HONEY-BUTTER CHICKEN & WAFFLES

The combination of fried chicken and waffles is soul food not southern. It was popularized by the Wells Supper Club in Harlem, New York City during the late 1930s. It was served to their late night-early morning clientele. Fried chicken with cornbread, biscuits or hoecakes is a southern staple and the addition of waffles is simply just another quick bread to serve with fried chicken. Roscoe's in Los Angeles, California made it famous on the West Coast. I prefer boneless chicken breasts or thighs, making it easier to eat with a knife and fork. Serve it with Honey-Butter.

Fried Chicken Marinade
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups buttermilk
1 t sea salt

Cut chicken in to about 3-inch strips or small cutlets, place on a platter and set aside.

In a large bowl, pour in the buttermilk and salt.

Add the chicken pieces, cover, refrigerate, and let marinate 4 to 8 hours.

Coating for Chicken

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 T cornstarch

1 t paprika

½ t finely ground black pepper
1 t paprika

1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t of your favorite seasoning (Cajun, Creole, or Old Bay)

Sea salt and finely ground black pepper

Peanut or avocado oil for frying

  

Pour coating ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture. Place back on a platter while dredging the rest.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet.

Fry chicken until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove to a baking sheet lined with a rack or paper towel and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven while frying the rest of the chicken.

Buttermilk Waffles                    

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 T granulated sugar 

1 T baking powder (aluminum free, if possible)

1 t baking soda

½ t salt

½ t ground cinnamon

2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

3 T melted unsalted butter

½ t pure vanilla extract

Pour pecans and ¼ cup of the flour into a food processor and process to a medium coarse texture. 

Pour into a large bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well with a whisk.

Add the buttermilk, then whisk in the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron and bake waffles until golden brown.

Keep waffles warm in a 225 degree F oven while cooking the rest of the waffles.

Serves 6

Honey-Butter

2 sticks unsalted butter

½ cup honey

Let butter come to room temperature and mix with the honey until well combined.

Generously spread on waffles before topping with chicken.