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
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!
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