Nashville Hot Chicken & Cornbread Waffles

Name: Nashville Hot Chicken & Cornbread Waffles | Lodge Cast Iron
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 2 - 4
Ingredients: 4 cups of hot water; ¼ cup of salt; 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar; 8 of chicken tenders (approximately 1 pound); 1 of package Martha White Sweet Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix; 2 tablespoons of Martha White Yellow Cornmeal; ¼ cup of buttermilk; 2 of eggs; 2 tablespoons of butter, melted; 2 teaspoons of molasses or maple syrup; ⅓ cup of scallions, chopped, plus an additional ½ cup for garnish; of nonstick spray; ½ cup of canola oil, heated; 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper; 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar; 2 teaspoons of paprika; 2 teaspoons of garlic powder; 1 teaspoon of salt; 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar; ⅓ cup of sour cream; 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise; ¼ cup of buttermilk; ½ of of a one-ounce packet of dry ranch mix; ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder; ¼ cup of pickled jalapeños; ¼ cup of fresh cilantro; 2 teaspoons of lime juice; 2 tablespoons of maple syrup; ½ cup of Martha White Self-Rising Flour; ½ cup of Martha White Yellow Corn Meal

Chelsea Hanson | May 1, 2019

Chelsea Hanson brought a little Nashville flavor with her to South Pittsburg, Tennessee, in Lodge's 2019 National Cornbread Cook-off. She won third place with her hot chicken recipe that combined bold and spicy flavors with cornbread waffles and a creamy maple jalapeño drizzle.

Level

Advanced

Prep Time

45 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Serves

2-4

Cook it With Our

Pro-Grid Reversible Grill / Griddle

Ingredients

Brine & Chicken

4 cups hot water
¼ cup salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
8 chicken tenders (approximately 1 pound)

Cornbread Waffles

1 package Martha White Sweet Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix
2 tablespoons Martha White Yellow Cornmeal
¼ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons molasses or maple syrup
⅓ cup scallions, chopped, plus an additional ½ cup for garnish
nonstick spray

Spicy Chicken Coating

½ cup canola oil, heated
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Creamy Maple Jalapeño Sauce

⅓ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup buttermilk
½ of a one-ounce packet of dry ranch mix
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup pickled jalapeños
¼ cup fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Dredge

½ cup Martha White Self-Rising Flour
½ cup Martha White Yellow Corn Meal
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
salt and pepper to taste
canola oil for frying

Dip

2 eggs
1 tablespoon buttermilk

Directions

Prepare brine by adding salt and sugar to hot water. Allow to cool, then add chicken tenders. Cover and keep at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 6 hours. (Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.)
Combine cornbread mix, cornmeal, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and molasses or maple syrup in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Fold in ⅓ cup of scallions and set aside for 10 minutes.
Heat ½ cup of canola oil in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 minute, then add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic, salt, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
In a blender or small food processor, combine all creamy maple jalapeño sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheat a Lodge Pro-Grid Reversible Grill/Griddle over medium heat, then spray with nonstick spray. Spoon cornbread waffle batter onto grill pan with a ¼-cup scoop to form 4-inch waffles. Flip with a fork when beginning to brown around the edges, 2 minutes. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to baking sheet and keep warm in preheated oven until ready to serve.
Preheat 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet over medium heat, then add ½ inch of canola oil. Remove chicken from brine. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine dredge ingredients in a shallow bowl. Mix eggs and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a separate shallow bowl. Coat chicken tenders in flour and cornmeal mixture. Shake off excess, then transfer to egg mixture and coat. Transfer chicken back to flour and cornmeal mixture, coat again, then shake off excess. Fry chicken in hot oil, cooking 3-4 minutes per side.
When chicken tenders are golden brown, remove chicken from skillet, then transfer to bowl with spicy coating, and turn chicken in mixture to coat completely.
To serve, stack 2 waffles on a plate, top with 1-2 spicy chicken tenders, drizzle with creamy sauce, and sprinkle with chopped scallions. Enjoy!

Contributed By: Chelsea Hanson

Chelsea Hanson won 3rd place in Lodge's 2019 Cornbread Cook-off with her very own Nashville Hot Chicken and Cornbread Waffles.

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