Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffles

Ingredients

• 1½ lb boneless chicken thighs
• 2 cups buttermilk, divided
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups waffle mix, prepared per package (or your house batter)
• 4 cups neutral oil, for frying
• Maple syrup and butter, to serve
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Soak the chicken in 1½ cups buttermilk, the hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt — 30 minutes minimum, overnight if you're a planner.
2. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, 1½ teaspoons salt, and plenty of pepper. Drizzle in a few spoonfuls of the remaining buttermilk and toss with your fingers — those shaggy clumps become the craggy crust.
3. Dredge each thigh hard, pressing the coating on, and rest 10 minutes so it sets.
4. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry in batches 6–8 minutes, turning once, until mahogany and 165°F (74°C) at the center. Drain on a rack, never paper.
5. Cook the waffles until deeply golden, crown each with fried chicken, and let the syrup and butter run where they may.