Fried Chicken and Waffles

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Images
Fried Chicken and Waffles
Serves
10 waffles, 4-6 servings chicken
Ingredients
Classic Fried Chicken
Marinade:
1 (3 to 4 pounds) whole chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces, each breast split in half
4 cups buttermilk
12 fresh thyme sprigs, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Seasoned flour:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried sage

Buttermilk coating:
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Vegetable oil, for frying
Fine kosher salt

Crispy Belgian Waffles
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water, about 100ºF to 110ºF
8-ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-1/2 cups (17-1/2-ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup warm milk, about 100ºF to 110ºF
1/2 cup Belgian pearl sugar
1 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Melted butter, for greasing waffle iron
Procedure
Classic Fried Chicken
To prepare the marinade: Arrange chicken in a large baking dish and set aside in refrigerator. To a large mixing bowl, add buttermilk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine and pour over chicken. Cover and marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours. (Alternatively, use a vacuum sealer or instant marinator to reduce marinating time by half.)

2. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Remove chicken from marinade, set on a rack, and drain thoroughly. Pat excess marinade from chicken with paper towels and bring chicken to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3. To prepare the seasoned flour: To a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, and spices; set aside.

4. To prepare the buttermilk coating: To another large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, baking powder, and baking soda. The mixture will bubble and foam as baking powder reacts with liquid, creating aeration in batter by releasing carbon dioxide.

5. To a large, cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, clip a deep-fry thermometer. Add about 1 inch of oil and heat until oil registers 350°F. If your skillet is smaller, use two, or fry chicken in batches.

6. Dredge marinated chicken pieces in seasoned flour, making sure all creases are well coated. Dip chicken in buttermilk coating, shaking off any excess, and then dredge back in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

7. To fry chicken: Add coated chicken to hot oil carefully, skin side down. (Always place food in a hot oil away from your body to avoid splashes onto your skin and clothes.) Once all chicken is in the oil, adjust heat so that oil temperature returns to 350°F. Continue to adjust heat as needed to maintain temperature throughout frying process. After about 15 minutes, check chicken. Once a rich, dark-color crust has developed, turn each piece. If chicken still looks light in color, cook for a few more minutes before turning.

8. Continue frying chicken until well-colored on both sides, meat is totally cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, 30 to 40 minutes total. If cooking chicken in batches, remember to return oil temperature to 350°F before proceeding with the next batch. (Alternatively, for convenience with big batches of chicken, you can fry chicken on all sides in fry oil, and then transfer to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and roast in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to finish cooking through.)

Crispy Belgian Waffles
To prepare the yeast: Place the yeast into a small bowl and cover with warm water. Stir to mix. Allow to sit until bloomed – mixture will look risen and puffy - about 5 minutes.

To prepare the Belgian waffle d

Fried Chicken and Waffles

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Serves
10 waffles, 4-6 servings chicken
Ingredients
Classic Fried Chicken
Marinade:
1 (3 to 4 pounds) whole chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces, each breast split in half
4 cups buttermilk
12 fresh thyme sprigs, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Seasoned flour:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried sage

Buttermilk coating:
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Vegetable oil, for frying
Fine kosher salt

Crispy Belgian Waffles
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water, about 100ºF to 110ºF
8-ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-1/2 cups (17-1/2-ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup warm milk, about 100ºF to 110ºF
1/2 cup Belgian pearl sugar
1 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Melted butter, for greasing waffle iron
Procedure
Classic Fried Chicken
To prepare the marinade: Arrange chicken in a large baking dish and set aside in refrigerator. To a large mixing bowl, add buttermilk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine and pour over chicken. Cover and marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours. (Alternatively, use a vacuum sealer or instant marinator to reduce marinating time by half.)

2. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Remove chicken from marinade, set on a rack, and drain thoroughly. Pat excess marinade from chicken with paper towels and bring chicken to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3. To prepare the seasoned flour: To a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, and spices; set aside.

4. To prepare the buttermilk coating: To another large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, baking powder, and baking soda. The mixture will bubble and foam as baking powder reacts with liquid, creating aeration in batter by releasing carbon dioxide.

5. To a large, cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, clip a deep-fry thermometer. Add about 1 inch of oil and heat until oil registers 350°F. If your skillet is smaller, use two, or fry chicken in batches.

6. Dredge marinated chicken pieces in seasoned flour, making sure all creases are well coated. Dip chicken in buttermilk coating, shaking off any excess, and then dredge back in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

7. To fry chicken: Add coated chicken to hot oil carefully, skin side down. (Always place food in a hot oil away from your body to avoid splashes onto your skin and clothes.) Once all chicken is in the oil, adjust heat so that oil temperature returns to 350°F. Continue to adjust heat as needed to maintain temperature throughout frying process. After about 15 minutes, check chicken. Once a rich, dark-color crust has developed, turn each piece. If chicken still looks light in color, cook for a few more minutes before turning.

8. Continue frying chicken until well-colored on both sides, meat is totally cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, 30 to 40 minutes total. If cooking chicken in batches, remember to return oil temperature to 350°F before proceeding with the next batch. (Alternatively, for convenience with big batches of chicken, you can fry chicken on all sides in fry oil, and then transfer to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and roast in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to finish cooking through.)

Crispy Belgian Waffles
To prepare the yeast: Place the yeast into a small bowl and cover with warm water. Stir to mix. Allow to sit until bloomed – mixture will look risen and puffy - about 5 minutes.

To prepare the Belgian waffle d