Chicken and Waffles

I cooked chicken and waffles for dinner amidst a severe thunderstorm. The sky was an ominous shade of gray, dark as night, and rain poured down in sheets. Thunder rumbled overhead, shaking me in my shoes and sending the cats running harem-scarem around the house frantic with fright. Amidst all the craziness I found peace in preparing this. My kitchen felt like a safe and cozy cocoon. A shelter from the storm. And the comfort was in eating it. That's what chicken and waffles is all about - plain and simple home-cooked comfort.



I added big bits of cooked bacon to my savory waffle along with a healthy dose of fresh, fragrant orange peel. And then I did something crazy - I ventured outside to grill up my chicken during a short lull in the rain. When I'm determined nothing is going stop me least of all a wild thunder storm! My first intention was to bake the chicken with a coconut-panko crust that would tie into the coconut gravy I was making. It was too hot and humid, I couldn't bear to turn on the oven. I've left the chicken out of my recipe - I'll leave that up to you. Grill it, bake it with a crispy coating like coconut flakes and panko, fry it, or use leftovers like rotisserie or roasted chicken. One of the best parts is the coconut gravy. Coconut milk leftover from my peanut butter sauce was crying to be used. Rich, creamy and so flavorful, this was the perfect home for it. I don't know if I loved the gravy more or the waffles with their bits of salty bacon and essence of orange that permeated through every last absolutely delicious bite!





This waffle recipe stands alone as a perfect treat for breakfast. Just add a tablespoon of sugar to the batter and leave out the sage.

Bacon Waffles
(Basic recipe adapted from Betty Crocker)

*Makes 6 Belgian Waffles

2 large Eggs
2 cups all-purpose Flour
1 and 3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable oil or melted Butter
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Sage, dried
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons grated Orange Peel from 1 fresh Navel Orange
8 slices Bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled into bite-size pieces

In a large bowl beat eggs with a wire whisk until fluffy. Whisk in the remaining ingredients just until smooth. Stir in the bacon.

Heat waffle iron. Spray with nonstick baking spray.

Cook the waffles according to your individual waffle iron's directions.





Chicken Gravy
(by Reeni)

2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
1 cup Coconut Milk or Whole Milk
1 cup Chicken Broth
Sea Salt and Fresh Pepper

In a medium saucepan melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook over medium-low heat for three minutes. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk and broth. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Bring to a slow simmer, continue simmering and whisking until it thickens. Taste and re-season if needed before serving.

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I talk about the history of waffles here in an older post and also give a recipe for Sweet Potato Waffles and Fried Chicken with Caramelized Onion Gravy if your interested!