Being from the south means Chicken and Waffles on Sunday. This is hands down my favorite brunch item on the planet. One benefit of cooking it at home is I know exactly what's in it and no trans fat.
What you need for the chicken (serves 4 adults and 2 toddlers):
Chicken breasts (1 per person)
All purpose flour
Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Hungarian Paprika
Canola Oil
Pickle Juice (about a jars worth)
1 carton Buttermilk
In an airtight container mix buttermilk and pickle juice, add chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded out, I did this after the brine and it was slipper AF so don't make my mistake). Let that hang out overnight in the fridge.
Take the chicken out of the fridge about and hour before you plan on frying it this ensures even cooking. Next, let's make the dredge. In a baking dish add a nice layer of all purpose flour (about 2 cups), 1 tsp of each onion powder, garlic, and Hungarian paprika, 1 tbs flaky sea salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Mix well. Here is a pro tip add about 4 tbs of the buttermilk mixture to create lumpy pockets of heaven. Heat canola oil in a dutch oven (not veg oil this creates trans fat, yuck). When oil is warm NOT HOT, you don't want bubbling oil this is dangerous, you want to see waves about medium heat. Coat chicken in the flour mixture (make sure all of the chicken in covered, any naked spots will risk the coating slipping off). Drop into the oil (away from you), about 2-3 pieces at a time (do not over crowd the oil). Cook until both sides are golden brown, about 7 minutes total. Remove and put on a wire rack and put in the oven at 175-200 to keep warm.
For the Waffles:
6 tbs Butter (melted)
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tbs Granulated Sugar
1 tsp fine kosher salt
All-purpose flour 2 cups (sifted)
4 pasture raised eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup oat milk
Juice of a lemon
Mix all dry ingredients, in a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients. Next, add the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix well. Pour into waffle maker, top with chicken and some quality syrup, and enjoy!
