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Sweet-Heat Chicken & Waffle Bites

Sweet-Heat Chicken & Waffle Bites
Developed by Chef Elle Green

By now the turkey has been replaced with tinsel and cranberry sauce with cookies for the big swap. This only means one thing—it’s time for Chef Elle’s Entertaining Series. She’s back with two recipes for your holiday celebrations. So give them both a try. As always, she’s kept them fresh, easy and delicious… to good food!

Tools
waffle iron, large skillet, large and small pot, sharp knife, bowls, dredging dishes, whisk, tongs, small spoon, wooden spoon, measuring spoons, measuring cups, wire rack, baking sheet

Old School Translations
T = tablespoon; t = teaspoon; c = cup

Ingredients

Waffle Bites
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c rice flour
1 1/2 T sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 T sea salt
1 c whole milk
2 large eggs
4 T unsalted butter (melted, slightly cool)
nonstick spray or grapeseed oil

Procedure
Whisky flour, sugar, baking powder and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs and melted butter. Combine wet and dry ingredients and whisk batter until smooth. Heat waffle iron to medium-high (according to manufacturer’s instructions). Spray grids with nonstick spray or brush grids lightly with grapeseed oil. Add a teaspoon of batter to each cavity. Lower the lid and allow to cook until brown on both sides, approximately 5-6 minutes.
Easy Solutions: Waffle batter can be made in advance. If refrigerated, remove and allow batter to set at room temperature. If serving a large crowd, placed cooked waffles on a baking dish. Cover and place in oven at 175 until ready to serve.

Chicken Chunks
2 lbs. chicken tenderloins (cut into small chunks)
1 c buttermilk
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
2 1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t fresh, cracked pepper
2 T spicy blend
grapeseed oil

Procedure
Soak chicken chunks in buttermilk. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Using a large skillet, add oil until it reaches 1/2″ and place over medium-high flame.
Whisk flour, sea salt, pepper and spicy blend into a shallow container. Working with a few pieces of chicken, dredge in season flour, shaking off the excess. Gently place chicken in heated oil (350°F) and fry for 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set inside baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken has been cooked.

Sweet Heat Dip
1 c honey
1/4 c spicy blend
Place honey and spice blend in small pot. Cook over medium-low heat until honey begins to boil. Remove from heat and dip chicken chunks. Place each piece of chicken on top of a waffle bite. (yields approximately 60 Sweet Heat Chicken and Waffle Bites)

As always, the ingredients are organic and fresh. And for quality assurance and optimal results, Chef Elle suggests following the recipes as written and using products mentioned.
Fresh Followers can access recipes for Open-Pit Tea and more by logging in at www.chefellegreen.net.
Live At 9 cooking segments sponsored by Double Door Marketing and Whole Foods Market.
© 2013 Elle Green All Rights Reserved. Chef Elle appears courtesy of Simple Conceptions. Recipes developed and tested by Elle Green. Credits: Food Styling: Elle Green; Photography Hillary Rosenberg; Home Cook Recipe Testers: Jolena Campbell, Alice Maloney, Hillary Maloney, Jack and John