GFCF Fried Chicken and Waffles

Although Fried Chicken is not the healthiest option for food choices. I love it a few times a year and it reminds me of true comfort food for the soul.  So here is my soulful spin on Fried Chicken and Waffles. You almost forget its Gluten and Dairy (Casein) Free. Enjoy!

8 chicken breasts, thighs or tenders

2 cups of All purpose GF Flour (recipe below)

1 tbs of Kosher Salt

¼ of GF Paprika

¼ of GF Garlic Powder

¼ of GF Onion Powder

½ tsp of chilli flakes (optional)

½ tsp pepper

Vegetable Oil for Frying

1 litre of soymilk or almond milk

or you want a Buttermilk substitute (try 1 cup of soymilk + 2 tbs of lemon juice- let sit for 5 mins)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Get a large cookie sheet out and place a metal baking rack on top of the cookie sheet

Combine flour, salt, pepper and spices in a large bowl. Coat each piece of chicken with the flour, then dip in the soy or almond milk and dip once more in the flour (makes the chicken crispier)

Pour enough oil in a heavy stockpot/dutch oven to cover about 1" of the pot. Heat oil to 360 degrees.

NOTE: To test temperature of oil, drop a pinch of flour into pan; flour should float and sizzle on hot oil. If flour sinks to bottom of pan and disperses, oil is not hot enough for frying.

Place a few pieces of chicken at a time in the oil and fry until each side is lightly browned. Place the browned pieces on the rack, making sure not to crowd the chicken. Allow the thermometer to return to 360 degrees before starting the next batch.

Bake the chicken for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Start with a small batch first so you can adjust your spices to taste.

Waffles

2 cups of Pancake mix (recipe below)

½ tsp salt

½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 large egg or egg replacer

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 ½ cup of soy or rice milk

1 tbs of vanilla extract (Adams Best)

1 teaspoon Organic sugar

Preheat Belgian waffle iron to Medium-high heat. To make waffles, in a large bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, salt, cinnamon, egg, oil, milk and vanilla.

Grease waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Pour a heaping 1/3 cup batter into each waffle iron quarter, spreading the batter out to the edges. Close and cook until crisp, about 4 mins. Repeat with remaining batter

*All-Purpose Flour blend 

6 cups of white flour (Bob Red Mills)

3 cups of Tapioca flour (Shiloh farms)

1 1/2 Potato Starch (Bob Red Mills)

1 Tbs salt

2 Tbs Xanthum Gum (Bob Red Mills)

In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, salt and xanthum gum. Transfer to the airtight container and store in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator.

*All Purpose Pancake Mix

9 cups All purpose flour blend (see above)

1 cup plus 2 tbs of Organic Sugar

3 tbs baking powder

2 1/2 salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Transfer to an airtight storage container and store in cool dry place.

*by Silvana Nardone, the author of "Cooking for Isaiah"