Fried Chicken and Cornbread Waffles with Maple Hot Sauce
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 1 hr 35 min
- Active: 1 hr 10 min
Ingredients
Cornbread Waffles:
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 2/3 cups whole milk (oat milk may substituted)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Fried Chicken:
2 pounds organic chicken pieces (can be a combination or choice of breast, thigh, leg, wing)
Neutral oil, for frying
1/4 cup paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups buttermilk
Maple Hot Sauce:
1 cup 100% Vermont maple syrup
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's RedHot
Directions
Special equipment:
a waffle maker- For the cornbread waffles: Preheat a waffle maker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the milk and eggs and mix until just combined. Set aside while you grease the bottom half of the waffle maker with 1 tablespoon butter. Pour some batter into the waffle maker and cook until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter.
- For the fried chicken: Rinse off the chicken pieces and arrange on a sheet pan; pat dry with paper towels. In a large, high-sided fry pan, add roughly 2 to 3 inches of oil (depending on the size of the pan) and bring to 345 degrees F. Fit a sheet pan with a wire rack and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly sprinkle over the chicken pieces until 1 tablespoon spice mix is left.
- Add the leftover spices to a shallow dish and mix well with the flour and cornstarch. Put the buttermilk in another shallow dish. Dredge the chicken pieces first in the flour mix, second in the buttermilk and third again in the flour mix.
- Place the chicken pieces in the hot oil in batches as needed. Cook, flipping halfway for even browning, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove to the rack between batches. Season immediately with salt.
- For the maple hot sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and hot sauce and bring to a light simmer over medium heat.
- Portion the waffles and add to a platter alongside the chicken. Drizzle the maple hot sauce on top and serve.
Cook’s Note
There are many substitutions that can be made with this dish. Switching out the chicken for boneless or all white meat, using avocado oil for the frying oil, making the waffles square or round, etc., depending on dietary restrictions and preferences.