Chicken 'n' Waffles
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 13 hr 30 min (includes brining and resting times)
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
Pickle Brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
5 chiles de arbol, stemmed
3 sprigs fresh dill
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Chicken Spice:
1 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne
2 teaspoons powdered mustard
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1 teaspoon paprika
Chicken Dredge:
1 pound bread flour
1/4 cup chicken spice
1 tablespoon baking powder
Belgian-Style Waffles:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups milk
1 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Black Pepper Sausage Gravy:
1 cup breakfast sausage
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
2 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Oil, for deep-frying
Buttermilk or milk, for dredging chicken
Directions
Special equipment:
a deep-fryer- For the pickle brine: Combine 1 gallon water and the salt, brown sugar and cider vinegar in a stockpot; heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add 1 gallon ice to cool. Wrap the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, chiles, dill, garlic and bay leaf in cheesecloth. Add the sachet and the chicken to the brine. Refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours or up to 24 hours.
- For the chicken spice: Mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, mustard, oregano, celery seed and paprika in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.
- For the chicken dredge: Whisk together the flour, chicken spice (reserve the remaining chicken spice for another use) and baking powder in a bowl.
- For the Belgian-style waffles: Preheat a waffle iron.
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, oil, vanilla and eggs. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Cook the waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.
- For the black pepper sausage gravy: Saute the sausage in the butter until browned. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk, cream and stock; bring to a boil. Stir in the Worcestershire, powdered mustard and hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper.
- To cook the chicken: Preheat a deep-fryer to 300 degrees F.
- Dip the brined chicken in buttermilk, then toss in the chicken dredge. Fry until an instant-read thermometer reads 180 degrees F.
- To serve: Place the waffles on serving plates. Set 2 pieces of chicken on top of each waffle. Top with some gravy.