Chicken and Waffles with Hot Honey
Chicken and Waffles with Hot Honey
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken (makes 6 thighs)
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 tbs honey
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbs granulated garlic
- 1 tbs granulated onion
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 8-10 cups frying oil such as beef tallow
- 1 tbs kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Sourdough Waffles (makes 3 large waffles)
Recipe adapted from original, courtesy of Sara Jürgens.
- 9 tbs butter, room temperature
- 100g honey
- 1 extra-large egg
- 250g all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 50g active wheat sourdough
- pinch kosher salt
Hot Honey (makes 1 cup)
- 1 cup local honey
- 1 tbs red pepper flakes
PREPARATION:
Chicken
1 hour (or up to 8 hours) prior to cooking, pour the buttermilk into a large bowl and whisk in the egg and 1tbs honey. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and turn to coat in the buttermilk. Allow to marinate in the
refrigerator until ready to use.
Place a wire rack inside a rimmed sheet pan and set aside. Into a large bowl, add the flour, garlic, onion, cayenne, cumin, 1 tbs of kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Whisk to combine. Take 1 chicken thigh out of the buttermilk and allow any excess to drip off before placing it into the flour. Toss to cover in flour, ensuring all of the nooks and crannies of the chicken are coated. Place chicken thigh on the wire rack and continue until all of
the chicken is coated in the batter.
Pour the frying oil into a large, heavy bottom pot. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the oil to 325°. A few tips on deep frying: if available, a candy thermometer that attaches to the side of the pot is very handy here. If you are unsure of your oil temperature, test it by dropping a tsp of the batter into the oil. If the batter falls to the bottom of the pot, it is too cold. If it immediately sizzles and quickly burns/turns black, the oil is too hot. If the batter drops slightly in the oil and then comes up to a sizzle, then it is ready. You will want to cook the chicken thighs in batches, ensuring the pot is not crowded. The temperature of the oil will fluctuate during cooking as well, dropping when more pieces of chicken are added, so a close eye will need to be kept throughout the process.
Once the oil is up to temp, carefully transfer a thigh into the oil, laying it in away from you. Add 2 more thighs, making sure not to crowd the pot. Fry on one side for 4 minutes before turning over and frying for 3 minutes more,
until the batter is browned and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and immediately season with kosher salt. Finish frying the remaining chicken thighs and set aside, tenting with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Waffles
Place the butter and honey into the bowl of a standmixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the butter and honey are well combined, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and sourdough, beating until
well combined. On low speed, mix in the milk, salt, and vanilla. Add the flour in two batches, mixing until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. When fully incorporated, remove the bowl from the stand and cover with plastic wrap. The batter will be very thick. Allow to sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours before transferring to the refrigerator overnight. Remove the batter from the fridge and hour or so before cooking to allow it to come up to room temperature. Whisk to refluff.
Warm a waffle iron to its highest temperature. Carefully add the batter and cook until the exterior of the waffle is browned and crisp and the interior is light and soft. Transfer to a plate and top with fried chicken and drizzle with
hot honey just before serving.
Hot Honey
Combine the honey and red pepper flakes in a very small saucepan on the stove. Turn the heat to low and very gently and slowly warm the honey. You do not want to get to a simmer point, you only want to warm the honey
enough so it becomes easier to stir and the red pepper flakes can be well incorporated. Keep honey over this low heat, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the honey and red pepper flakes to
a jar with a lid. Allow to cool and then the hot honey is ready to be enjopyed with your favorite dishes – we especially like it drizzled over chicken and waffles, and served alongside flatbread with bacon and asparagus.
From Season 6, Episode 3