You don’t need to make the traditional fried chicken to enjoy a chicken and waffle meal. The chicken component to this meal is just a slight variation of my recipe for crispy pan fried chicken cutlets. The first and very important tweak that I made is to brine the chicken cutlets in pickle juice for 24 hours. The other change is in the seasonings for the breading.
For the waffles, just use your favorite homemade waffle batter. I used one from All Recipes and eliminated the vanilla extract since I was going for savory waffles. When you pour the batter onto your waffle iron, add a few jarred pickled banana pepper and jalapeño slices before you close the lid. If spice isn’t really your thing, you can probably find mild or “tamed” peppers at the store - the tangy flavor will still add a nice touch. You can also mix some shredded cheddar cheese into the batter as well! To make the prep more manageable, make the waffles in advance and reheat in the toaster or the oven.
Serve with a drizzle of hot honey (homemade or store-bought) and your choice of sides. Corn on the cob with chive butter and a bowl of watermelon gazpacho go really well with this!
Serves 4
Brining time: 24 hours
Ingredients
For the waffles:
Your favorite waffle batter recipe
jarred pickled banana pepper slices
jarred pickled jalapeño slices
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, if desired
For the chicken:
1 1/2 lbs of chicken cutlets
1 cup pickle juice (I prefer Claussen)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoning Salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp granulated garlic, divided
1 tsp paprika, divided
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp peanut oil + more to replenish, if needed
For serving:
homemade or store-bought hot honey
-or-
honey and hot sauce
-or-
maple syrup
Directions
In a container with a lid or a resealable bag, brine the chicken in the pickle juice for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
In advance or on the day of, make your waffles. Mix together the batter along with the cheese, if using. Ladle the batter into your preheated waffle iron and add some pepper rings on top before closing the lid. Keep warm in the oven set to 170°F. If making the waffles ahead of time, you can reheat them in a toaster or the oven as you cook the chicken.
After the chicken has brined for 24 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Discard the liquid. Set up your breading station using 3 shallow dishes:
flour mixed with 1/2 tsp seasoning salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp granulated garlic, and 1/2 tsp paprika
eggs, beaten with a dash of seasoning salt
panko mixed with 1/2 tsp seasoning salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 granulated garlic, and 1/2 tsp paprika
In a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat, add the oil and butter.
Bread your cutlets one at a time by first dredging a piece in the flour to coat lightly. Gently shake of the excess. Then dip the cutlet into the egg, both sides, allowing the excess to drip off before finally placing the chicken into the last dish to coat with the bread crumbs. (For detailed instructions with photos, see my chicken cutlet post.)
When the butter has melted and the foaming has subsided, add the breaded cutlets to the pan. You may have to work in batches as to not crowd the pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and internal temperature is 165°F. Remove to a wire rack to keep crispy as you finish cooking the remaining chicken.
Plate the waffles with the chicken and drizzle with hot honey. Serve with your choice of sides.
Comments