Chicken and Waffles

 

This southern favorite may seem a little odd to some at first but trust me, this is one delicious dinner idea that we have also served as a terrific brunch. The fried chicken in this recipe can be also baked by placing it ion a lightly oiled cookie sheet and drizzling a little oil over the pieces before baking for about 50- 60 minutes until the pieces are cooked through. Turn the chicken pieces once, half way through the cooking time.

 

I've added extra crunch to this fried chicken recipe by adding panko crumbs to the crust along with a delicious mix of herbs and spices. This dish is traditionally served with syrup and here I've served it with some good maple syrup but I confess that I have sampled it with a good chicken gravy and absolutely loved it that way too.

 

I freeze any leftover flour and panko mixture in an airtight container to use for next time. 

 

Preheat a deep fryer filled with canola oil to 350 degrees F.

Combine:
2 cups flour

1 cup panko crumbs
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tbsp powered thyme
1 tbsp powdered sage
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp powdered ginger
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cayenne pepper or chipotle powder

Cut one whole chicken into parts or use 3 lbs chicken parts of your choice. Dip the chicken pieces in egg wash of 2 eggs beaten together with 2 tbsp water, then dredge thoroughly in the flour, panko and spice mixture to coat the pieces evenly.

 

Drop chicken pieces into hot oil, starting with the largest pieces first. Try and maintain the oil at 350 degrees F throughout the cooking time. Do not crowd your fryer. 4-5 large pieces or 5-6 small pieces at a time is enough. Large pieces can take 12-15 minutes to cook, smaller pieces 10-12 minutes. Remove cooked chicken to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. 

 

You can also fry until golden and then finish the cooking time in the oven if you prefer; some people find it easier to judge when the pieces are fully cooked that way and it is also a useful method if the pieces brown too quickly in the fryer.

Serve on homemade waffles with maple syrup.

Waffles

Makes about 10-12 waffles

Preheat waffle iron.

Sift together:

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Whisk together:

2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract 
6 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix in the sifted dry ingredients until smooth. Pour about 1/3 cup waffle batter for each waffle onto your waffle iron. Depending on the size of your iron, this amount will vary. Cook until golden brown.