Fried Chicken and Waffles

So, being engaged is great. I keep getting all of these wonderful presents! My awesome future sisters-in-law threw me a shower last weekend (thank you!) and one of the lovely gifts I received was a waffle iron. Jamie was so excited and insisted on having waffles for dinner one night this week. I saw this as an opportunity to finally try fried chicken and waffles. I'd heard about it, but never actually had it. Boy was I missing out! Not exactly wedding-diet material, but if you want a really hearty, really delicious dinner, this is it. And we topped it off with some Champagne because, why not?

I got the fried chicken recipe from Cook's Illustrated and it's safe to say it's the best fried chicken I've ever had (and certainly ever made). It does require some time (and I even cut back from the 5 hour prep they suggested to 2 hours because it was after work). The brine is incredibly flavorful and really soaks into the chicken, and the crust is unbelievably crispy - with juicy, juicy meat inside. Home run! Jamie loved the combination of the maple syrup and the crispy fried chicken.

Fried Cornish Game Hen

Jamie and I had a big ugly sweater Christmas party and the next night were feeling like we needed a little comfort food.

I had never made real, deep fried chicken before and went to the grocery to pick out what I thought I might need. There was a sale on Cornish game hen and I love these little birds. They cook faster than chicken and they're delicious, and great when you just have two people to feed. So then fried chicken turned into fried Cornish game hen. Sounds fancy, right? You could totally serve it at a dinner party without seeming too down home. (Don't be intimidated by the name - Cornish game hens are basically just mini chickens.)

15-Minute Fried Chicken and Pea Puree

I was in the mood for some comfort food last night and remembered a chicken I had made after reading the recipe in the times in 2009. It was Mark Bittman's 15-Minute Fried Herbed Chicken. I was daydreaming about it all day and couldn't wait to rush home to make the crunchy, herbacious chicken. I thought pea puree would be the perfect, homie side, also a pretty burst of color. It was a big hit. Jamie had two pieces of chicken and we devoured the peas. We followed with some delicious brownies (recipe to come). It's an easy dinner and the bright pea puree and the browned chicken are very tempting.

15-Minute Fried Herbed Chicken (served 4)
Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cheaper to buy with bone in/skin on and debone/take off the skin yourself)
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, I used sage and basil
2 tbsp tahini, or peanut butter
1/4 cup olive oil, more for frying
flour for dredging
lemon wedges for serving

Directions:
In a food processor, combine onion, herbs, and tahini. Puree the mixture and add just enough olive oil to make a smooth, thick paste (you don't want it too watery or it won't stick to the chicken).
Put flour in a small bowl. Smear the puree on the chicken and dredge in flour. Shake off excess and repeat, putting on more puree and dredging again - this makes it extra crispy.

Heat about 1/4" olive oil in a large skillet and heat until a pinch of flour sizzles. Add the chicken thighs and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with a lemon wedge.

Pea Puree
Ingredients:
1 box frozen peas
3 tbsp water
2-3 tablespoons butter
1 tbsp milk
salt and pepper

Directions:
Add the frozen peas and water to a small pot and cook about 5 minutes, or until peas are tender. Add to a food processor with butter and milk and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste.