For Mother's Day, Chef Mike Ford offers a healthier brunch option to treat your special lady - fried chicken and sweet potato waffles.
Ford demonstrates how you can fancy up traditional waffles by adding color and ample amounts of vitamins A and C.
Alongside ABC Action News anchors Lauren St. Germain and Jasmine Styles during a cooking demonstration Sunday, April 29, Ford tops off a sweet potato waffle with pickled fried chicken and maple vanilla Bourbon syrup.
FRIED CHICKEN WITH SWEET POTATO WAFFLE AND MAPLE VANILLA BOURBON SYRUP RECIPE:
Fried Chicken
2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs
3 cups pickle juice
1 cup Crystal hot sauce
3-5 Sprigs of fresh dill
Whisk together hot sauce and pickle juice. Add chicken and dill, stir to coat evenly.
Wrap tight or place in Ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
To fry:
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ gallon vegetable oil
In one bowl Whisk eggs with buttermilk.
In another bowl stir flour with all seasoning.
Remove chicken from pickle brine.
Drain and pat dry.
Dredge in seasoned flour, buttermilk mixture, and again in seasoned flour. Lay unstacked on large platter. Heat oil in large skillet to 325-350 degrees.
Fry chicken until internal temperature reached 165 degrees, 6-8 minutes.
Taste chicken and season with additional salt if needed.
Sweet Potato Waffle
2 medium sweet potatoes, washed, baked on 300 degrees until fork tender 25-30 minutes, cool
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp Bourbon
1 stick butter melted
6 egg whites, whisked to soft peaks
In large bowl add all dry ingredients. In another bowl scoop cooked and cooled sweet potatoes from skin and mash evenly with a fork. To the sweet potatoes add buttermilk, bourbon, and melted butter.
Stir the potato mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in soft peaks egg whites until fully incorporated.
Cook waffles following manufactures instructions.
Maple Vanilla Bourbon Syrup
1 cup REAL maple syrup
¼ tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Bourbon
In small pot, heat to slow boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 3 minutes.
