Chicken and waffles. The first in a series I call Monochromatic, Yet Delicious. Some of my readers (particularly the ones who hail from exotic locales) have blank looks on their faces. It's a real thing, I assure you, to eat fried chicken on waffles. And it's really fucking good.
Chicken and waffles is an American dish that was invented by black people in the 1930s to serve the needs of Harlem's hungry jazz cats after a show. They often played so late into the wee hours that by the time they were done, it was too late for dinner and too early for breakfast. Anyway, that's the most widely-accepted creation myth. I think it might have a little more to do with the amount of grass those dudes were smoking, but that's just my theory.Chicken and waffles are a Thing. They are a thing for which I hanker, and only one joint in town (that I know of) sells them, and then only on Sundays at brunch. Even those waffle carts that are popping up all over NoPo are missing the boat on the chicken. As usual, I had to take matters in to my own hands.
Granted, my chicken is merely oven-fried (I hate frying, especially in a freshly-cleaned kitchen) with a corn flake crust, but it comes close. I like it spicy and crunchy, on a fluffy waffle (a basic baking powder-leavened recipe instead of Belgian for simplicity - I didn't feel like waiting for a yeasted batter to do its thing). Smeared with maple sugar spread and butter, a little syrup for good measure, and you're havin' kittens, baby.
Enjoy with a screwdriver and Dizzy Gillespie.
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25 comments:
OMG!!!! You're having kittens?!?
Seriously, though, you should tone down the drug use on your blog.
And those look deeeeelish. I need to bust out my variant on this, sharpish.
Look good. There are two other places in PDX that have 'em on the menu, Meriwether's and Screen Door. Meriwether's is my fave...
cayenne honey. It wants some cayenne honey. And I want some fried chicken. NOW.
My captcha was "storin." When did blogger resort to slang?
There is a place trying to call themselves Roscoes Chicken and Waffles here. Haven't been to it yet, but I see they are making money. The Real Roscoes(in LA) told them to cease using their name.It's a awesome combo and leave it to you to blog about it. Happy Holidays and I will see you next year.
Great photos, really fantastic
These are great comfort food I bet! Never tried them and they do look bloody good!
Oh hell yeah! Yours look ten times better than Roscoe's (the waffles are always too soggy, and the chicken is greasy).
Now if the waffles were bacon waffles (have you been to Zell's?) it would be MAGIC.
These are ubiquitous in the South. Of course it is the home of Waffle House, which I'm going to be honest and confess that I'm not brave enough to try. I'm just a little too NW to eat chicken on my waffle. But that doesn't seem to be slowly you down at all.
Hmm, I must not be that exotic, because the combo is familiar to me (even if I've never seen it live). Thanks for giving me the craving, even if it is oven-fried ;) (Hmm, how about pressure-cooker fried? No?) :P
Maple syrup sounds looovely, but what about the gravy? Imagine how yummy it would be in the holes of that waffle!
Yummmm! Love chicken and waffles. Living in the south we have plenty of places serving!
No cool cats up here in the Great White North serving up fried chicken and waffles...but I must say it appeals to me.
This is just mind boggeling to me, I mean, I love waffles. i love chicken. Can I make the bridge? I guess thereis only one way to find out.
These ARE seriously good. And they've been featured by Hiro on Heroes this season. At a Japanese bowling alley no less.
Gotta love it.
Jube - Yeah two mentions of herb out of 250 posts is a bit much. (For what it's worth, I do not smoke pot any more - it's just an ongoing joke in the PNW.)
Fenavo - I do remember Screen Door now, but unfortunately they were one of Gourmet's Best Restaurants in their Portland issue, and now you need to get there at 5 sharp on a Tuesday if you don't want to wait 45 minutes. :\ I hear it's great, though.
Kristie - It totally does. I make pepper honey already, so why didn't I think of it? Or some of the jalapeño jelly I have.
Courtney - That's bullshit. There can be only one Roscoe's.
Alex - Thanks! They're certainly worth the trouble.
Petah - You should give them a try sometime, for that authentic American experience. :)
Stacy - Good lord, you'd think I didn't grow up in this town! I need to get out more. Bacon waffles? Fuck sake.
Sarah - I do tire of the salmon and berries all the time, y'know. ;)
Marky - Well you are more schooled in the ways of American regional cuisine than most Filipinos. :D And gravy had crossed my mind. More than once.
Judy - There is one more reason for me to contemplate a long visit to Florida.
Valli - Leave it to M. Picard, and soon there'll be a foie gras version. :D
Brittany - You should do it. Biscuits are the gateway starch.
Jen - I remember that, and I remember being very unsurprised that waffle houses would be a Thing in Japan. :P
Restoring waffles to their rightful place in American cuisine!
<--[blank look on his face]
Well, if that was served to Harlem's jazz players in the 30's then it must be the secret to greatness!
I'm going on a diet of chicken and waffle starting tomorrow!!
...
My captcha was 'shutthefucup'.. Is that some kind of bad joke? :-)
I'm gonna have to go with the smoking grass theory on this one. That crust looks pretty damn good, though.
oh no you di-int!!!! these look so good. the coating on the chicken looks friggin awesome. me wants... NOW.
*I have already posted this response, but blogger ate it. Aplogies if your recieve it twice*
I KNEW this was coming. My answer to your quickie poll on twitter was fried chicken.
But I didn't get a prize or anything.
Sheesh.
This looks so yummy.
Damn you and your cornbread crust for making me hungry at 1am!
Looks....soooo.....gooood!!!
I need to find a good 24/7 C&W place up in Harlem.
My recollection is that there is a chicken and waffles in the Amish Country, PA, that was a kind of creamy gravied chicken with peas and carrots served on a waffle, which was incredible. I've never seen it this way though. Do you just pick up the chicken and waffle each on their own, or use a fork to try to get both together?
Ken
Happy Holidays!
this is a little too much for me...and i'm storing fat for xmas! Have a good one, dude!
Have you had Screen Door's Chix n Waffles? Check it out and let me know what you think.
I've recently made fried chicken and waffles (separate occasions) and lamented the my oversight for not having them together. This looks so damn good!
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