Chicken and Waffles

You may think of chicken and waffles as a Southern dish, but it actually originated in Pennsylvania.  The first chicken and waffles meal was served during the 1600s in Pennsylvania Dutch country.  However, they didn’t fry the chicken–instead, it was stewed and covered in gravy.  The fried chicken version people know and love was made famous by the Wells Supper Club in Harlem in 1938.  Today, people enjoy this soul-food dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients for chicken and waffles:

• 8 TBS boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into strips
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• 6 to 8 waffles made with your favorite recipe
• Maple syrup and butter, as desired.

Marinade:

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

For the coating:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl.  Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and make sure they are fully coated with the liquid.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
2. Pour the vegetable oil into a dutch oven pot and heat it on the stove to 350 degrees.  Only fill the pot about halfway to avoid overspilling oil onto the stovetop.
3. While the oil is heating, mix all the ingredients for the coating into a large baking dish.  Dredge each piece of the chicken from the marinade into the coating mixture.  Make sure each piece is well covered, and then allow them to sit for five minutes before frying.
4. Carefully place each chicken piece into the frying oil using long-handled tongs.  You should only have one layer of chicken in the frying oil.  Use the tongs to turn over the pieces every 2 minutes.  Fry for about 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the oil and let it rest, and drain on a wire rack and baking sheet.
6. Fry the next batch of chicken.
7. Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients into a saucepan.  Heat over medium-high until the butter melts and the spices are fragrant.  Coat each of the pieces of chicken with the sauce.  
8. Prepare the waffles according to their instructions.
9. Serve on plates with a waffle, a heaping serving of chicken, maple syrup, and butter.

Stop by The Butcher Shop for the Freshest Meats and Local Produce

Why purchase meat and produce from a grocery store that comes from who knows where?  We have such excellent, fresh meat and produce available to us locally!  The Butcher Shop is your one-stop-shop for locally sourced meats and produce from farms right here in Southern Oregon.  At TBS, you’ll find the perfect cut of meat for your meal, plus fresh-baked loaves of bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, local wine and beers, and even quality food specifically for your canine.  Stop by today or call ahead to pre-order your ingredients.