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Chicken and Waffles

Tracy Morgan's Dessert Loaf + Peach Cobbler + Chicken and Waffles + Sweet & Spicy Slaw
Tracy Morgan's Dessert Loaf + Peach Cobbler + Chicken and Waffles + Sweet & Spicy SlawNathan Congleton / TODAY
Cook Time:
40 mins
Prep Time:
30 mins
Servings:
4
RATE THIS RECIPE
(9)

Chef notes

The chicken is perfectly crispy and the waffles are impossibly fluffy. The marmalade topping on has a touch of bitterness that keeps it from being too cloyingly sweet.

Technique tip: Waffle irons vary in shapes and sizes. If you have a very large waffle iron, the cooking time may be considerably less. Circular Belgian-style waffle makers work fine here too. You'll want to cook the fried chicken in advance before starting the waffles.

Swap option: You could use store bought fried chicken as a shortcut.

Ingredients

Country fried chicken
  • 1 3- to 4-pound fryer chicken, cut into parts
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 4 cups vegetable oil or lard
Waffles
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 1 tablespoon hot water
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

For the chicken:

1.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with 2 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and the allspice. Place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2.

Add the buttermilk to the chicken, cover, and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

3.

In a shallow dish or small bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, red pepper flakes, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder and remaining salt and pepper. Drain the chicken, dredge each piece in the flour mixture, and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.

4.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat to 350°F. Add the legs, thighs, and breasts and fry for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.

5.

Add the wings to the pan and cook for about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Cook until all the pieces are golden brown and have an internal temperature of 165°F. Rest the chicken for approximately 15 minutes on a cooling rack nested in a baking sheet.

For the waffles:

1.

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Set a rack on a baking sheet and place it in the oven as it preheats.

2.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until batter is just combined. It's okay to have lumps.

3.

Heat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions and coat with cooking spray. Pour some batter onto the iron, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Close the iron and cook 5 to 8 minutes, until waffles are golden brown and crisp.

4.

Transfer the finished waffles to the rack in the oven to keep warm while you make more waffles with the remaining batter.

5.

In a small bowl, whisk the marmalade with the hot water to make a sauce.

To assemble:

Stack 2 waffles and a piece of chicken on each plate. Drizzle the marmalade over the chicken and sift powdered sugar over the whole plate.

Excerpted from The Last O.G. Cookbook: How to Get Mad Culinary Skills © 2019 by Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

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