Gouda Cheesy Grits & BBQ Chicken Bites Bowl

To prepare the breading for the chicken, combine in a large bowl: 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of corn flour, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir everything together and pour the mixture into a shallow dish for easy dredging.

In a heavy-bottom skillet, preheat canola or vegetable oil to 350-360°F. Whisk 3 eggs thoroughly and transfer them to a shallow dish. Cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-sized pieces, dip them in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess, then dip them into the beaten eggs, and finally coat them again in the flour mixture.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels, then set a baking rack on top of the towels. Place the breaded chicken bites into the hot oil and fry them until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F, approximately 4-5 minutes, turning them occasionally.

Place the chicken on baking racks to drain, ensuring they stay crispy and don't sit in oil.

While chicken is frying start the Cheesy Gouda Grits. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer and gradually stir in 1 cup of grits. Cover the pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the grits are cooked, remove from heat and stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of shredded Gouda cheese, stirring until combined. Cover and set aside.

For a barbecue sauce recommendation, I used Kosmos Q Sweet Apple Chipotle BBQ Sauce for this recipe and also make my own version, Apple Chipotle Spicy Barbecue Sauce that has an extra spicy kick!

Toss chicken nuggets with sauce! Add a few chicken nuggets to a bowl and drizzle with barbecue sauce and give it a toss or a stir.

Add a generous portion of Cheesy Gouda Grits to a bowl, top it with Barbecue Chicken Nuggets, sprinkle with chives, and dig in! Enjoy!