Crispy chicken and spring onion waffle sandwich

Ingredients:  

For the crispy chicken:

160ml buttermilk

1½ tsp hot sauce

1½ tsp salt

½ tsp garlic granules

½ tsp onion granules

900g boneless chicken fillets

Vegetable oil for frying

300g unbleached plain flour

2 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

270g panko breadcrumbs

3 tbsp ancho chilli powder

3 large eggs

For the spicy maple butter:

110g salted butter softened

3 tbsp maple syrup

3 tsp hot sauce

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

For the waffles:

30ml vegetable oil

¾ tsp vanilla essence

2 large eggs

300ml buttermilk

120ml sparkling (fizzy) water

300g unbleached plain flour

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp table salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

150g chopped spring onions

Nonstick cooking spray

4 tomatillos cleaned and thinly sliced for serving

Directions:  

For the chicken:
In a small bowl mix together the buttermilk hot sauce salt and the garlic and onion granules. Place the chicken into a re-sealable bag and pour the buttermilk marinade over the chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 95C/Gas Mark 1/4 and prepare 2 baking trays with wire racks set inside. Preheat a waffle maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. In a large cast-iron frying pan bring 2cm of oil to 180C.

In a baking dish add the flour and season it with the paprika and some salt and pepper. In another baking dish add the panko and season it with the ancho chilli powder and some salt and pepper. In another dish beat the eggs.

Remove the chicken from the marinade allowing the excess buttermilk to drip off. Then dredge the chicken first in the flour then in the eggs and finally coat the chicken in the panko.

Fry the chicken in batches being careful not to overcrowd the pan until each side of the chicken is golden brown and the interior reads 70C on an instant-read thermometer 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Remove the fried chicken to one of the prepared baking trays and place into the warm oven to stay warm and crispy while you make the waffles.

For the spicy maple butter:
Mix the butter syrup hot sauce and cayenne in a bowl.

For the waffles:
Whisk the oil vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl until combined. Add the buttermilk and sparkling water.

In another bowl whisk the flour sugar table salt and bicarbonate of soda to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Stir in the spring onions.

Spray the waffle maker with some nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter in the waffle iron and cook until golden. Set aside in a warm oven on the other prepared baking tray until ready to serve.

To build the sandwich:
Spread each waffle with a generous portion of the maple butter. Place some tomatillo slices on a waffle and then some of the hot crispy chicken. Top with the other waffle to seal the deal.