BUTTERMILK-AND-BLUE WAFFLES WITH BUFFALO WHISKEY CRISPY CHICKEN

Buttermilk-and-Blue Waffles with Buffalo Whiskey Crispy Chicken image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 36

Butter or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the waffle iron
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) smoked blue cheese crumbles or blue cheese of your choice, crumbled
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground mustard
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 quart (4 cups) buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground celery seed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Oil, for frying
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Buffalo Whiskey Sauce, recipe follows
Sweet pickle chips, for garnish
Chopped scallions, for garnish
1/2 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
3 shots (4 1/2 ounces) bourbon whiskey
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Steps:

For the waffles: Preheat a waffle iron and keep a little melted butter or cooking spray on hand to grease it.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the blue cheese crumbles. Set the batter aside.
For the seasoning flour: Mix together the flour, paprika, salt, cumin, mustard, granulated onion, black pepper, cayenne and baking soda, and divide between 2 plates or shallow bowls.
For the brine: Mix together the buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, celery seed, paprika and pepper, and divide between 2 plates or shallow bowls.
For the fried chicken: Set a rack into a baking sheet. Heat a few inches of oil in a Dutch oven or deep-fryer to 365 degrees F. Coat the chicken in the brine, then the flour, then the brine and flour a second time; shake off excess and place on the rack.
Grease the waffle iron. Add the batter and cook on high until deep golden. Cut into 4 waffles. Repeat until the batter is finished.
Fry the chicken in batches, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Top the waffles with 2 pieces of chicken and some Buffalo Whiskey Sauce. Garnish with a few pickle chips and some scallions.
In a small pot, melt together the hot sauce, maple syrup, whiskey, butter, tamari, Worcestershire and garlic. Simmer to thicken, then remove from the heat.