It’s been well documented that I love awards shows over here on Planet Byn, and that I consider the Golden Globes to be the Superbowl of award season. Of course, delicious eats are in order to watch the red carpet and ponder the reasons why Jessica Biel decided to wear her great-great-great-great grandmother’s wedding dress.

I decided this was the perfect time to answer a question that has been plaguing me for years: what is the deal with chicken & waffles? This seems like a very unlikely pairing, right? But it’s a thing! I’m not sure how this first crossed my radar…Roscoe’s? Paula Deen? Down Home with the Neelys? By the time I read Gwendolyn’s post on her trip to Chicago last year and saw this picture, I knew this was going to have to happen. (Update: that post is from June 2010, so once again, I’ve been exposed as a kitchen procrastinator)

Of course I had to Robyn-ize the whole experience, and first things first: my kitchen is a no-fry-zone (although this is almost getting me to change my mind). Vast quantities of oil and the resulting deliciousness are just too much trouble, so instead I turned to my favourite sisters and their new cookbook so I could avoid making fried chicken. They have a recipe for a baked chicken that uses crushed corn flakes and is baked in the oven to get that crispy crust. For the waffle component I turned to our friend Joy the Baker, and her buttermilk waffles with brown sugar bacon stirred in. Oh my god, I couldn’t stop eating the bacon, it was insane.

I knew these two components were going to taste amazing separately but I was really nervous about how they would go together. And what about the maple syrup; do you put that on the chicken too? I was stressed….FOR NO REASON. This dinner was amazing as evidenced by my plate being empty in about 10 minutes. It’s kind of hard to describe, but I think it has something to do with the contrasts: crunchy and soft, salty and sweet, plus the added delight of eating something so weird. Until I get to Roscoe’s, this will be it for me. Of course, the chicken would also be great with some mashed or roasted potatoes and vegetables, and the waffles would be right at home with some eggs and hashbrowns for brunch. But try them together! You might be surprised 🙂

Faux Fried Chicken

Source: The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet & Greta Podleski

Yield: 4 chicken breasts, you could also do thighs or drumsticks which is what the sisters use in their recipe

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup buttermilk 

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cornflake crumbs (I made mine in my food processor, or you can just put them in a big plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin)

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder and freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (side note, Bulk Barn is a great place to get small quantities of all these spices)

1/2 tbsp canola oil/grapeseed oil/olive oil or non-stick spray

Directions

  1. You’re going to get a little assembly line going. Station #1 will be a pie plate or shallow bowl where you’ll place the chicken and pour over the buttermilk. (You can actually let the chicken soak in the buttermilk for a few hours if you want). Station #2 will be a plate with the whole wheat flour. Station #3 will be another plate with the cornflake crumbs that you’ve mixed with the cheese and spices.
  2. Now get a big baking sheet ready and either spray with non-stick spray or pour the oil on it and spread it around with a paper towl.
  3. So the process is as follows: take a piece of chicken out of the buttermilk and let the excess run off. Place the chicken in the flour and turn it to coat. Dip again in the buttermilk, then place in the cornflake crumb mixture and turn it around to coat. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with all the other pieces.
  4. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes until cooked through.

Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles

Source: Joy the Baker

Yield: approximately 10-12 waffles depending on your waffle maker

Ingredients

10 slices bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cups canola or grapeseed oil

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Directions

  1. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, spray a cooling rack with non-stick spray, and set the rack on the baking sheet. Spread out the bacon on the rack, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake in a 375 oven for 20-25 minutes until crispy (keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn). Remove to a cutting board to let cool, then chop into bite-size pieces.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just blended, then stir in the bacon.
  5. Make the waffles according to the directions for your waffle maker. Smother in maple syrup (real maple syrup! not pancake syrup!).

Previous Golden Globe Dinners:

2010

2011 (actually the SAGs because Kristine and Nicole were away for the GGs)