Light & Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffle

Light & Crispy Fried Buttermilk Chicken & Waffles

After returning from our two week trip to the Mediterranean, we though it might be time for some good ole comfort food. It’s hard to beat the classic soul food of chicken and waffles to satisfy our cravings. To keep it simple I used chicken tenders as they are easier to eat with the waffles. Blah, blah, blah!

Ingredients:

Chicken and Marinade –

  • 12 chicken tenders
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tsp coarse salt

Coating –

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Vegetable, canola or peanut oil for frying

Preparation:

  1. Whisk salt into buttermilk in a shallow baking dish.  Add chicken, turning to coat.  Cover and refrigerate, allowing chicken to marinate at least an hour (up to overnight).   I recommend overnight if you have the time.
  2. Bring chicken to room temperature before frying (that means taking it out of the fridge 30 minutes prior).
  3. Meanwhile, add all ingredients for coating into a large zippered freezer bag and shake to combine.
  4. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350ºF, or 3/4″ deep in a large cast iron skillet. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire cooling rack on top.
  5. Remove chicken a piece at a time from the marinade, letting excess drip off.  Add chicken to the bag with flour mixture and shake to evenly coat. Cook chicken in two batches, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through (165ºF internal temperature), 8-12 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack in a single layer.  Serve hot, or cool completely on the wire racks before refrigerating.