Fried Chicken and Waffles
Having recently returned from a week away at our cottage in Northern Michigan, I need a nap!
There was a time when a vacation away at the cottage meant spending the afternoon floating on the lake, reading a good book on the screened in porch with a cocktail, lazy mornings, and oh so much eating. This was all before children of course. Now there is a lot of sand toys, life jackets, corralling bedtimes. A lot less sleep!
Somethings I refuse to change, no matter the number of guests, children or dogs. Four o’clock is cocktail hour, there will be an appetizer, and we will eat decadently and often.
Chicken and waffles has somehow become something of a summer cottage tradition. I have no idea why or how it started, but I happily accept this tradition with open arms.
For those of you who have never tried the combination- I implore you! Yes it sounds like something one only eats in the deep south and yes the pairing of traditional breakfast and dinner food sounds unusual. But don’t knock it until you try it.
Like so many things I make repeatedly, I continually find myself searching for “the one”. The one true great chicken that will make all others seem like a waste of time. I think this recipe has finally achieved fried chicken nirvana. Assuming of course a new hot recipe doesn’t catch my eye!
I use a buttermilk brine, it is coated in a mixture of flour and rice flour with some spice and fried in a cast iron skillet. You can certainly use a heavy bottomed pot and completely immerse the chicken in oil. The chicken will cook faster that way, but the oil takes longer to heat. I use a lower oil temperature in this recipe, to ensure that the middle of the chicken is cooked before the outside gets too dark.
A note about buttermilk- you can purchase it at any grocery store and can freeze the leftovers. I actually buy buttermilk powder in bulk and stir it into regular milk. The powder has a 6 month shelf life and turns any milk into buttermilk instantly. In a pinch, you can add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will approximate the taste of buttermilk, although the consistency is never quite right.
New to frying? Here are some tips!
Crispy Fried Chicken
1 Whole Chicken cut-up: thighs, wings, and legs separated; breasts cut in half, bone-in (alternatively 2-3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces of your choice)
For the Brine:
2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
For Frying:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
canola oil or peanut oil for frying
In a large bowl or measuring cup, mix the brine ingredients. Place the chicken pieces and the brine in a sealable bag and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
Fill a cast iron frying pan 1/2 way with frying oil, or alternatively use an 8 inch Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot with several inches of oil. Using a deep-fry thermometer or instant read thermometer, heat the oil to 325F.
Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove it from the brine and dredge it into the flour mixture, pressing to coat it on all sides. Remove the chicken and shake to get rid of any loose flour. Place on a wire rack while you dredge the remaining pieces.
Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Fry the chicken (in batches if necessary) until deeply golden brown, about 8 minutes per side for legs and thighs and 6 minutes per side for breasts and wings (if using a frying pan), or until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160F. Place the chicken on the wire rack while you cook the remaining chicken pieces.
Serve immediately, preferably with waffles and honey butter.
Note: the temperature of the oil will drop when you add the chicken. Avoid the temptation to turn the burner up. It will slowly come back to temperature as the chicken cooks. Make sure the oil returns to 325F before adding another batch.
Buttermilk Vanilla Waffles
Stella Parks, Serious Eats
Makes 2-3 waffles, depending on the size of your waffle maker
1 1/3 cup (6.5 oz or 185 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (1.5 oz or 45 g) powdered sugar
1/2 tsp (2 g) kosher salt
1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 g) baking powder
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 3/4 cup buttermilk (14 oz or 395 g)
3 Tbsp melted butter (1.5 oz or 40 g)
2 large egg whites
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
In a large bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and the scrapings of one large vanilla bean, mixing by hand until the seeds are well dispersed. Add the buttermilk, melted butter, egg whites, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
Set a waffle iron to medium and preheat until the indicator is ready. For a 7-inch Belgian (round) machine, scrape 1/3 of the batter into the waffle iron. If you are using an 8 inch square waffle iron, use 1/2 the batter per waffle. Close the lid and cook until the waffle is golden brown but still steaming, 4 1/2 to 6 minutes depending on the depth and heat of your machine.
Honey Butter
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp water
3 1/2 Tbsp butter
Add honey to a 1 quart saucepan and caramelize over medium-high heat until deep, nutty brown with an aroma of burnt sugar. Remove from heat and add water. Return to the heat and add the butter, stirring to incorporate. Set aside.