Fried Chicken & Waffles

Feeds 4

---

Where. To. Start!? A minor hiccup in my otherwise flawless, consistent, blog posting (please sense the sarcasm). I have spent two long years away from my chosen family - I hear that's what we are calling inseparable friendships these days - and I was desperate to see them. I spent two months celebrating milestone birthdays with homemade butters, portly prawns, a surprising amount of orzo, and lots and lots of love. I don't think I'll be able to carry home my cup as it is still excessively overflowing. Carry it for me will you Jeeves?

I have missed my kitchen dearly, my own bed immensely, and a routine markedly. I have but one short week left before I get to rejoice in all that and a miserable winter. I am itching to cook; I have been for well over a month now. So much so that I made this recipe and it's accompanying video, on the floor of an airbnb. It's a lighting thing.

If you are looking for perfect fried chicken every time, this recipe is and always will be for you. Dr Seuss would write symphonic poetry about the number of times and places and oils and pots this recipe has endured. Perfect every time. I beg of you to screw it up, nothing would bring me greater joy to know it has a flaw. It doesn't but a girl can dream.

Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 4 Chicken thighs

• 1 cup of Greek yoghurt

• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)

• 1 Egg, whisked

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

Waffle Batter

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

• 1/2 tablespoon of granulated sugar

• 3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter melted(plus more for cooking)

• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

• 1/2 cup of greek yoghurt

• 1/2 cup of whole milk

• 2 eggs

Chicken Coating

• 2 cups of flour

• 4 tablespoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 2 tablespoons of garlic salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of dry mustard powder, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, 3 tablespoons of white pepper

• 1 chicken stock cube, crushed

• Oil for frying

Chicken Gravy

• 6 tablespoons of butter

• 6 tablespoons of flour (you can use the leftover flour from your chicken battering if you like)

• 2 cups of chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce

• Juice from 1/2 a lemon

• Salt & Pepper to taste

• Fresh rosemary for serving

• Maple syrup for serving

Method

Chicken Marinade

1. Thoroughly mix together all marinade ingredients except the chicken. Then add in your chicken and make sure it's fully coated. Cover and pop in the fridge for 4-12 hours.

Waffle Batter

1. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Whisk together all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

2. Set the mixture aside or in the fridge until ready to make the waffles.

Chicken coating

1. Whisk together flour and all the spices.

2. Dunk the marinated chicken one by one into the flour. Scrunch the flour using your fingers into the chicken. Shake off the excess then repeat this scrunching process 3 times with each piece of chicken.

3. Deep fry the chicken in batches at 175 degrees celsius until fully cooked through.

4. Leave the chicken to drain on a wire rack and keep it warm in an oven set to 130-150c.

Chicken Gravy

1. In a frying pan melt down the butter then whisk in the flour to form a roux.

2. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, whisking as you go, until it is fully incorporated.

3. Add in the maple syrup, soy sauce, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt until your desired taste is reached.

4. Add in two sprigs of rosemary and let the gravy reduce to your desired consistency (making sure to whisk as you go).

Assembly

1. Pour your waffle batter into a buttered, hot waffle iron and make your waffles. Use the oven to keep them warm.

2. Place a piece of fried chicken on a waffle, douse it in maple syrup, pour over some gravy, and serve with some rosemary.

3. Dig in and Enjoy!

Stay Salty,

Romy xx