Ingredients
For the chicken:
900 gms chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, ground
1 ½ cups buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 tbsp hot sauce
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
Vegetable oil
For the sauce:
8 tbsp or 1 stick butter, unsalted
2 tbsp honey
1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
For the waffles:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
For toppings:
Maple syrup
Pickle slices (optional)
Method
1. To season the chicken, pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, and then cut the meat on it into ¼-inch thick strips. Place the pieces in a large bowl and season with salt and black pepper. Cover with cling film, and let it sit for two hours.
2. Next, make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce. Using a separate large bowl, sift and add the all-purpose flour, salt, and garlic powder.
3. Next, place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and then begin by coating chicken. Dip each piece of chicken first in the flour mixture, then in the buttermilk, then again in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Transfer to wire rack, and repeat until all the chicken strips are coated.
4. Heat a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed pan with oil until it is about 2 inches deep. Heat the oil over a medium-high flame or until the oil reaches about 175C.
5. Once the oil is hot, carefully add and fry the chicken in batches, depending on the size of your pan, and cook, turning every three minutes, until the chicken is golden brown in colour. Fry in batches, and transfer the chicken to a clean wire rack.
6. To make the hot sauce, combine butter, honey, cayenne, garlic powder, sweet paprika, chili powder, salt and black pepper in a saucepan. Heat the pan on a medium-high flame until the butter melts and the spices release aroma. Stir well. Use a brush to coat the chicken pieces with hot sauce.
7. Time to make the waffle batter. Preheat the waffle maker and coat with a non-stick oil spray or butter. Beat egg whites in a bowl or until stiff peaks. Combine and whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl, separately.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients and whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then finally and gently fold in egg whites.
9. Cook the waffles. Pour about half a cup of batter into each waffle mould, cook until golden brown. Serve waffles immediately with hot fried chicken, maple syrup, and pickle slices (optional). Enjoy!
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