Copycat KFC Chicken with Waffles

Chicken and waffles have always had a magical place in my heart and stomach.  Jen had seen some show not too long ago where the guy, Todd Wilbur, tried to discern the secret blend of herbs and spices in the KFC Original Recipe chicken by deconstructing the finished product.  He apparently got incredibly close so we decided to give it a go, as I could think of no better tasting chicken to go with waffles and maple syrup (my favorite topping for the dish)!  We didn't have everything his blend called for in terms of the tellicherry and the savory so we made a few substitutions but the finished product was juicy and tasted amazing.  The waffles were Jen's creation and were golden and crispy with a little cornmeal crunch that was perfect.

Note: This is not health food.  No one should in any way mistake this for a low fat, low carb, low sugar, light meal.  This seasoning blend contains MSG, commonly known as Accent, and though it's a small amount some folks are particular about not consuming MSG.  Also, this is fried chicken.  You'll need a deep fryer or a large dutch oven and some frying oil.

Was in an old school punk mood so I went with some Circle Jerks "Wonderful" as that is exactly how I felt about this dish.  Wonderful! - justin

Prep Time: 2 hrs
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves:  4
Level: Easy

BRINE

The recipe called for a brine which I will include here but I didn't use it.  I had a quart of my own brine left over from a previous recipe and it worked out just fine!

• 8 cups water
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 tbsp Accent (MSG)

Dissolve the salt and Accent in the water and add chicken for at least 2 hours.  Chicken can be left to brine for as long as 24 hours in the fridge.  Remove from brine, rinse, and pat dry.

BREADING

• 9 oz all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp Accent (MSG)
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground tarragon
• 1/2 tsp ground sage
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground marjoram
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a ziplock bag and shake thoroughly to mix.

Jen's Note: After the chicken was so awesome due to the seasoning, I made a double batch (minus the flour) just to keep on the counter as an awesome seasoning salt! 

DREDGE

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk

Beat eggs in a large bowl and stir in the milk.

Heat oil or deep fryer to 300 degrees.  When oil is hot, dredge each piece of chicken in the egg mix and cover with breading.  Make sure it is well coated and set aside for 5 minutes.  Shake off any excess breading and fry 2-4 pieces at a time or whatever your fryer may allow.  Don't crowd the chicken though.  Fry for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken becomes golden brown.  Drain on a rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.  Chicken can be kept in a 200 degree oven to maintain temp until served.

WAFFLES

• 1-1/2 cups all purpose four
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1-3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl and lightly whisk the eggs, milk and oil in a separate bowl.  Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, whisking until just mixed together.  Let sit for 10 minutes before cooking as per your waffle maker's instructions (ours cooked about 7 minutes).

Serve chicken with waffles and cover with a generous splash of real maple syrup and you have achieved comfort food!