John's Fried Chicken and Pancakes with Smoked Honey Butter

SERVES: 4 PREP: 40 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes

John's Fried Chicken and Pancakes with Smoked Honey Butter

SERVES: 4 PREP: 40 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes

For breakfast, brunch, dinner, or anytime!

Fried chicken and pancakes > fried chicken and waffles. Don’t @ us just yet. When National Fried Chicken Day hits (July 6), our minds turn to all things crispy and golden brown. For the occasion we’re bringing you John’s LEGENDary fried chicken recipe cooked in our Cravings Wok, paired with sweet and savory buttermilk pancakes with smoked honey butter. Inspired by the classic chicken and waffles, we’re here to say that chicken and pancakes might just be our new favorite breakfast, brunch, and/or anytime dish.

Print the Recipe Save

INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

For the chicken:

Brine:

5 cups cold water
3 tablespoons Lawry's Seasoning Salt
1 ¾ teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds chicken wings and drummettes

Breading:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons Lawry's Seasoning Salt
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
6-8 cups canola oil for frying depending on which vessel you fry in

For the pancakes:

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
+ salted butter, straight from the stick

For the Smoked Honey Butter:

1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup honey
1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Brine the chicken: Combine the water, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and cayenne in a really big pot or 2-gallon Ziploc bag. Add the chicken wings, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24.

Bread and fry the chicken: Fill a deep fryer with oil according to the manufacturer's instructions, or just fill a wok or soup pot with the oil, making sure there are at least 4 inches between the oil and the lip of the pot. Heat the oil to 365°F over medium heat. If you don't have a thermometer, set your burner on medium and let your pan of oil heat for around 5 to 10 minutes. You'll know your oil is ready if you drop a small piece of white bread in the oil and it starts to sizzle and turn a lovely toasty golden brown right away. Combine the flour, seasoning salt, and cayenne in a big bowl. A few at a time, remove the wings from the brine and toss them in the flour mixture until coated really well, then place on a tray while you coat the rest.

When the oil is ready, turn the heat up to medium-high and carefully slip in the wings, frying just enough so that there’s still plenty of space between each wing. (If it feels safer, use tongs to add the wings; whatever you do, don’t just drop them in! Splashing hot oil is bad.)

Fry the wings until golden and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes, per batch. Drain the wings on plenty of paper towels. Let the oil come back to temperature between batches and fry the rest of the chicken in batches.

Make the smoked honey butter: While the chicken is frying, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in the honey. Once the honey is fully incorporated into the butter, add the smoked paprika. Continue stirring until combined.

Pour half of the smoked honey butter into a medium bowl. Place the wings in the bowl and toss with the smoked honey butter.

Make the pancakes: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter until blended. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until the dry is just incorporated; there should be no dry flour spots, but the batter will be lumpy and thick (that is the way it is supposed to be!).

Shortcut: Use our Buttermilk Mochi Pancake and Waffle Mix instead! Follow package directions.

Preheat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes. Generously rub the griddle with salted butter and heat until it’s foamy.

Use a ¹⁄3-cup measure to ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle or skillet, as many as will fit comfortably. Cook until bubbles poke through the pancakes and the edges start to get a little lacy and brown, about 3 minutes.

Flip the pancakes, and while the underside is cooking, generously coat the browned tops of the pancakes with some salted butter. When the pancakes are finished (another 2–2½ minutes), transfer them to a plate. Wipe the griddle or skillet clean and repeat with fresh butter and the remaining batter.

Add the fried chicken to the plate and drizzle pancakes with smoked honey butter.