Howling Chicken & Pumpkin Spice Waffles with a Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup

This ultimate sweet and savory chicken and waffles recipe has the perfect crunch without all of the fuss of eggs and buttermilk. A simple trick with some of my favorite hot sauces will provide that extra kick and crunch. In honor of NCSU's Homecoming and this very peculiar homecoming season with not being able to celebrate together in person, I decided to add a special ingredient that will create a little extra warmth in the comfort of your own home. Pumpkin Spice Waffles paired with my Extra Crunchy Spicy Chicken Wings and a Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup will be sure to warm you up and get you in the spirit of homecoming.

Kitchen Tools Needed

Waffle Iron

Hand Blender

Cast Iron Dutch Oven **can be substituted with a deep fryer or large pot

Small Sauce Pan

2 Large Bowls

1 Medium Bowl

Drying Rack

Large Freezer Style Zip Lock Bag

Flour Sifter **optional

Metal Frying Strainer/Skimmer **can be substituted with metal tongs

Stirring Spoon

Whisk

Chef's Knife **can be substituted with any sharp knife of your choice

Chicken Wing Ingredients

(Serves 4 people, 3 wings each)

Meat & Protein

12 Whole Chicken Wings

Produce

1 package Chives, chopped

Baking & Spices

2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 tbsp Salt (more, if desired)

2 tbsp Cracked Black Pepper (more, if desired)

3 tbsp Garlic Powder

4 tbsp Cayenne Pepper (more, if desired)

3 tbsp Paprika

3 tbsp Dried Basil

2 tbsp Dried Parsley

Oils & Vinegars

Canola Oil for frying

Condiments

Buffalo Wing Sauce

Hot Sauce

¼ cup Pickle Juice

Chicken Directions

Wash chicken wings thoroughly.
Place wings in a large Freezer Ziploc bag and pour our Buffalo and Hot Sauce on top until the wings are fully coated. Add in 1/4 cup of Pickle Juice and close the bag. Massage the chicken in the bag and let sit in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes before cooking.
To make the chicken wing dredge add 2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour to a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp Salt, 2 tbsp Cracked Black Pepper, 3 tbsp Garlic Powder, 3 tbsp Cayenne Pepper, 3 tbsp Paprika, 3 tbsp Dried Basil, and 2 tbsp Dried Parsley. Mix all dry ingredients with a whisk.
Before coating the chicken wings with the flour dredge, add about 3 tbsp of the wet mixture, that the chicken was soaking in, to the flour, and stir with your fingers. It should make small clumps.
Coat each soaked chicken wing in the flour mixture being careful NOT to shake off any sauce. Be sure to pat the flour dredge onto the wings in every crevice to ensure it is sticking. This is what makes it crunchy. As you coat more and more chicken wings, you will see more clumps of flour start to appear. Use those clumps to also coat the chicken wings. Place each coated wings on a rack.
Heat Canola Oil in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven to 375 degrees. Tip: If you do not have a kitchen thermometer to check the oil temperature, you can drop a little bit of flour in. If it sizzles then the oil is ready to use.
Fry the chicken wings in hot oil for about 10-12 minutes until they are crispy brown or the thickest part of the meat reads 165 degrees. Tip: Be sure not to overcrowd your dutch oven, large pot. or fryer. You will have to cook the chicken in batches.
Drain the cooked chicken wings on a cooling rack. If you do have to fry in smaller batches, place the cooling rack in the oven on Warm or the lowest temperature possible until ready to be served with the waffles.

Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup Ingredients

(Serves 4 people)

Baking & Spices

½ tsp. Cinnamon

Dairy

1 tbsp. Butter

Condiments

¾ Cup Maple Syrup

½ Cup Chopped Pecans

Alcohol

¼ Cup Jack Daniels Honey Bourbon

Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup Directions

Add the Jack Daniels Honey Bourbon to a small sauce pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the Maple Syrup, Butter, Cinnamon, and Chopped Pecans and stir. Let simmer on low heat or use a stove warmer.

Waffle Ingredients

(Serves 6-8 people)

Produce

1 can Pumpkin Purée

Meat & Protein

2 Eggs, large

1 Egg White

Baking & Spices

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

½ tsp Salt

1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or 1 tsp of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger

¼ cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Oils & Vinegars

Canola Oil Spray

Dairy

1 ¼ Cup Almond Milk

¼ Cup Butter, melted

Waffle Directions

Heat your waffle iron to the setting you feel comfortable with. I like to place mine on medium.
In a large bowl, combine 2 Cups All Purpose Flour, 2 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Baking Soda, ½ tsp Salt, and 1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or 1 tsp of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger). Blend with a whisk.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 can Pumpkin Purée, 2 large Eggs, 1 Egg White, ¼ cup Brown Sugar, 1 ¼ Cup Almond Milk, ¼ Cup Melted Butter, and 1 tsp Vanilla Extract.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Mix together with a whisk. Tip: Be careful not toe over mix. You want the mixture to be thick but still pourable. If the mixture is too thick, you can always add more Almond Milk.
Spray your waffle iron with Canola Cooking Spray. Make the waffles according to your waffle iron instructions. I like to put mine on the “ Slightly dark mode”.
Remove the waffle and top it with 3 chicken wings, Bourbon Maple Syrup and Chopped Chives.