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Baked Spicy Chicken Strips with Cheese Grits and Chorizo Pan Sauce

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 Southern Recipes 🇺🇸Tex-Mex 🇺🇸🇲🇽Mexican High-Protein 💪Comfort-Food

Tender chicken strips, marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce, bake up crisp while creamy cheese grits provide a rich, mellow base. A robust chorizo reduction with peppers, onions, and a touch of cream ties it all together with smoky heat and savory depth. Serve Baked Spicy Chicken Strips with Cheese Grits and Chorizo Pan Sauce for a cozy weekend dinner or a crowd-pleasing brunch.

  • Prep20 mins
  • Cook30 mins
  • Serves8
  • DifficultyMedium
Baked Spicy Chicken Strips with Cheese Grits and Chorizo Pan Sauce
  1. 1

    Pour buttermilk and hot sauce into a large bowl or zip-top bag and mix well. Add chicken and marinate for 4 hours to overnight.

  2. 2

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray it with cooking spray.

  3. 3

    Combine bread crumbs, flour, paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and chili powder in a bowl. Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge it in the crumb mixture. Place the coated chicken on the prepared wire rack.

  4. 4

    Bake in the preheated oven until the centers are no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

  5. 5

    Meanwhile, add milk, water, salt, and pepper to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add grits. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent clumping. Remove from the heat and add Mexican cheese and butter; stir until smooth and creamy.

  6. 6

    While the chicken and grits cook, cook chorizo, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the grease from the skillet. Stir in garlic and continue cooking over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  7. 7

    Stir cherry tomatoes, vegetable broth, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce into the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until reduced, stirring as needed, about 15 minutes. Add heavy cream, then simmer and continue reducing until the sauce coats a spoon, about 5 minutes more.

  8. 8

    Place grits in a bowl, top with the chorizo reduction sauce, and then top with the spicy fried chicken. Garnish with Cotija cheese.