Today’s Spotlight is on Chicken and Waffles.

Chicken and waffles is a dish that combines chicken and waffles. It’s popular in the United States and is served in many restaurants. The dish first appeared in the United States in the 1600s in Pennsylvania Dutch country. The traditional Pennsylvania Dutch version consists of a plain waffle with pulled, stewed chicken on top, covered in gravy.

There are two types of chicken and waffles dishes: the soul food version and the Pennsylvania Dutch version. The soul food version includes:

• Juicy Southern fried chicken
• Fluffy waffles
• A sweet and spicy sauce made with maple syrup or honey.

The dish is typically appropriate to order any time of day. You can find it on many brunch menus.

History

The Pilgrims discovered waffles in Holland before coming to America. They introduced waffles to New England, and by the 19th century, broiled chicken and waffles were popular in the area.

There are multiple theories about the origins of chicken and waffles:

• The dish may have originated in the southern United States.
• Enslaved Africans may have cooked crispy rice waffles and served them with fried chicken.
• The dish was created in the 1930s by Richard “Dickie” Wells, a self-taught tap dancer in Harlem, NY at The Wells Supper Club in Harlem, NY. The supper club was a popular late-night stop for jazz musicians.

The earliest recorded recipe for chicken and waffles is from the 1600s in Pennsylvania Dutch country. The recipe calls for home cooks to make waffles and top them with pulled chicken and gravy.

The colonial cookbook The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glass features a recipe for “Brown Fricasey”. The recipe calls for chicken pieces coated in egg and spiced breadcrumbs, then fried in butter. The chicken is then saturated with gravy, mushrooms, and pickles.

 

Here are some fun facts about chicken and waffles:

• In 1935, trumpeter Bunny Berigan composed a jazz instrumental called “Chicken and Waffles”.
• Food historians have found chicken and waffles recipes in cookbooks from the late 1700s, after Thomas Jefferson returned from France with a waffle iron.
• Waffles have been eaten since the 14th century.
• The word “waffle” comes from the Dutch word for “wafer”.
• Nike’s first pair of sneakers, Waffle Trainers, were made using a real waffle iron.
• The world’s biggest waffle was 8 feet long and weighed 110 pounds.
• Belgian waffles are usually eaten with your hands, not a fork and knife.

 

Here is a Chicken and Waffle Recipe for you to Try.

Ingredients:

For the chicken

• 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 1 Tbsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp Kosher salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• Canola or vegetable oil

For the sauce

• 8 Tbsp 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 ½-2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the waffles

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs separated.
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For serving

• maple syrup
• pickle slices

Instructions:

1. Season the chicken. Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then cut into ¼” thick strips. Place chicken in a large bowl with 1 Tbsp Kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 2 hours.
2. Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups buttermilk, 3 large eggs, and 1 Tbsp hot sauce. In a second large bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tsp Kosher salt, and 2 tsp garlic powder.
3. Dredge the chicken. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, then begin coating chicken. Dip each piece of chicken first in the flour mixture, then in the buttermilk, then again in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Transfer to wire rack, then repeat until all chicken strips are coated.
4. Heat the oil. Meanwhile, fill a large cast iron or heavy bottom pan with oil until it’s about 2” high. Heat over medium-high until oil reaches about 350 F. You want to cook the chicken around ~325F, but the temperature will drop when you add the chicken.
5. Fry the chicken. When oil is hot, carefully add about ~8 pieces of chicken, depending on the size of your pan, and cook, turning every 1-2 minutes, until all chicken is a golden-brown color and has an internal temperature of 160 F, about 6-7 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a clean wire rack, then repeat cooking remaining chicken.
6. Make the hot sauce. Combine 1 stick butter, 2 Tbsp honey, 1 ½ tsp cayenne, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp chili powder, ½ tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high until butter has melted and spices become fragrant, stirring well. Use a brush to coat each piece of chicken with hot sauce.
7. Make the waffle batter. Preheat waffle maker and coat with nonstick oil spray. Beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Whisk 2 ¼ cups flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 3 Tbsp sugar, ½ tsp Kosher salt, and ½ tsp cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 egg yolks, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
8. Add the wet ingredients. Whisk wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then gently fold in egg whites.
9. Cook the waffles. Pour about ½ cup batter into each waffle mold, then cook according to waffle maker directions. Serve waffles immediately with hot fried chicken, maple syrup, and pickle slices.

 

Consumption:

According to Tastewise, the average person consumes chicken and waffles 1.56 times per year.

Chicken and waffles are found on 4.6% of menus in the United States, which is a 45% increase over the past four years.

 

Celebrating Chicken and Waffles

National Chicken and Waffles Day is celebrated on October 20th. It’s an unofficial holiday that honors one of the most iconic American food combinations.

There’s also National Fried Chicken and Waffle Day on August 8th. Metro Diner made this day official with the Florida government. On this day, Metro Diner offers their signature dish for dine-in at $10.99.

Let us know in the comments who makes your favorite Chicken and Waffles. Mine is made at Noble Crust in St. Petersburg Florida.