Southern Style Chicken & Waffles

The chicken in this recipe benefits well from a good soak in a brine prior to frying. 30 minutes will do, but an hour is better, and up to 4 hours if making ahead of time.  If the chicken is not evenly shaped, you can filet the thicker parts, or tenderize the chicken to about 1-1 1/2 inches thick. This will allow the chicken to cook evenly in the fryer.

Your waffles can be made days in advance and kept frozen. You can reheat them in an oven, toaster, or air fryer prior to serving.

Brine the Chicken

1. Combine all of the brine ingredients in a large 1 gallon sized freezer bag.
2. If your chicken is not evenly cut, or shaped, it's best to either tenderize the chicken, or filet them so that there are no uneven thick portions that will not cook the same temp as the thinner pieces.
3. Submerge the chicken into the brine and let rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge.

Prepare the Waffles

1. Start by heating up your cooking oil in a large pot suited for deep frying. Ideal temperature is around 325F.
2. Meanwhile, start your waffle iron to your desired heat setting.
3. Carefully separate your eggs yolks from the whites of 2 large eggs.
4. In a large bowl, whisk your egg whites with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until stiff peaks and set aside.
5. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together.
6. Once combined, add the buttermilk egg yolks, 1/2 cup oil, and vanilla to the dry mix. Combine well.
7. With a spatula, fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter. Do not over mix. You're only looking to gently combine the mixture while making sure to leave as much air in the mix as possible.
8. You can start making batches of waffles while you prepare the chicken.  If you want to make them all ahead of time before frying the chicken, you can place your oven on warm or lowest setting, and store your waffles until ready to serve.

Season the Chicken

1. Make sure your oil is at temperature, roughly 325F.
2. Combine all the dry seasonings, flour, and cornstarch in a brown shopping bag. Make sure everything is well combined.
3. Take out a few tablespoons of the brine from the soaking chicken and add them to the dry mix. You're looking to add a bit of craggly bits to the fried chicken, so doing this ahead of time will build up the coating more around your chicken.
4. Once you see a good amount of pea-sized bits forming, you can now add your chicken from the brine.  Make sure to squeeze off any heavy brine still left on the chicken.
5. Place all the pieces in the bag with the coating, roll the top down creating a seal, and carefully shake the bag for about 20 seconds.
6. Check that the pieces are well coated.  If any bare spots remain, firmly press those areas into the coating.
7. You can start frying the chicken in batches, making sure to not overcrowd the pan. This will reduce the temperature too much. But try not to let your oil get too hot or your coating will burn before your chicken is cooked.
8. Fry until your chicken reaches a 165F minimum. You can pull your chicken at about 160 if you prefer it more tender, keeping in mind that the chicken will continue to cook 5-10 degrees longer when it comes out of the oil. Dark meat can also handle higher temps while staying tender.
9. Finish frying off the remaining chicken, placing them on a cooling rack over a sheet pan and sprinkle them with flaky salt as soon as they come out of the frying oil.
10. Serve the chicken with your waffles along with Honey, Maple Syrup, and a dusting of powdered sugar or pickle slices (Optional).