Chicken and Waffles

Alyssa wanted to help cook dinner the other night. She chose this recipe--and it was a lot of fun to prepare it together. Alyssa made the waffles (see my recipe posted previously) while I prepared the chicken. We worked together on the gravy. I thought it seemed a little strange to serve maple syrup on the waffle before adding the chicken and gravy, but it was really good that way--the sweet and spicy combination was very yummy. Also, the hot sauce just adds a gentle kick to the chicken, so don't be afraid to use it.

Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
¼ cup hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot Sauce)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 chicken tenders (about 1 pound)—I used 2 chicken breasts cut into thin strips
¾ cup instant flour (such as Wondra)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 scallions, sliced, plus more for garnish
1 ½ cups chicken broth
Buttermilk or Belgian-style waffles (your favorite recipe or use frozen)
Maple syrup, for serving

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Whisk the hot sauce and egg in a medium bowl; toss the chicken in the mixture to coat.

Combine the flour, poultry seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Set aside 3 tablespoons seasoned flour in a separate bowl; dredge the chicken in the remaining seasoned flour until coated, shaking off any excess.

Place the chicken in the hot oil and fry until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly; discard the oil.

Melt the butter in the same skillet and whisk in the reserved seasoned flour until smooth. Whisk in the scallions, then slowly pour in the broth. Bring to a simmer, whisking until the gravy is smooth. Meanwhile, toast the waffles.

Place a waffle on each plate and drizzle with maple syrup. Top with chicken and gravy and garnish with scallions.