Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Add the cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to the skillet, stirring constantly to toast the spices for 30 seconds. This step is crucial—it wakes up the flavor.

Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the black beans, kidney beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and the minced chipotle peppers along with a tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the can.

Stir everything together well. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or on high for 3.5 hours, until the flavors meld and the chili is thick.

Before serving, stir in any remaining adobo sauce if you want it spicier. If the chili is too thin, remove the lid and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes to reduce.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, vegetable oil, melted butter, and eggs until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix, or the cornbread will be tough. The batter will be thick and lumpy—that’s okay.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They are best served warm, slightly torn open and nestled on top of bowls of chili.