MELBA WILSON'S SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN AND EGGNOG WAFFLES

Melba Wilson's Southern Fried Chicken and Eggnog Waffles image

Yield serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 24

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Ingredients

1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown mustard
2 cups buttermilk
Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Sazonador seasoning
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 cups eggnog
2 large eggs, separated
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Cooking spray, for the waffle iron
Strawberry Butter (recipe follows), for serving
Maple syrup, for serving
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
4 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 3/4 cup)
A few drops of grenadine syrup

Steps:

To cook the chicken, put the chicken pieces in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, paprika, poultry seasoning, and garlic powder. Add the mustard and use your hands to work everything into the chicken. Pour in the buttermilk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat 3 inches of oil to 325°F in a deep cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Combine the flour and Sazonador seasoning in a brown paper bag. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time and shake it like you mean it! Working in batches, fry the chicken until it is beautifully brown and crispy on one side, about 15 minutes. Turn and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the meat registers 160°F, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
To make the waffles, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisk the eggnog, egg yolks, and butter in another bowl. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until combined; you don't want the batter to be lumpy or too smooth-just right.
Whisk the egg whites until almost stiff; fold them into the batter.
Heat a waffle iron. Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour some of the batter into the middle of the iron, following the manufacturer's instructions. Close and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Top the waffles with fried chicken, Strawberry Butter, and maple syrup. Are you ready to Paaarrrtyyy!?
Put the butter in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and blend until smooth. Add the berries and grenadine and pulse until combined, but with small pieces of berry still visible.