Whole Grain Brunch: Sweet Potato-Almond Waffles with Crispy Oven-Baked Cornflake Chicken

31 May 2012

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Chicken -Waffles

We’ve got a treat for you today. Not one but two chicken and waffle recipes modified for healthier takes on this popular and typically indulgent brunch option. First up, Cara’s Sweet Potato Almond Waffles with Crispy Oven Baked Corn Flake Chicken. Then swing by later today for Non-Dairy Queen, Sarena Shasteen’s gluten free recipe for Cornbread Waffles with Corn Flake Chicken.  Either way you cut it, you’ll be in chicken and waffle heaven this weekend.

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I never thought I’d write these words, but fried chicken – real, buttermilk brined, super fresh from the frier fried chicken – is almost magical. I say “almost” because the real magic happens when you pile it on top of a crisp, buttery, lightly-sweet waffle and drown it in real maple syrup. I only recently discovered this, when I not-so-gently encouraged my husband, Ben, to order Chicken and Waffles on a recent vacation in Las Vegas. Being from Massachusetts, it’s not something you see on a lot of menus around here, so it was a first for both of us.

Since then, we’ve been borderline obsessed with the idea of chicken ‘n waffles and the next time Ben ordered them was while we were out with friends in Chicago. It was also during this trip to Chicago that I caught up with my friend Annelies from Attune Foods, and she invited me to participate in a Whole Grain Brunch event co-sponsored by Attune Foods and Bob’s Red Mill. The idea was simply to create a brunch-style recipe using one whole-grains product each, from Attune and Bob’s Red Mill. Naturally, I was happy about the offer to team up with two gluten free-friendly companies dedicated to creating wholesome products with no extra “stuff.”

It wasn’t much longer before my vision of what to make became clear: Chicken ‘n waffles! Given my choice of Attune and Bob’s Red Mill whole-grain products, I chose Erewhon Corn Flakes Cereal and Almond Flour. Of course, my version would have a healthier spin and a little flavor twist. The cornflakes made a crispy crust on baked chicken breasts (which Ben proclaimed were “still very juicy like the fried kind”) and the almond meal went into gluten-free sweet potato waffles.

With this new recipe in our arsenal I don’t think we’ll ever lament about the lack of chicken ‘n waffles seen on brunch menus around MA.

PS: If you you’re inclined to add an egg on top, do it! We kept it “light” the first time around, but when leftovers became dinner the next night, a runny fried egg was a perfect addition.

Chicken -Waffles

Sweet Potato-Almond Waffles with Crispy Oven-Baked Cornflake Chicken

4 servings

Ingredients

Chicken
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 equal pieces
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 egg white
1 cup Erewhon Organic Corn Flakes Cereal

Waffles
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal
1 tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill Arrowroot Starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Extra maple syrup, for drizzling

Directions

To prepare chicken:
Place chicken in a medium bowl. Whisk together almond milk and cider vinegar and pour over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Set a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and mist with cooking spray.

Measure the flour and chili powder into a medium zip-top plastic bag and shake to combine. Place the egg white in a small bowl. Grind the cereal into a coarse meal using a small food processor, and pour the crumbs onto a plate.

Remove all of the chicken from the milk and place in the bag with the flour. Shake until the chicken is fully coated. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg white and then roll in the cornflake crumbs. Transfer to the baking rack.

Bake for 17-20 minutes, until lightly browned on the outside and no longer pink inside.

To prepare the waffles:
Mist waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat according to manufacturer’s directions.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond meal, arrowroot, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk the eggs, sweet potato, almond milk and syrup. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spoon batter evenly into waffle iron. Close the waffle iron and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until waffles are crisp on the outside and cooked through.

Waffles may be kept in a warm oven until ready to serve.

To serve, place one waffle on each of four plates and top with one piece of chicken. Serve with maple syrup.

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
Calories 409.6
Total Fat 18.5 g
Saturated Fat 2.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Cholesterol 141.8 mg
Sodium 580.6 mg
Potassium 334.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 32.4 g
Dietary Fiber 5.7 g
Sugars 6.6 g
Protein 32.9 g

 

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Cara Lyons is the author of Cara’s Cravings, a food blog dedicated to indulgent recipes for healthy living. Cara has found that the key to maintaining her 75lb weight loss is spinning her passionate love of all foods and cooking into enticing, wholesome recipes featuring clean and nutritious ingredients. She has proven to herself and those around her that healthy food is far from boring. On the contrary, it can be rich, interesting, and unexpectedly delicious. In addition to her blog, her original recipes can also be found in Clean Eating Magazine. Recently Cara has taken an interest in cooking “inclusively,” meaning, she enjoys dabbling in gluten-free, vegan, and other specialty diets, so that more people can enjoy her recipes.

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