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Prep time
4 hours
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Cook time
15 minutes
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Serves
6
Author Notes
My favorite thing to make with my yeasted waffles is some form of chicken and waffles. When I’m eating fried chicken, I almost always prefer bone-n chicken, with one notable exception. My grandma Jeanne used to make me her easy fried chicken when I came to visit her—often at my strong request. This usually meant pieces of chicken breast given a traditional Southern fried chicken treatment—an hours-long (or even overnight) soak in buttermilk before being dredged in a thick coating of seasoned flour. The buttermilk brines the chicken during the soak, keeping it super-moist once it is fried. Though these were smaller pieces of chicken, they were thicker than standard “tenders,” so you can still appreciate some of the crunchy-exterior-to-juicy-interior ratio of bone-in fried chicken, but with the ease of the something than can be done any day of the week, using any quantity of chicken. This is my favorite chicken to use for chicken and waffles, because both components eat and cut similarly—making it as easy to eat as it is supremely craveable.
Remember that these waffles can be made ahead because they freeze so well. Keep them wrapped well, then refresh in the oven or a toaster oven to re-crisp the waffles. This makes it even easier to bring this epic breakfast (or brunch…or breakfast for dinner…) anytime. Excerpted from Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between 2022 by Erin Jeanne McDowell. Photography © 2022 Mark Weinberg. Reproduced by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. —Erin Jeanne McDowell
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Yeasted Waffles & Fried Chicken
Ingredients
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4
(906 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 2-inch/2.5 cm wide strips
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3
to 4 cups (690 to 920 g) cold buttermilk
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Neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable) for deep-frying
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2 cups
(240 g) all-purpose flour
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3 tablespoons
(21 g) cornstarch
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1/2 teaspoon
(2 g) baking powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons
(5 g) smoked paprika
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1 teaspoon
(3 g) onion powder
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1 teaspoon
(3 g) freshly ground black pepper
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kosher salt, to taste
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6
yeasted waffles (see above)
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hot sauce and/or maple syrup, for serving
Directions
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Arrange the chicken pieces in an even layer in a medium dish. Add enough buttermilk so they are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours (or overnight).
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In a large pot (or a deep fryer), heat 2 to 3 inches/5 to 8 cm of oil over medium heat until it reaches about 375°F/190°C on an instant-read thermometer. Set a cooling rack over a paper-towel lined baking sheet.
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Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, whisk the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder to combine. Whisk in the paprika, onion powder, and black pepper. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shaking off the excess (there will still be plenty clinging to the surface), and arrange the chicken out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Season with kosher salt.
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Working in batches, dredge the chicken pieces in a flour mixture and add to the hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd them. When you add the chicken, the oil temperature will drop - adjust the heat as needed to keep it at around 350°F/175°C. Fry until the strips are deeply golden brown and very crisp, and the chicken is fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oil with tongs and transfer to the prepared rack. Season again with kosher salt to taste. Serve immediately with yeasted waffles, hot sauce, and/or syrup.
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!
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