Not going to lie...I through this recipe together on the whim, along with the photos. At first I was just going to document my mom and I cooking together for one of the first times. But this meal was one I had to share.
It was Mother's Day and I knew I wanted to be the one to cook for my mom and grandmom. They are two somewhat picky eaters with their own idea of what picky means and for some reason I knew chicken and waffles would be a hit to them. My favorite it a hot and crunchy fried chicken with a spicy maple syrup, but I figured since we're from Pennsylvania that we would pay a little homage to the Pennsylvania Dutch who have their way of serving the dish.
The PA Dutch way is served with a roasted-chicken gravy over a Belgian waffle. My first time eating chicken and waffles was at school in central Pennsylvania. They offered the meal in the cafeteria one night and more people than I expected were beyond excited to eat this mystery I never heard of. Shredded roasted chicken, creamy, yellow gravy, and a helping of mashed potatoes. Moving to New York was how I learned of the southern delicacy.
Since this meal was served with a bit of quickness, the chicken for our PA Dutch dish was not roasted or shredded. Instead, I sprinkled light seasonings like garlic, a pinch of salt, and a lemon squeeze and let the chicken sit while I prepared the second batch of chicken.
The best tip I can give you for frying and cooking chicken is to pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Get the chicken as dry as possible before you add your seasonings. This will help the spices to actually stick to your chicken and stay during the full cooking process. Don't worry about it "drying out". With both cooking methods you'll get moisture added back into the meat.
For the hot chicken, the key is to season the chicken at every step. This is something I learned from one of the best southern fried chicken restaurants in Brooklyn, Peaches Hot House.
Oh and full disclosure...I used Eggo Belgian Waffles 😁 like I said...this meal was time sensitive!
Hot Fried Chicken and Waffles
Ingredients:
4 lbs chicken breast (approx. 4 pieces)
2 eggs
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp paprika for sweet chili glaze
2 tsp paprika for bread crumb mixture
1 tsp salt
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chili and cayenne pepper blend
3 tbsp oil for frying
Steps:
1. Start by patting your chicken cutlets dry with a paper towel.
2. Place chicken into a bowl and mix in the spices; garlic, paprika, chili blend, and let sit.
3. Heat skillet to medium-high. Add oil.
4. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. In another bowl add bread crumbs and season with 2 tsp paprika and 1 tsp salt.
5. Dip chicken cutlets in egg, let excess drip off, then dip into the bread crumbs and cover the chicken completely.
6. Once pan is hot and ready to go, place each piece of chicken into the hot oil.
7. Fry for about 8-10 minutes.
8. Transfer chicken to a rack or paper towel plate to drain oil. Brush with the sauce on both sides.
Sauce (optional)
Place butter and lard in a large pot. Add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Place over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until fats melt. Remove from heat; keep sauce warm.
