Indulge in the perfect balance of savory and sweet with Pasture Raised Chicken & Waffles, topped with decadent whipped maple butter. Crispy, golden fried chicken tenders from our pasture-raised birds pair beautifully with light, fluffy buttermilk waffles for a classic comfort dish. Instead of classic fried chicken dredged in flour, we opt for an easy panko crumb coating that shallow fries in minimal oil – great for beginner frying! The whipped maple butter melts into every bite, adding a rich, sweet finish to this irresistible combination. Perfect for a truly mind blowing brunch or dinner!       

INGREDIENTS

For the Buttermilk Belgian Waffles –

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tsp sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk (or whole milk, or a combination)
• 2/3 cup melted butter (from about 1 1/3 sticks), measure once melted
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped Maple butter, for serving 
• Maple syrup, heated, for serving

For the Whipped Maple Butter –

• 8 oz. softened butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Flaky salt, such as Maldon

For the Crispy Chicken Tenders –

• 1915 Farm Pasture Raised Chicken Tenders (or Chicken Breasts sliced into tender sized strips)
• Kosher salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup cornstarch 
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 cups panko crumbs
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup avocado oil, for shallow frying

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the Waffle Batter – in a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the middle and add the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix well and set aside for 20-30 minutes to let the flour hydrate and the gluten to relax, resulting in softer, lighter airy waffles. If you'd like to prep this in advance, waffle batter can rest in the fridge up to 8 hours.

Make the Whipped Maple Butter – add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or regular mixing bowl if using a hand whisk or electric hand mixer. Add maple syrup and whip for 3-5 minutes, until soft peaks form. Mix in a couple of pinches of flaky salt and transfer to a container until ready to serve. 

Bread the Chicken Tenders – in a medium shallow bowl or baking dish, crack the eggs and add the dijon mustard. Whisk well to combine. To a plate or shallow baking dish, add the cornstarch, cayenne, garlic, salt, and pepper. Finally, place the panko crumbs on a plate or baking dish. Prepare a sheet pan to store your breaded chicken as you work through the assembly line.

Remove chicken tenders from their packaging and pat dry completely with paper towels. Season with kosher salt, then begin the dredging process – first, coat chicken tender in cornstarch, shaking off excess. Then, submerge in the beaten egg, flipping until well coated. Finally, transfer to the panko crumbs, covering the entire surface and pressing crumbs to adhere. Repeat this process until all chicken pieces are coated. 

Shallow Fry the Tendies – in a medium saucepan, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup avocado oil, depending on the size of your pan. I choose a smaller diameter pan for shallow frying so I don't have to use as much oil. Heat oil to 350–375°F (check it with a probe thermometer, or simply toss a single panko crumb in and if it sizzles up, the oil is hot enough). 

Carefully place a breaded tender in the hot oil, laying it down slowly away from you to reduce risk of splashing yourself. Allow to cook about 3-4 minutes (or until the bottom starts to look golden), before flipping over and continuing to cook. Chicken tenders cook fairly quickly, so just a few minutes per side is all that's needed. Keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve (you'll also keep the waffles warm in there).

Make the Belgian Waffles – preheat a Belgian waffle iron on your desired setting and spray the surface with avocado spray or butter if needed. Ladle waffle batter into the iron, taking care to not overfill. Cook and remove to a sheet pan fitted with a wire rack (we don't want the bottom of the waffles to steam and lose their crisp exteriors)! Keep waffles warm in the same 200°F oven the chicken is hanging out in. 

Serve – slice chicken tenders horizontally into strips if desired. Top each waffle with whipped maple butter, warm maple syrup, and crispy chicken. Absolutely devour!

We hope you enjoy this recipe! If you’d like to share your delicious dish on Instagram, don’t forget to tag us @1915_Farm

P.S. If you love our delicious grassfed beef – consider subscribing to the Grassroots Meat Club (ships free in TX, reduced in other states). Each Grassroots Meat Club box includes a variety of hand-selected grassfed and pasture raised meats, such as chicken breasts, chicken tenders, leg quarters, wings, thighs, drumsticks, whole chicken, ground beef, kabobs, stew meat, stir fry, cutlets, London broil (top round), beef roasts, beef ossobuco, short ribs, various sausages, pork roasts, pork chops, bacon, ground pork, fajita meat, country style ribs, spare ribs, and bacon!