Cajun chicken and grits is the ultimate hearty homemade comfort food! Cheesy, creamy grits are topped with crispy pan-fried chicken and a dash of hot sauce.
Chicken and grits is the comfort food meal you never knew you needed in your life. Hearty, flavorful, and filling, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite.
Creamy, cheesy grits are topped with crispy, pan-fried chicken with an irresistible Cajun-seasoned panko crust. I like to add a dash of hot sauce on the top. It adds the perfect amount of heat and the acidity cuts through the richness of the dish.
Serve chicken and cheesy grits for dinner on a busy weeknight or Saturday at home. It's hearty, comforting, and just what you need after a long, hard day.
Breaded chicken ingredients
- Chicken - You'll need two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been sliced in half to make four thin pieces. Your chicken shouldn't be any thicker than about ½" to ¾" to cook through in a skillet.
- Panko bread crumbs - I highly suggest using panko bread crumbs for an extra crunchy crust, but they can be substituted with regular bread crumbs if needed.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Cajun seasoning add flavor to your chicken. Cajun seasoning can be homemade or store bought.
- Oil - Choose an oil that has a high smoke point for this recipe. You'll want an oil that can withstand a bit of heat since you'll be pan frying your chicken. Canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil are great choices. I don't recommend using olive oil or butter for this recipe.
- Egg - One large egg helps bind the breading to the chicken.
Cheesy grits ingredients
- Cheese - I recommend using freshly shredded cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is often dusted in a powder to prevent clumping, which can make your dish grainy when melted.
- Grits - You'll need stone ground grits for this recipe. If you've never purchased grits before, you can usually find them near the oats or cereal in your local grocery store. Similar to shopping for oats or rice, you will find two kinds of grits at the grocery store - stone ground grits and instant grits. For this recipe, I'm using traditional, stone ground grits.
- Broth - Chicken broth can be substituted with vegetable broth if needed. Substituting with water will result in a significant loss of flavor in your grits.
- Milk - Whole milk makes your grits creamy and rich. I don't recommend substituting the milk with water.
- Butter - Adds flavor and creaminess to your grits. I don't recommend omitting it. Salted butter can be substituted (you'll want to cut the listed salt in half).
- Salt and pepper - Add flavor to your grits.
Tips and tricks
Pat chicken dry - Pat your chicken pieces dry on all sides with a paper towel before beginning. Do not skip this step! Excess moisture on your chicken will make your egg and breading mixtures more likely to slide off.
Add thin coats - After dipping the chicken in the egg mixture and breading, gently shake to remove excess. Thin coats are best because they're less likely to fall off while cooking.
Don't nudge your chicken around - While your chicken is frying in the pan, resist the urge to nudge it around. Do not move the chicken until it has browned and is ready to be flipped. Once ready, it will easily release from the pan. If the chicken is sticking to the pan, it's not ready to be flipped yet.
Chicken browning too quickly? - Your heat is too high. Turn the heat down slightly to allow chicken to cook through in the center before the breading burns.
Rest before serving - Allow your chicken to rest for 2-3 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Cook grits low and slow - Grits need to be cooked low and slow for a creamy, silky texture. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat! This causes grits to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
How to tell when grits are done - Grits are done cooking when they're no longer rough and grainy. Do a taste test and keep cooking until they're soft and creamy.
Storage
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Chicken breading will soften when refrigerated and reheated.
Frequently asked questions
Adding milk and butter to grits creates a creamy, rich texture.
It sounds like your heat is too high. Turn the heat down and add a splash of water - low and slow is best for creamy, smooth grits.
I recommend stirring grits exclusively with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Add grits slowly to your liquid and use a whisk to combine. Stir your grits several times throughout the cooking process with a whisk to get rid of any lumps that form.
Breading can fall off chicken for several reasons. First, pat your chicken dry with a paper towel before beginning. Breading will slide right off of slimy, wet chicken. Add thin layers of egg and breading. Thick layers are more likely to fall off. Resist the urge to nudge your chicken around in the pan. Allow it to sit, undisturbed, until the bottom side is golden brown and it releases easily from the pan. If it's sticking and burning in the pan, your heat is too high. Turn the heat down and add another splash of oil if needed.
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📖 Recipe
Cajun Chicken and Cheesy Grits
Ingredients
Cajun chicken
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1.5 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, or vegetable oil
Cheesy grits
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup stone ground grits, not instant
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
Cajun chicken
- Carefully slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create four thin pieces (as if you were butterflying them, but continue slicing all the way through). Pat chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel - this helps the breading adhere. Season chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk egg. In a second shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Place one piece of chicken into the egg mixture, flip to coat, then pick up and gently shake to remove any excess. Next, place chicken into breading mixture, flipping to coat. Use your hands to gently pat breading into the egg mixture. Gently shake to remove any excess and place breaded chicken onto a plate. Repeat with each chicken breast.
- *At this point, I recommend starting your grits. When your grits are about halfway through cooking, begin frying your chicken.
- In a pan over medium heat, add oil. When hot, add breaded chicken, making sure not to overcrowd the pan (you may need to cook in 2 batches). Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, OR until breading is golden brown and chicken lifts easily from the pan. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
Cheesy grits
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk, chicken broth, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then slowly whisk in the grits.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, whisking frequently. If grits begin to stick to pan, reduce heat and add a splash of water. Grits should be creamy and thick with no rough texture when they're done cooking.
- Remove from heat and add pepper, butter, and shredded cheese. Stir until melted. Portion into bowls and top with sliced chicken and hot sauce to taste. Serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- To prevent breading from falling off your chicken: make sure to pat your chicken breasts dry before beginning. Shake off any excess egg and bread crumbs. When cooking, resist the urge to nudge your chicken around or move it prematurely. When your chicken is ready to be flipped, it will release easily from the pan.
- To ensure your chicken is cooked through, I suggest using a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked through when an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit is reached at the thickest part of the meat.
- Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Really great and easy to make. I only had 5 minute grits but the worked. Cooked them for the full time.
I made this and it was delicious -I changed some things though, the breadcrumbs wasn’t working for me so I just fried the chicken and topped with spicy mumbo sauce and even the kids loved it!!
This recipe is the best !! Thank you so much for sharing. It is definitely a keeper!! Delicious!!
This was really tasty! My husband didn't like it with the hot sauce but I did. Definitely keeping this recipe handy.