Waffle And Chicken Strips Recipe

Preheat

Preheat your waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions to medium-high heat. Lightly grease the waffle iron with cooking spray or brush with oil.

Mix dry ingredients

In a medium bowl combine 1.25 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Whisk briefly to combine and aerate.

Mix wet ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk together 1 cup milk, 1 large egg, 3 tbs melted butter, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.

Combine batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix — a few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest 5 minutes while you begin the chicken or while the waffle iron finishes preheating.

Cook waffle

Pour an appropriate amount of batter into the preheated waffle iron (follow your waffle iron's capacity instructions). Close the lid and cook until golden and crisp, about 3–5 minutes depending on your iron. Remove waffle and keep warm on a cooling rack or low oven (200°F / 95°C).

Finish

Brush waffle with 1 tbs melted butter if desired and keep warm until serving.

Prepare chicken

Slice 8 oz (0.5 lb) chicken breast into four even strips, about 1" wide. Pat the strips dry with paper towels.

Marinate briefly

Place the chicken strips in a shallow dish and pour 1/4 cup buttermilk over them. Turn to coat and let sit 10–15 minutes. If you don't have buttermilk, combine 1/4 cup milk with 1 tsp vinegar and let sit 5 minutes before adding chicken.

Heat oil

While the chicken marinates, pour 1/2 cup vegetable oil into a skillet (cast iron or stainless) and heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of bread sizzles and browns in about 30–45 seconds. Use a depth of oil of about 1/4–1/2 inch for shallow frying.

Prepare coating

In a shallow bowl combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbs cornstarch, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Dredge and fry

Remove one chicken strip at a time from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Shake off excess flour. Place coated strips carefully into the hot oil, working in a single layer without crowding (fry in at most two batches). Fry each side 2–3 minutes until golden brown and an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached. Total cook time per strip should be about 4–6 minutes depending on thickness.

Drain

Transfer cooked strips to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels to drain and keep crisp. If needed, keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven for up to 15 minutes while you finish the waffle.

Place one warm waffle on a plate. Arrange four chicken strips on top or alongside the waffle. Serve with 2 tbs maple syrup or honey and a pat of butter. Optionally squeeze lemon over the chicken strips or serve lemon wedges on the side for a bright contrast.

Enjoy immediately while waffle is crisp and chicken strips are hot.