Red Velvet Waffle And Hennessy Honey Fried Chicken Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat your waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions. Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C) and place a wire rack on a baking sheet to keep cooked waffles warm.

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 4 tablespoons melted cooled unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons red food coloring, and 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar until smooth and uniform in color.

Combine batter

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined; small lumps are fine. Avoid overmixing. If batter seems very thick, add up to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk to reach a pourable waffle batter consistency.

Cook waffles

Lightly grease the preheated waffle iron. Pour the recommended amount of batter into the center (usually 1/2 to 3/4 cup depending on your iron). Close and cook until crisp and cooked through, 3–5 minutes, or according to your waffle iron instructions. Transfer cooked waffles to the wire rack in the warm oven to keep crisp while you finish the rest.

Finish

Stack waffles in pairs on serving plates and keep warm until chicken is ready to serve.

Marinate chicken

Pat 4 chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt. Submerge chicken in the buttermilk mixture, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. This tenderizes and flavors the chicken.

Prepare dredge

About 30 minutes before frying, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish or bowl.

Heat oil

Pour 5–6 cups vegetable oil into a heavy deep skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1.5 inches. Attach a thermometer and heat oil to 340–350°F (170–175°C) for an interior-cook, crisp exterior. If you prefer slightly hotter for faster crisping, bring to 350–360°F (175–180°C), but watch for browning.

Dredge chicken

Remove chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing the flour onto the surface to form a good coating. For extra crust, double-dredge: dip back briefly into a few tablespoons of the reserved marinade or a thin wash of buttermilk, then dredge again in the flour mix.

Fry chicken

Carefully lower the coated chicken into preheated oil, skin-side down. Do not overcrowd the pan — fry in batches if necessary. Fry at 340–350°F for about 10–12 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until the crust is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Maintain oil temperature by adjusting heat between batches.

Drain and rest

Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and keep crisp. Rest 5 minutes while you make the glaze. While hot, the chicken will best absorb the glaze surface note without losing crunch if you lightly brush rather than fully dunking.

Make the glaze

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat combine 3/4 cup honey, 3 tablespoons Hennessy, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Warm gently, stirring, until butter and sugar have melted and the mixture is glossy and slightly thickened, about 3–4 minutes. Do not boil vigorously to avoid burning the honey or evaporating too much alcohol; a gentle simmer is fine for 30–60 seconds to marry flavors.

Temper and brush

Remove glaze from heat and let cool for 1 minute. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the hot fried chicken with a thin coat of glaze — one light coat will add flavor without making the crust soggy. For a stronger flavor, apply a second thin coat just before serving. Reserve a small amount of glaze for drizzling on the waffles if desired.

Assemble plate

Place a warm red velvet waffle on each plate. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon softened butter on each waffle if desired. Top each waffle with a glazed Hennessy honey fried chicken thigh. Drizzle with reserved glaze and/or 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup per plate to taste.

Garnish and finish

Dust with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar if using, add a sprig of fresh mint or microgreens for color, and serve immediately while waffles are warm and chicken is crisp.