meal with loads of veggies snuck in for those picky eaters! A meal the whole family is sure to love!

close up image of biscuit with cheese on top being scooped out of pan with chili

Forgive me if you’ve heard me say this about half a million times, but I am a bit of a picky eater.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t eat healthy most of the time or that I live off toast and mac and cheese or anything like that. It just means I’ve gotten smarter about where I can put those veggies I don’t really like to eat.

bright blue baking dish with chili and a layer of biscuits on top topped with cheese

Maybe you have a picky eater in your house (maybe one of your children and not you, because you surely eat salads and stuff like a totally responsible adult), and maybe you’re looking for healthy, hearty meals that those picky eaters will enjoy. As I’ve learned to cook Real Food over the last 10 or so years (and yes, I started with Shake ‘n’ Bake and boxed pastas back in my first year at University…), I’ve also learned the best places and flavors to hide those vegetables in.

Barbecue sauce, chili and cheese?

This is one of those places.

a grey bowl with chili and topped with a cheesy biscuit and green onions

I made this recipe twice, and the first time I really loaded the chili up with all kinds of vegetables. The second time, and really only because of the time involved (and the whole cooking-with-a-one-year-old-wrapped-around-my-legs thing) in the peeling/shredding/chopping off the veggies, I cut out a few. I’ll be the first to say you’ll never really notice a difference in flavor, so load this baby up with all that good stuff.

I used kale because I had a huge amount in the fridge, but spinach would be a find substitute. You could also add in mushrooms, corn or other vegetables your family likes (or doesn’t like but you want them to eat!).

overhead image of blue baking dish with chili in the bottom and cheesy biscuits on top

And because I’m all about options, here are a few ways to make this recipe a little quicker if you’re in a time crunch:

  • You can buy refrigerated biscuit dough and plop it on top of the chili instead of making your own, though the biscuit dough in this recipe comes together easily in the 10 minutes you simmer the chili on the stove.
  • If you’re really in a time crunch, you can use canned chili or chili you’ve made ahead and frozen.
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BBQ Chili Cheese Biscuit Casserole

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 1 vote
A hearty, make ahead and freezer friendly meal with optional hidden veggies! A meal the whole family is sure to love!
Review
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 9 servings
Calories 525cal

Ingredients

Chili:

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 large carrots (peeled and shredded or finely chopped)
  • 1 bell pepper (finely diced)
  • ½ large onion (finely diced)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (796ml or 28 oz)
  • 1 small zucchini (shredded)
  • 1 can black or kidney beans, drained and rinsed (19 oz or 540 ml)
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Biscuits

  • 3 cups flour (all purpose or whole wheat)
  • 1½ tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder optional
  • ¾ cup cold butter
  • ¾ cup milk (additional if needed)
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13" baking dish.
  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, carrots, pepper and onion until beef is browned and vegetables are crisp-tender.
  • Add in diced tomatoes, zucchini, beans, barbecue sauce, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Spread into prepared baking dish.

Biscuits

  • In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder.
  • Cut butter into ½" cubes and add to the flour mixture, cutting in until crumbly. Stir in milk gradually, stirring in just enough that the dough comes together. Roll out on a floured surface and cut into biscuit rounds if desired (or just cut it into squares) — I like to do 3 rows of 3.
  • Place biscuits on top of chili in baking dish. Brushed with melted butter.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve.

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

  • Beef: feel free to swap the beef for ground turkey or chicken, or even use this Vegetarian Chili for a meatless meal.
  • Vegetables: this is a great recipe for sneaking in all kinds of vegetables and cleaning out the fridge! Feel free to add in whatever you have and need to get rid of.
  • Ketchup and barbecue sauce: we love the sweet and tangy flavors in these, but if you prefer you can substitute with plain tomato sauce. You will want to add additional seasonings if you go this route!
  • Biscuits: you can use refrigerate, store-bought biscuits for a shortcut here. 

To make ahead:

Cook chili and make biscuit dough. Wrap biscuit dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cool chili to room temperature and refrigerate. When ready to bake, spread chili in baking dish and top with biscuit rounds. Proceed with the recipe. 

To freeze:

Assemble completely, minus the cheese, and freeze. To bake, thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 2-3 hours. Sprinkle on cheese just before it’s finished baking.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 265grams | Calories: 525cal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1040mg | Potassium: 912mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 3877IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 5mg
Keywords chili cheese biscuit casserole

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Susan says

    Do you cook the chili in dutch oven and then transfer to a shallow casserole for the oven?
    This looks delicious! Definitely going to make.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Susan! You use either a large oven safe skillet or dutch oven. You’ll see the instructions for it in the recipe card. Enjoy!

      Reply

  2. norma says

    WOW!! Amazing casserole, the combination of the flavour and the vegetables make this dish one the best casserole, my friends enjoy a lot .Good job and thank you for sheering your delicious recipes.

    Reply

  5. Brielle @ Breezy Bakes says

    This looked so good on Instagram that I had to come check it out. Looks even better on the bigger screen. Yum! I love a good old BBQ chili. And topped with biscuits??? Doesn’t get much better.

    I love that you load it with veggies. Get them where you can!

    Reply

  9. Kelly says

    This casserole looks SO flavorful and amazing! My son is definitely starting to become a picky eater so I am loving all the veggies you snuck in here! Yes to the cheese, bbq sauce and chili! It’s the perfect comforting dish!

    Reply

  11. The Duo Dishes says

    It’s definitely the season for this type of food, especially with football on every week. Chili is at the top of the list when it comes to comfort food!

    Reply

  12. Dorothy Dunton says

    Hi Ashley! Had to come back – we had snow (if you looked really close) a couple of weeks ago, but today it was cold for here – 34 degrees! I have a few chili recipes that are my own concoctions that I would be happy to share with you to see what you think. I can e-mail them to you if you are interested. Let me know. 🙂

    Reply

  13. Dorothy Dunton says

    Hi Ashley! Everything in one bowl is my kind of comfort food! In fact, I’m making one of my chili dishes for supper tonight and my timing is good – it snowed here today! 🙂

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Was that your first snow?!? We only got snow about the middle of December which is really late for us, but I’d been waiting for it for so long! Now I’m almost ready for Spring 😉 I wish we were having chili for supper tonight!

      Reply

  16. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    I love how you snuck some veggies in here, Ashley! My husband is sort of picky too, so I bet he wouldn’t even notice the kale and carrots in here. And I love any kind of chili, so this biscuit casserole sounds amazing! This looks like the perfect comfort food for the snow that headed my way!

    Reply

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