Sweet & Savory Chicken & Waffles
A Restaurant Worthy & Budget-Friendly meal that will make the entire family keep coming back for more!
I'm so excited to share my first blog recipe with you, and it's going to make you love me! Then, the lucky folks that you dazzle with it later will love you even more than they already do. Hard to believe, I know, but it's true. Keep in mind, I'm a creative writer, so the instructions are written here in a narrative style.
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*For those that don't really care about any added commentary, and just want the steps, your loss, but I understand. For you, the instructions can be found at the bottom of the page, sitting there, emotionless. Just JUMP TO RECIPE.
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I want to tell you about how I first fell in love with Chicken & Waffles while living in Harlem. I want to tell you about how the jazz ensemble that my roommates and I hung out with from Mintons Playhouse stayed up late into the evening drinking porters and talking shit while chowing down on this classic. I really want to share that experience with you, but it would be a lie. Yes, we did all hang out late into the early mornings, but we did so in my living room. And unfortunately, we didn't eat the chicken & waffles made famous by my old neighborhood. Instead, we mostly smoked cigarettes and dined on suspect leftovers while the band members had jam sessions from our couch. Truth be told, I fell in love with Chicken & Waffles after having it at a chain restaurant with crappy service. So it became my mission to create a better version of this classic in my own kitchen. So here we are!
Cost: <$20*
Servings: 3 - 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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*most ingredients used are shelf staples. Ingredients that may require purchase are in bold.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Sweet & Savory Chicken & Waffles
The Cast
Fried Chicken
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3-4 large chicken breasts
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1 can cream of chicken soup
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1 egg
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1 tsp each paprika, garlic powder, and seasoning salt
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Dash cayenne pepper
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2 Tbls onion juice*
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10 Tbls each AP Flour and Cornstarch
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Salt & Pepper
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Brown paper bag
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Canola oil (personal deep frying preference, vegetable oil is fine)
*½ red onion, 4-5 green onions, and 2 two sprigs rosemary for garnish and oil flavoring (keeping it soigne!)
Belgium Waffles
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2 ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
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3 Tbls sugar
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1 Tbls baking powder
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp cinnamon
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2 cups milk
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½ cup vegetable oil
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1 tsp pure vanilla extract
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2 eggs, separated
Orange Rosemary Maple Syrup
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½ cup Dark Maple Syrup
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¼ cup butter
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¼ cup fresh squeezed Orange juice
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1 Tbls orange zest
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1 Tbls rosemary chopped
Act I
Get that chicken soaking early
I like to start marinating my chicken early in the morning. I usually get this going first thing regardless of what I'm serving with my chicken because it's quick and easy. Even before I have my first cup of coffee, I drop my chicken into the mix of soup, egg, and seasonings (Flour and Cornstarch ARE NOT SEASONINGS. I shouldn't have to make that differentiation, but toothpaste has directions for use, so this is where we are). Start by cutting your chicken breasts lengthwise in half and sprinkling them with a modest amount of S&P. Don't worry, there's enough sodium in the condensed soup to penetrate the chicken and lock in that moisture.
If you want to send it to the next level, go ahead and take some time to enjoy your coffee by prepping your crispy onions so you can make the onion juice. We love a nice garnish, and Crispy Fried Onions are the marriage maker here! Thinly slice ¼ - ½ of a red onion top to bottom. Sprinkle with approx 1-2 Tbls kosher salt. I sit the onion/salt mixture in a mesh strainer to let the juices drip into a bowl for 30 minutes. When you've finished your caffeinated drink of choice & catching up on the dumpster-fire news of the world, check out your onions. They should be perfectly tender. It's like magic! Remember this as a topping the next time you make burgers, hotdogs, or sammies, oh my! Squeeze out 2 Tbls of that glorious onion juice, stir into the chicken soup mixture, plop in the chicken, place all of that in whatever will keep it sealed tightly, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Don't forget to seal up those magic onions and put them in the fridge till later as well.
A sticky situation
I mean, you don't have to make the Orange Rosemary Maple Syrup, but you've come this far, and by now you're feeling like a Top Chef, so let's get chefy! I don't have a toolbox of fancy kitchen gadgets, but you don't need to max out your credit card at Sur La Table to make delicious food. Poormet is the new Gourmet! Instead of zesting your orange, try skinning that lil fella with a pairing knife. Be careful of the white pithy part though. Place a couple of these shavings in your Ball Jam Jar, along with a twig of Rosemary. I do this for both optics (hello, I'm a blog) and to enhance flavor while it rests, but if you just want to put the syrup in a cup, seal it in plastic wrap and call it a day, do you, bo!
Melt your butter on low, chop the rosemary and orange zest, drop it into the melted butter, simmer 5-10 minutes. Pour the buttery yum mix into a thingy that can hold it for a few minutes, and set aside. Next, put ¼ cup of your fresh-squeezed OJ into the saucepan, bring to a tender boil to break down those bittersweet notes. Add the maple syrup and buttery mixture to the OJ and reduce to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Strain into a Mason jar and chill on the countertop. You can refrigerate, but keep in mind, there will be separation and you will need to reheat which can impact the flavor a bit overtime. I say keep it countertop and give it a few good shakes before serving. *This recipe will yield 1 sold cup of syrup and fill an entire Ball Jam Jar.
Go run your errands!
You know you need some more paper towels. The rest of the meal will come together later in the day when you're ready to stay planted on your couch.
I love the Belgium Waffles recipe that follows though, so it's worth a quick read. Not that it's overly complicated, there are just a lot of moving parts. Frying chicken is as easy as, well, frying chicken. But Belgium waffles involve sifting stuff, separating eggs without breaking yolks, stiff peaks that don't crumble, and timing! Oh my goodness the timing thing!! I recommend watching a couple of YouTube videos for visual tips on how to use your specific Belgium Waffle Maker because I can't possibly give you those details. All WM's are not created equal. If you already know the timing of yours, get outta here! You're one step ahead of the game! This recipe is a very basic one that's classically versatile and just as good hot off the grate or warmed up as leftovers.
As a matter of fact, if you are just teeming with excitement, and want to see what these bad boys are like, go ahead and make yourself some breakfast to test them out right now! You've already had your jolt from coffee, and the news made you want to stay inside anyway, so have at it! This way, if you're like me and have to go through 9 eggs trying unsuccessfully to just separate 2 yolks that don't look scary, you'll still have time to grab another carton of eggs from the store if necessary. You'll have a lot of scrambled eggs to eat and no Belgium waffles, but who cares! It's the freakin weekend!
As Easy as baking a cake...in a Waffle Maker
Dry ingredients, sift that. Wet ingredients, mix that. Eggs, separate that, er, them. Mix the yolks into the wet stuff. Stir the dry and wet, then, beat the egg whites on medium speed for about 4 minutes or until you get stiff peaks. Like the picture below* DON'T OVER BEAT! It'll be a gross, grainy mess of nasty, and then you'll be back at square one with that damn separation situation.
Once the whites are whipped and fluffy, gently fold them into the batter until well blended. Scoop out the right of batter for your WM and follow the instructions that came with your model. We have an Oster Non-Stick Flip Waffle Maker, and 1 cup of batter yields 5 crisp and fluffy waffles that are a whopping 6 inches in diameter & 1 inch thick. They are ginormous!! I know it's not often that "ginormous" is used to describe "6 inches", but we're talking waffles y'all! Keep your mind right!
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You can keep them warm in the oven at 250 degrees until ready to eat, and then store the rest in a plastic bag for later tonight.
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I'm so excited for you right now!!! This is going to be great!!
Act II
Putting it all together
For me, there are three essential items needed for crunchy fried chicken: brown paper bag, cast iron skillet, and good oil with a high smoke point. I used to loath frying chicken! The flour never stayed on the meat, and what did stay ended up either tasting like burnt flour or chewy oily salt bombs. And then there was the fear of biting into a piece to see that dreaded red-pink strip of uncooked death! Or even worse, the purple-red vein next to the bone. Obviously, we're using boneless pieces, but these steps and tips will produce perfect poultry the next time you decide to fry any part of the bird.
The brown bag helps coat the chicken to keep the batter from falling off during frying. I can't explain why, but it works! Toss your pieces into the bag in batches with a mixture of your AP flour, cornstarch, and a few more dashes of extra seasoning salt. Shake them in the bag until well coated. Try not to pack too many pieces in the bag because they will just stick to one another. Place your pieces on a rack to set. By letting the chicken rest for approx. 30 minutes to an hour, you'll notice the batter really latches on to the pieces. This resting period also allows the chicken to fry more evenly and cook thoroughly. No pink meat here!
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The cast-iron skillet! Yes!! You need to have at least one of these in your kitchen. The magic of the CAS is in how the spreads the heat. It's a thick and heavy heat conductor that locks in the temperature for even cooking no matter how you use it. But if frying fills you with fear, there are alternatives. I use a Cast Iron Dutch Oven to deep fry, and these guys are another great kitchen investment! They are versatile and a breeze to clean! I've actually noticed that deep frying in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven also prevents that lingering deep-fried oil smell from happening. It's science!
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Speaking of deep-fried oil smell, use the right frying oil with a high smoke point. I like Canola because it rhymes with granola… just don't try to deep fry with EVOO. Fry in batches, careful not to crowd the pan, then sprinkle with some sea salt and set on a wire rack to keep them crunchy and delicious. *I don't recommend sitting fried chicken on paper towels because that will just make them soggy.
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Remember the Crispy Onion Titans
While frying, pat any wetness off the red onions, give them a few pinches of cornstarch, shake off the excess, and toss them in the same frying oil alongside the chicken. Keep an eye on them because they'll crisp up quickly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper towel to dry. The green onion and rosemary can go in naked. Rosemary just adds a kiss of flavor to the oil and is not for eating, so it's not necessary. The green and red onions are the yummy crispy garnish that packs a ton of flavor in a tiny package.
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If you didn't practice separating eggs or testing your waffle maker timing, just scroll back up for steps. Because the chicken cooks best in batches, both can be made at the same time.
This recipe may sound like a long process, but each step is super quick! It's a dish you could throw together in less than an hour, but why? Spreading it out over the course of a day means you spend less time cleaning or stressing about timing, and more time enjoying your day and meal, instead. We enjoyed ours with a Mother Earth Cali Creamin Ale and it was a match made in crispy fried chicken and waffle heaven!
Bonne chance et apprécie!!
Sweet & Savory Chicken & Waffles
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Fried Chicken
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3-4 large chicken breasts
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1 can cream of chicken soup
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1 egg
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1 tsp each paprika, garlic powder, and seasoning salt
-
Dash cayenne pepper
-
2 Tbls onion juice* Optional
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10 Tbls each AP Flour and Cornstarch
-
Salt & Pepper
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Brown paper bag
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Canola oil (personal deep frying preference, vegetable oil is fine)
*½ red onion, 4-5 green onions, and 2 two sprigs rosemary for garnish and oil flavoring (keeping it soigne!)
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Cut your chicken breasts lengthwise in half and sprinkling them with a modest amount of S&P.
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Place chicken into the mix of soup, egg, paprika, garlic powder, seasoning salt, and cayenne.
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Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
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Remove chicken from the fridge and toss into a paper bag filled with flour, cornstarch, and a few dashes of seasoning salt.
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Toss chicken to coat, in batches, and place coated pieces on a rack. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
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Heat frying oil in cast iron skillet. test heat before frying.
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Fry in batches, careful not to crowd the pan.
Belgium Waffles
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2 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
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3 Tbls sugar
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1 Tbls baking powder
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp cinnamon
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2 cups milk
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½ cup vegetable oil
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1 tsp pure vanilla extract
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2 eggs, separated
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Sift dry ingredients in a bowl.
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Separate eggs, and beat egg whites on medium speed for approx 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
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Whisk together milk, vanilla, vegetable oil, and egg yolks. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry mix. Stir until well blended
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Fold in egg white and continue folding until lumps are gone.
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Follow instructions for your specific waffle maker, and keep prepared waffles warm in the oven at 250 degrees.
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Orange Rosemary Maple Syrup
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½ cup Dark Maple Syrup
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¼ cup butter
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¼ cup fresh squeezed Orange juice
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1 Tbls orange zest
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1 Tbls rosemary chopped
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Melt your butter on low.
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Chop the rosemary and orange zest, drop it into the melted butter, simmer 5-10 minutes.
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Pour the butter mix into a bowl and set aside.
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Add ¼ cup fresh squeezed OJ into the saucepan, bring to a tender boil
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Add the maple syrup and buttery mixture to the OJ and reduce to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
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Strain into a Mason jar and chill on the countertop.
last edited October 3, 2020