Chicken and Sweet Corn Waffles

So, a couple of Friday's ago I was just minded my own business when Scott over at Corner Table started tweeting his specials for the night. Next thing you know, I'm telling Matt that we're going there for dinner because I wanted the chicken on sweet corn waffles. It was just as good as I hoped so, I decided to try my hand at making a version at home.

Scott's dish was beautiful with pan roasted chicken breasts & cheddar cauliflower over a corn waffle with a maple gastrique. My version is a little more rustic looking with chunks of leftover roasted chicken & some zucchini from the garden but, it tastes just as wonderful. I absolutely adore the MN sweet corn in the waffles for both texture & flavor. The maple gastrique just adds the perfect amount of sweetness to everything & is surprisingly good with the zucchini (the zucchini was a last minute addition thatI'm glad worked).

Some folks who have seen this picture on Flickr have told me they just can't get their heads around the whole chicken & waffle thing. If you think about it though, it's really not that strange. We like chicken with biscuits & bread so, just think of a savory waffle as another kind of bread. Maybe it's the maple syrup that throws them though, I think that is what really brings all the pieces together here.

A few notes about ingredients: I used leftover roast chicken in this dish but you could use raw chicken too. Just cut it into bite-sized pieces, salt & pepper then cook until done in a pan with the olive oil. Once cooked, add the zucchini & sauté until tender. I used corn masa flour in the waffles to add a little more "corny" flavor because I had it on hand if you don't, just use all a-p flour instead.

Chicken & Sweet Corn Waffles with Maple Gastrique

1/4 c + 2 T maple syrup
1/4 c + 1/2 t cider vinegar
salt & pepper
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c corn masa flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 T unsalted butter, melts & slightly cooled
1 c milk
1 c sweet corn kernels (thaw if using frozen)
1/2 T olive oil
2 c cooked chicken, cubed
1 c zucchini, sliced & cut into bite-sized pieces

Put the maple syrup and 1/4 cup of the cider vinegar into a small skillet. Season with some salt & pepper. Turn the heat on to medium-high & bring to a boil. Reduce heat & let simmer until thickened & reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.

In a bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda & salt. In another bowl mix the eggs, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar and milk together. Pour this into the dry ingredients. Add the corn kernels. Stir until the mixture just comes together, do not over mix. Let sit 5 minutes.

Heat the waffle maker & cook waffles according to the directions. Keep warm.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken & zucchini. Cook until the zucchini has softened slightly & the chicken is heated through.

Serve the chicken & zucchini on the corn waffle then spoon the maple gastrique over the top.

Makes 2 servings

Looks like I'm on track to making chicken & waffles for each season. For winter, I did Minnesota Chicken & Waffles with wild rice waffles, mushrooms & cream sauce. I would call this one my summer version. Now what to do for fall? I'm thinking something with apples...

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