Fried Chicken and Cornmeal Pancakes

I have to say, that I had a wonderful weekend! Our oldest daughter came home and it was the first time we've had a weekend alone together in a very long time. A family fried was getting married and my husband was out of town for work, so our daughter came home to attend the wedding with me. Her husband had to work so she came alone. We stayed up way too late talking and laughing and catching up!! Sunday, I cooked brunch for her before she headed back home. She sat at the kitchen table while I cooked and we chatted, nonstop. So there's no step-by-step pictures this time. But this is a GREAT and EASY recipe and there is a picture of the finished product!

I made the fried chicken tenders first, because you can easily keep them warm in the oven. I mixed the dry ingredients for the pancakes while the chicken was frying. It's very easy to have everything warm and ready at the same time if you do it this way. 

Here's the recipe:

Crispy Breakfast Chicken Fingers

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 3/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

a pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, substitute 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar per cup of whole milk)

2 large eggs

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins

canola oil for frying

Whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the eggs. 

Toss chicken, one piece at a time, in flour mixture. Dip in buttermilk mixture, then toss again in flour mixture. Let coated chicken stand in flour mixture for 10 minutes. 

Prepare to keep the chicken warm by preheating your oven to 175 degrees. Set a wire rack over a paper towel lined baking sheet. Heat your canola oil in a deep skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. When a little flour sprinkled in the oil begins to sizzle, your oil is hot enough. Fry chicken in batches (don't overcrowd your skillet) turning occasionally, until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and keep warm in the oven. The wire rack allows air to circulate and prevents the chicken from becoming soggy. 

Cornmeal Pancakes

1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp kosher salt

2 1/4 cups buttermilk

3 large eggs

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (plus more for the griddle)

Whisk together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture just until blended and smooth. 

Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Butter the surface. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Cook until the top bubbles and edges look dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. If needed, you can place pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and keep warm in the 175 degree oven up to 30 minutes.