CHICKEN & WAFFLES

Will Altman x Miles White

We first learned of Will Altman at the Garden and Gun “Made in the South Awards” where this mix was the runner-up for best Food Pretty. Big. Deal. Located right outside of Florence, SC Altman Farm is dedicated to growing real food, using rare and heirloom varieties to deliver a product that is not only pure and truly Southern, but also ridiculously delicious. Because everything he does is relatively small batch and made in-house, getting enough supply for the wine club was a big ask but he delivered and we’re pumped to get this mix to you! 

It’s summer and it’s HOT. This time of year always conjures up fond memories for me but one that sticks out is Sunday breakfast on the screen porch and my mother Callie putting out a massive spread. Whenever I smell pluff mud, I think of those breakfasts when the days were long and it was just the family with zero obligations. Enter >>> Chicken and Waffles time!

Lucky for us,  this dish is one of the most fun to do wine pairings with as well. Femi and I tasted the Crémant Rosé de Bourgogne from Domaine Guy Amiot and both looked at each other with raised eyebrows (aka, need fried chicken stat). I highly encourage you to make the same memories I have with family or some buds and set up a Saturday or Sunday spread with these waffles, some decadent fried chicken, and an icy glass of Guy Amiot Rosé . . . then maybe a 3 hour nap.

The Waffles:

This part is so easy, thank you Will. (note that if you want pancakes instead, the recipe is slightly different, but this will be for the waffles - refer to bag for pancake mix)

Ingredients:

1 QUICKIE BAG of Buttermilk Waffle Mix

3 tablespoons melted butter

¾ cup whole milk

1 egg

Combine in a bowl, and whisk until smooth. Let rest for 5-10 minutes and cook according to your waffle maker directions. This should make about 4 seven-inch Belgian style waffles. 

Chicken Frying Time:

Everyone in the South fries their chicken differently. My mother taught me, and her mother taught her. If you have a recipe you like, by all means use that, but I’ve always enjoyed this one. I know there is a white meat versus dark meat battle out there, but there is something picturesque about a juicy fried chicken breast on top of waffles that the other cuts just can’t deliver. I also love a double batter- the more crispy bits the better.

Ingredients:

4 split chicken breasts (bone in, skin on)

2 full wings (2 wingettes & 2 drumettes) - I just snack on these

~2 cups pickle juice

~1 cup Texas Pete

~3 cups self rising flour

2 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp cayenne

1 tbsp onion powder

1.5 tbsp garlic salt

1.5 tbsp celery salt

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

4 eggs beaten

4 Ziploc Bags (gallon size)- perfect for marinating then breading your chicken and super easy clean up!

For Frying: peanut or canola oil

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When I’m eating waffles, I’m usually using a knife and fork and don’t love carving around bones so I carve the chicken breast off the ribs / bones (before frying) to ensure I leave the skin on. If you prefer bone in, that’s cool too.

Once I have my boneless, skin-on chicken breasts, I’ll take a gallon Ziploc bag and fill it with the chicken and a mixture of about ⅔ pickle juice and ⅓ Texas Pete. Make sure all of the chicken breasts / wings are covered by the marinade and seal the bag pushing out as much air as possible. Keep refrigerated overnight if possible but at least one hour. (Buttermilk is a big plus but I never have buttermilk and always have pickles and Texas Pete, plus I love a pickle brine.)

Before frying, you need to mix your breading. Take a large bowl and combine the flour, pepper, salt, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic salt, celery salt, oregano, thyme, and basil and whisk thoroughly. Divide evenly between 2 new gallon Ziploc bags.

Take the 4 eggs in another large bowl and beat them until fully mixed. 

When you’re ready to fry, take the chicken out of the bag and discard the marinade. I always do one piece at a time all the way through instead of trying to do multiple pieces on one station. 

Take one piece of chicken out of marinade, place into first breading bag and shake vigorously. Take piece and flip it around in the egg wash and make sure cover entirely in egg. Place the piece into second breading bag and shake vigorously. Place piece onto wire rack for frying.

Repeat for all of the pieces.

I use a tall skinny stock pot and get my oil of choice to ~350 degrees. You want to fill the pot with enough oil so that the chicken can bob around in the oil. This can be a good bit of oil / cleanup, but it’s easiest. If you just want to pan fry, heat a cup of oil in a cast iron and fry, flipping as needed until the middle of the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

The more oil you use, the easier it should be to keep the oil at the temperature you want. Do not let the oil get much hotter than 350 degrees or you can burn the spices. Much lower than 350 degrees and your chicken can get oily.