Cornmeal waffles are topped with fried chicken tenders and spicy honey butter in this decadent brunch dish.
Spicy Fried Chicken and Cornmeal Waffles
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce*
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1½ cups white cornmeal
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 2½ teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2½ teaspoons granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Cornmeal Waffles (recipe follows), to serve
- Hot Honey Butter (recipe follows), to serve
- Garnish: fresh jalapeño slices
Cornmeal Waffles
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1⅓ cups whole buttermilk
- 1 cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 jalapeños, finely chopped and seeded
- ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Hot Honey Butter
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine buttermilk and hot sauce. Add chicken, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, pour oil to fill halfway, and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°.
- In a large shallow dish, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and cayenne.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture, shaking off excess. Dredge chicken in cornmeal mixture; let stand in cornmeal mixture for 15 minutes.
- Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°, about 3 minutes per side. Let drain on a wire rack. Serve with Cornmeal Waffles and Hot Honey Butter. Garnish with jalapeño slices, if desired.
Cornmeal Waffles
- Preheat waffle maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, 1 cup water, eggs, and oil. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in jalapeño and cheese.
- Spoon about ½ cup batter onto waffle iron, and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
Hot Honey Butter
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Set aside until ready to use, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave in 10-second intervals, or heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until warm.