Paige Harris This lightened up chicken and waffles is my soy-free Asian twist on a savory southern classic is sure to make your tastebuds smile.
Do you prefer sweet or savory brunch items?
Nine times out of ten, you’ll catch me ordering some sort of savory dish when I’m out to brunch. And that’s weird, because at home I’m definitely a sweet breakfast lover. I think there’s just something about the occasion of brunch or breakfast out that makes me crave things that I normally don’t make myself.
But unfortunately that gets me into dangerous territory sometimes. While it’s true that cinnamon rolls the size of your face or deep fried chicken smothered in a buttery sauce tastes good, it almost always leaves me feeling like absolute crap. And that’s no way to start off your Sunday Funday.
This Korean Chicken and Waffles is my new favorite twist on the typical southern classic. The chicken is quickly sautéed and then baked at a super high temperature. This makes the skin crispy without the need for tons of oil or batter. And when you smother it in my spicy Korean sauce, it takes everything to a new level.
When you pair that spiciness alongside my savory whole-wheat waffles, you really get a match made in heaven. Instead of adding sugar and vanilla like usual waffle recipes, this one includes garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. I promise you won’t miss that sweetness one bit, but I also recommend serving up the plate with some organic real maple syrup — none of that high fructose corn syrup nonsense.
All together, you get a hearty and delicious meal that won’t leave you wanting to curl up into a ball and take a nap post-eats. Give it a try, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Korean Chicken & Waffles
This lightened up chicken and waffles is my Asian twist on a savory southern classic is sure to make your tastebuds smile.
Ingredients
For the Korean Chicken
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter
- 2 tbsp gochujang (I used Chung Jung One brand because it doesn't contain any soy!)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp coconut aminos
- 5 skin-on chicken drumsticks * see note
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
For the Waffles
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups almond milk
- 1/2 cup ghee or butter melted
Instructions
To make the waffle batter:
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In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and spices. In another bowl, beat together the eggs, ghee or butter, and almond milk. Be careful not to scramble the eggs with the melted butter! Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir until combined. Let sit while you pre-heat your waffle maker and continue on with the chicken prep.
To make the chicken:
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Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.
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Pat your drumsticks dry and season heavily with salt and pepper. They need more salt than you think!
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Heat your avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, place your drumsticks in and sear carefully until the skin is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
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Transfer your skillet to the oven and cook for 10 minutes, flip them, and then continue to cook for ~5 more minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
To make the waffles:
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Heat your waffle iron and prep with a quick spray of EVOO. When hot, pour about 1/3 cup of batter into each side. Close it up and let it work! The waffles should be ready when steam stops leaking out the side. Take the waffles out carefully with a fork and repeat until no more batter remains.
To make the sauce:
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Heat the ghee, gochujang, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, minced garlic, cayenne, paprika, and chili powder over medium heat. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes and be careful that it doesn't burn! Once the chicken has rested, pour over it and toss to combine.
To plate:
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Grab some waffles, top with a drumstick or two, and drizzle with some real maple syrup before devouring it all!
Recipe Notes
This Korean Sauce & Chicken recipe will make enough for about 5 large drumsticks, which I ended up splitting with Jordan for one meal. In short: the chicken and sauce recipe will feed two hungry humans.
The waffle recipe makes about 8 waffles (4 serving’s worth for me), and only had to be made once. In short: the waffle recipe will feed four hungry humans.
I repeated the entire chicken & sauce process on the second day we wanted to have this — so be sure to double if you want two days of meals! (The skillet size was the limiting factor here.)
