Oven-Baked Spicy Chicken Served with Cheese Grits and Chorizo Drizzle

Ingredients

• Chicken:
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup Mexican-style hot sauce (such as Cholula®)
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
• cooking spray
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• Grits:
• 2 ½ cups milk
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 cup grits
• ½ (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Chorizo Reduction:
• 1 pound ground chorizo
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon crumbled Cotija cheese, or to taste

Step 1

Mix the buttermilk and hot sauce in a big bowl or a zip-top bag. Add the chicken pieces, making sure they’re well coated, and let them marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight if you have the time.

Step 2

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and give it a quick spray with cooking spray to keep the chicken from sticking. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, flour, and all the spices—paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and chili powder. Take the chicken out of the marinade and dredge each piece in the crumb mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks. Arrange the chicken on the wire rack and pop it in the oven. It should take about 30 minutes to cook through and get crispy on the outside.

Step 3

While the chicken is baking, start the grits. Bring the milk, water, salt, and pepper to a boil in a large saucepan, then lower the heat and stir in the grits. Cover and let them cook for about 20 minutes, stirring every so often to keep them from clumping. Once they’re thick and creamy, stir in the Mexican cheese and butter until everything melts together nicely.

Step 4

At the same time, heat a skillet over medium-high and cook the chorizo along with the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño until the meat is browned and the veggies have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease, then add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until it smells amazing. Toss in the cherry tomatoes, vegetable broth, Worcestershire sauce, and a splash of hot sauce. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and reduces by about half—this should take around 15 minutes. Finish it off by stirring in the heavy cream and simmering a bit more until the sauce is rich and coats the back of a spoon.

Step 5

To serve, spoon the cheesy grits into bowls, drizzle generously with the chorizo sauce, and top with your spicy baked chicken. Sprinkle some crumbled Cotija cheese over everything for a nice tangy finish. Enjoy!