Chili Shrimp and Cod over Cheesy Grits

No time for meal planning or prepping but want to make a quick and delicious home-cooked meal? Chili Shrimp and Cod over Cheesy Grits is the perfect dinner for those nights you’re in a bind!

_{(Original post date June 13, 2017 / Links and post updated Jan. 22, 2022)}

Sometimes, life gets in the way of meal planning or prepping. Let’s be honest most weeks of motherhood feel that way.  

If you fill your pantry with a few extra boxes of pasta, extra grains, as well as, cans of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beans.  Also, stock up on meat and seafood when you see a good sale. Can really save you when life gets you in a bind.

Seafood is great for busy days. It thaws out fast and cooks quickly. Not to mention lean and healthy and a great base for bold flavors. It’s my “Ops I forgot to pull something out but no one will ever know, fix.”

Chili Shrimp and Cod over Cheesy Grits is a play on Shrimp and Grits and is perfect for busy weeknights.

Know your Grits

• Homey Grits

The husks of hominy are softened by soaking corn kernels in a lime or lye solution, which softens the tough outer shell. Afterward, the outer hulls are removed by rinsing. Hominy is available dried, ready to eat in cans (delicious in soups and stews), or dried and coarsely ground to make hominy grits.

• Instant Grits

These fine-textured grits have been precooked and dehydrated so that they only need boiling water to be used. Although fast, they don’t have as much natural flavor as you’d expect.

• Difference Between Quick and Regular Grits

There is only one difference between these two types: granulation. Regular grits are medium grind and cook in 10 minutes whereas quick grits are fine ground and require 5 minutes to cook.

• Stone Ground Grits

The old-fashioned way to make grits is to grind whole corn kernels between two stones in a grist mill, using whole dried corn kernels. Since the entire kernel is ground, including the germ, stone-ground grits tend to have a more speckled appearance, as well as a richer flavor and texture. It is best to keep stone-ground grits in the freezer rather than the pantry since they are less processed and more perishable.

My Opinion

When it comes to grits I prefer stone-ground yellow grits.  I don’t like the white grits I feel they lack flavor and the texture is mushy.

Where stone ground even fully cooked still has a course yet silky texture to them. But! Use what you like these cheesy grits are very versatile, just read the directions on the pack you buy for cook time.

How to Make Chili Shrimp and Cod over Cheesy Grits

• In a large saucepot, bring the vegetable stock to a boil,  add grits and cook until stock is absorbed, 20-25 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cheese. – All grits are not created equal read the directions on the package to ensure they are cooked correctly.
• Once grits are done start making the sauce for your shrimp and cod.  Starting with frying up the bacon, then once the bacon is removed sautéing the onions in the bacon grease.  Then add tomato paste, herbs, and spices, along with veggie stock and garlic.
• While the sauce is cooking, rinse the shrimp and cut up the Cod.  Drain and rinse your beans and strain any excess liquid out of the spinach.
• Add the beans, shrimp, and Cod to the sauce stir to combine, cover cook 4-7 minutes until shrimp turns pink, and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

To serve add a big scoop of grits to the plate or bowl then add a heaping helping of Chili Shrimp and Cod over the grits.

That’s it folks Chili Shrimp and Cod over Cheesy Grits. A quick simple delicious weeknight dinner the whole family will love.  Show that busy week who is boss!!

Recipe for Chili Shrimp and Cod over Cheesy Grits

Chili Shrimp and Cod over Cheesy Grits

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 4233kcal

Tender shrimp and cod with white beans, onions, bacon and spinach coated in a simple garlic chili sauce and served over cheese flavored grits, this dish is a family favorite simple “fancy” recipe. 

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Grits

• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup stone ground grits
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Chili Shrimp and Cod

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ⅛ cup chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp dry cilantro
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• ½ lb raw shrimp cleaned and shells removed
• 2 cod fillets cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 15 oz can white kidney bean drained and rinsed
• 4 oz frozen chopped spinach thawed

Instructions

Grits

• In a large saucepot bring vegetable stock to a boil, add grits and cook until water is absorbed, 20-25 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cheese.

Chili Shrimp and Cod

• In a large deep skillet fry the bacon until browned, remove and set aside on a paper towel. In bacon grease add onions and saute for 3 minutes.  
• Stir in tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and cilantro. Allow to cook for one minute and add vegetable stock. 
• Rinse the shrimp and cut the Cod fillets into 1/2 inch pieces. Drain and rinse the beans and squeeze out any extra water that is in the spinach. 
• Add Shrimp, cod, beans, and spinach to the sauce.  Cook until shrimp turn pink and the Cod becomes fork-tender. 
• Spoon grits into a serving bowl with a generous spoon full of shrimp cod mixture.  And Enjoy!! 

Nutrition

Serving: 818g | Calories: 4233kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.12g | Protein: 52.47g | Fat: 453.82g | Saturated Fat: 332.928g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21.131g | Monounsaturated Fat: 63.456g | Trans Fat: 1.018g | Cholesterol: 255mg | Sodium: 1419mg | Potassium: 1366mg | Fiber: 8.9g | Sugar: 3.4g | Vitamin A: 5568IU | Vitamin C: 7.6mg | Calcium: 812mg | Iron: 7.66mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @messycuttingboard or tag ##MCBrecipes!

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