Chicken and Waffles Are the Best Clucking Breakfast Ever

No one knows exactly where the tradition of combining fried chicken and crispy waffles first originated (some believe it was at Roscoe's in Los Angeles). Chef Kyle Bailey of DC's Birch & Barley shared his version, one of the stars of the brunch menu that draws crowds — and long lines-every weekend. He wisely chooses chicken thighs to bake in buttermilk and spices, then rolls them in a highly seasoned flour mixture and sears them until crisp; the thighs never lose their natural juiciness.Ingredients for Fried Chicken and waffles are taken from Lee Schrager and Adina Sussman's book "America's Best Breakfasts" on Fried Chicken and Waffles recipe. Copyright ©2016 by Lee Brian Schrager. Published by Clarkson Potter / Publishers, Penguin Random House, LLC.
Marinate the chicken: Combine the buttermilk, onion powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large glass mixing bowl or zip-top bag. Add the chicken and submerge it in water until it is completely covered. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours and a maximum of overnight.Prepare the waffles: Preheat the oven to 250 ° F. In a medium saucepan, heat 1/4 cup milk with 1/4 teaspoon sugar over low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the yeast and let it simmer until a foam forms, 15 minutes.Add the remaining sugar, melted butter and egg yolks to the milk-yeast mixture and beat until smooth. Beat the flour, alternating with the remaining 2 ½ cups of milk, until smooth. In a stand mixer equipped with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form for 3 minutes on high speed, then add them to the waffle batter.Brush the waffle iron with butter and cook the waffles, 1/2 cup batter at a time, according to the manufacturer's instructions. While you're roasting the chicken, keep the waffles warm on a baking sheet in the oven.Saute the chicken: Pour 1½ inches of oil into a cast-iron skillet and heat to 350 ° F.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, onion powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Pour the buttermilk into a separate bowl. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess to drain. Roll the chicken first in the flour mixture, then in the buttermilk, then again in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess at each step.Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown and tender (until the temperature on the thermometer reaches 165 ° F when it is inserted into the thickest part), turning once, for 7-8 minutes, letting the oil heat up between servings. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven between servings. Serve immediately with bacon and maple syrup.