Savour the South with fried chicken and waffles
Dark chocolate and parmesan, salt and coffee, chilli and vanilla ice-cream … some folks have some oddly delicious food hankerings. Now you can add Southern fried chicken and waffles to the ‘don’t knock it til you try it’ basket. The sweetness of the syrup-laden waffles contrasts beautifully with the crunch and spice of the chicken to result in an intriguing dance on your tastebuds. The American soul food staple is munched on for breakfast or brunch, with recipes passed down through families for generations. Gather the gang and get stuck into this recipe or get inspired by the chicken-and-waffle masters at Brooklyn favourite Sweet Chick. Follow the cafe’s cue and up the ante with flavoured waffles like rosemary and mushroom or bacon and cheddar cheese.
INGREDIENTS
Waffles
2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fried chicken
8 pieces of chicken
2 cups buttermilk
3 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
oil for frying
TO MAKE
Waffles
Preheat the oven to 120°C.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the softened butter, milk and vanilla, then whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and beat until combined, being careful not to overbeat.
Heat the waffle iron. Grease the waffle iron if necessary and pour in the batter, as per instructions. Cook the waffle for several minutes until golden. Keep the prepared waffles warm in the preheated oven.
Fried chicken
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over. Cover and let marinate for one hour.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and spices together.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Taking each piece of chicken, shake off the excess buttermilk and roll in the seasoning to coat. Add to the pan. Fry the chicken in small batches until every piece is golden, crispy and cooked through. Place on a cooling rack or absorbent paper towels to drain.
Stack the waffles on a plate, then top with the fried chicken and serve with dollops of butter and maple syrup.
Image by Daniel Krieger via Sweet Chick.
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