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Cheesy Tomato Grits with Chiles and Bacon is an over the top southern comfort recipe ready in 25 minutes and perfect for any meal.
29 ounces chicken broth (2 14.5 ounce cans)
1 cup quick cooking grits not instant
14.5 ounces canned plum tomatoes drained and diced
4 ounces canned diced green chiles lightly drained
6 ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese grated
Cut the bacon crosswise into about 1/2-inch wide pieces. Cook in a deep skillet over medium high heat until brown and crisp – about 8-9 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Keep the bacon fat in the pan.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Keep the bacon fat in the pan.
Add the sliced green onions to the hot bacon fat and cook for a minute or two until slightly softened.
Add the broth, salt, grits, diced plum tomatoes, and green chiles to the pan.
Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in 4 ounces of the Cheddar cheese. Serve immediately topped with remaining cheese and bacon to garnish.
Either quick grits or old-fashioned (stone ground) grits work fine in the recipe. Stone ground grits are my favorite, but they take quite a bit longer to cook. Just don't use instant grits. Just no. Not ever. For anything.
Change the heat level to suit your taste by using mild, medium, or hot chiles.
Switch up the cheese if you like. Any type of Swiss or Gruyere is great!
These grits are really fantastic with grilled shrimp (for a quasi shrimp and grits), grilled chicken, or a ham steak. They're not bad with pork chops, either :-)
Top with a fried or poached egg for a standalone main dish.
Leftover grits store really well, but usually need thinning with a bit of water when reheating. They're easily reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop (stir often to prevent sticking).
Can this recipe be made in advance? Yes! One of the great things about grits is that they store and reheat very well. You may find that they need a little liquid added when reheating. Just stir in some water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.
Are grits and polenta the same thing? They're very similar. Grits are made from white corn and polenta from yellow corn. Polenta is also coarser than grits. They're not exactly interchangeable but can be substituted for each other in a pinch.
Serving: 1 | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1718mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1412IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 348mg | Iron: 3mg