Rachael's Cornflake-Fried Chicken and Waffles with Pecans
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- About 2 teaspoons hot sauce (Rach’s go-to is Frank’s)
- 2 cups corn flakes, crushed up
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 2 teaspoons each paprika, salt, white pepper, and black pepper
- Safflower oil, for shallow frying
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (or chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally) or boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and pounded to ½-inch thick
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fine to medium-grind cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- About 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- Cooking spray
- Warm honey, hot honey (such as Mike’s), or maple syrup, for serving
Preheat oven to 275°F. Set a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Preheat a waffle iron to level 5 or medium-high to high.
For the chicken, make a breading starting by lining up 3 shallow dishes. In the first, season the flour with salt and pepper. In the second, mix the buttermilk and hot sauce; season. In the last, mix the corn flakes, granulated garlic and onion, paprika, salt, and white and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of oil over medium-high. Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the flour, dip in the buttermilk, then coat in the cornflakes, pressing so the crumbs adhere. Fry until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the rack; keep warm in the oven.
Top waffles with chicken. Drizzle with honey.
From Rachael Ray Every Day, March 2018.