Hot Chicken and Waffles with Nutella®

Name: Hot Chicken and Waffles with Nutella&#174;
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: AMERICAN
Ingredients: 8 pieces fried chicken (from Nashville Hot Chicken Kit, or other purchased or homemade fried chicken; 1 cup (5 oz./155 g) hazelnuts, coarsely chopped; 2 Tbs. honey; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted; 2 cups warm water (110&#176; to 120&#176;F/43&#176; to 49&#176;C); 2 1/2 cups (10 oz./285 g) Bellegem waffle mix; 2 Tbs. cayenne pepper; 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar; 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; 3/4 tsp. paprika; 1/2 tsp. garlic powder; 1/4 tsp. onion powder; 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon (preferably Saigon); <br> 1 cup (9 oz./280 g) Nutella<sup>&#174;</sup><br>

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

For a splurge-worthy brunch or breakfast for dinner, dig into fried chicken and waffles topped with spiced Nutella^® and honey-roasted hazelnuts, a fantastic combination of contrasting flavors and textures. This impressive recipe comes to us from Matt Bolus, executive chef of The 404 Kitchen in Nashville, where he celebrates Southern food traditions. To streamline prep, purchase Chef Bolus’ Nashville Hot Chicken Kit, which includes fully cooked fried chicken and premixed spices, but you can also make the fried chicken yourself using your favorite recipe.

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Ingredients:

8 pieces fried chicken (from Nashville Hot Chicken Kit, or other purchased or homemade fried chicken

For the hazelnuts:

1 cup (5 oz./155 g) hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. honey
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

For the waffles:

5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
2 cups warm water (110° to 120°F/43° to 49°C)
2 1/2 cups (10 oz./285 g) Bellegem waffle mix

For the hot chicken spices (if not using the Nashville Hot Chicken Kit):

2 Tbs. cayenne pepper
2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon (preferably Saigon)
1 cup (9 oz./280 g) Nutella^®

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). If using the Nashville Hot Chicken Kit, reheat the fried chicken according to the package instructions. If using other precooked fried chicken, reheat it in the oven just before serving.

In a medium bowl, stir together the hazelnuts, honey and salt until the nuts are evenly coated. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a small baking sheet and roast in the 350°F (180°C) oven (along with the chicken) until the honey caramelizes, 8 to 12 minutes (check occasionally that the nuts aren’t burning). Scrape the hot caramelized nuts onto a sheet of aluminum foil to cool, then break into small pieces.

Meanwhile, make the waffles. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and warm water until well blended. Add the waffle mix and whisk until blended. Do not overmix; the batter will appear lumpy. Let the batter stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Spray a waffle maker with nonstick cooking spray, wiping off any excess. Preheat the waffle maker to medium-high heat.

Gently stir the batter, then pour into the center of the waffle maker until almost full. Close the lid and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until crisp and golden brown.

While the waffles are cooking, prepare the hot chicken spices. (If using the Nashville Hot Chicken Kit, you can use the prepared spice mix that comes with it and skip this step.) If not using the kit, in a small bowl, whisk together the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cinnamon until evenly combined and uniform in color.

In a small saucepan over low heat, gently heat the Nutella^® until loosened and warmed through. Remove from the heat.

Add the hot chicken spices to the Nutella^®, starting with a small amount, about 2 teaspoons, and stir until thoroughly combined. Taste the Nutella^® to make sure you are achieving the desired level of heat, adding more of the spices if you like.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

To serve, place 2 waffles on each plate and top with 2 pieces of fried chicken. Drizzle the chicken and waffles generously with the spiced Nutella^® and sprinkle with the honey-roasted hazelnuts. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Recipe courtesy of Matt Bolus, Executive Chef of The 404 Kitchen, Nashville