Northern Fried Chicken And Sweet Potato Waffles

I clearly remember the first time I had chicken and waffles, at Buttermilk Channel in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. Pathetic? Maybe. Maybe not - it was love at first bite...cheddar waffles, savoy slaw, balsamic maple glaze, crunchy fried chicken. I'm loving that this incredible dish is everywhere now; including a Lay's Potato Chips flavor, which I still have yet to try.

The days of decent friend chicken being found only below the Mason Dixon line are long over. I've had amaaazing fried chicken at a bowling alley in Brooklyn. Yep, a bowling alley. That made me believe that good food can be found anywhere. So, wherever you're living, knowing how to best fry up the bird will make you a king (or queen) among friends and family.

Pairing it with waffles, now...that's going to make you legendary.

I used the recipe for northern fried chicken from Blue Ribbon in NYC, which calls for matzo meal coating instead of traditional flour. This will make for some seriously crispy skin. I decided to pair it with sweet potato waffles, add a dollop of whipped herb goat cheese, and smother it in maple syrup. I'm sharing it with you in honor of National Waffle Week - a celebration of one of my top 3 breakfast foods and its contributions to American society.

Have a very chicken-and-waffle-y weekend!

Northern Fried Chicken

• Canola oil, for frying
• ½ teaspoon hot paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon each cayenne pepper, dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder
• 4 egg whites, beaten
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup matzo meal
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Pour oil to a depth of 2" in a 5-qt. Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°.

2. Combine paprika, cayenne, basil, parsley, and garlic and onion powders in a bowl; set aside. Put egg whites into a bowl. Combine flour, matzo, and baking powder in another bowl.

3. Working with one piece at a time, dip chicken in egg whites and press into matzo to coat. Shake off excess; transfer chicken to a rack set inside a baking sheet. Working in 2 batches, fry chicken until crispy and cooked through, 10–12 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and the reserved paprika mixture. 

4. Serve on top of sweet potato waffles (recipe follows).

Sweet Potato Waffles

• 1 ½ cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

1. Put cubed sweet potatoes in a steamer basket. Place the basket in a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of steamer. Allow potatoes to steam for 20 minutes of until fork tender.

2. Mash cooked potatoes and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

4. In another bowl combine the sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, butter, and grated orange rind. Stir the sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture and thoroughly combine. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

5. Gradually fold egg whites into batter 1/3 at a time. The batter will be thick. Scoop batter onto a preheated, oiled waffle iron, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Whipped Goat Cheese

• Cream cheese
• 4 ounce herb flavored goat cheese log
• Milk

1. In a small mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip to combine one small 4 ounce herb goat cheese log with equal parts of cream cheese. 

2. Add a dash of milk and continue mixing until smooth and combined. 

3. Taste and add more milk as needed.