Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffles
&
Peach Bourbon Smash
A note from us
This menu started out as a simple idea. We’d never fried chicken from scratch, and we had a craving for something crispy and Southern while peaches are still hanging on at the end of summer. Bourbon peaches and hot honey butter made it feel a little extra special, and a Peach Bourbon Smash on the side was exactly the drink this meal was asking for.
Then we found out Dolly had passed, and suddenly this menu felt like more than the dinner we happened to have planned. We didn’t choose chicken and waffles with her in mind, but something about making such a joyful, unmistakably Southern meal this week felt like a fitting little way to honor her.
Dolly grew up just down the road from us here in East Tennessee, and she has always been one of the things we’re proudest of about this place. She was ours, but she somehow belonged to everybody. The world loved her, and the world just won’t be quite the same without that beautiful spirit filling it up.
So this week, we’re setting the table for Dolly. This one’s for her. 🤍
Kevin & Kate
The Cocktail
Peach Bourbon Smash
The Menu
Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffles
Cook Along with Us
Your Weekly Essentials
Everything you’ll need to make this meal — plus a few pantry staples you probably already have.
If you have the time, let the chicken soak in the buttermilk for 2 to 4 hours instead of the minimum 30 minutes. The extra time makes for even more tender, flavorful chicken.
This week we're playing Dolly's greatest hits in her honor. A voice like hers only comes around once.
notes from the kitchen
Just a few kitchen tips to make the most of this week's ingredients and flavors.
NO WAFFLE IRON, NO PROBLEM
Skip the homemade waffles if you don't have an iron and use a good frozen waffle instead, just toast until deeply golden and crisp. The
CHICKEN BREAST WORKS TOO
Prefer chicken breast to thighs? It works here, you'll just want to pound it out to an even thickness first so it cooks evenly, and it may need a minute or two longer in the oil to reach 165°F.
THE BUTTERMILK TRICK
Don't skip drizzling that extra tablespoon of buttermilk into the dredge. Rubbing it through with your fingers creates little craggy clumps of flour, and those are what fry up into the crispiest bits on the chicken.
FOR THAT CLASSIC SOUTHERN CRUST
If you like your fried chicken really crispy and traditional, press the chicken firmly into the dredge and make sure it's well coated on all sides. A generous, heavy coating is what gets you there.
OUR GO-TO FOR FRYING
Look for an electric skillet with an oil core, meaning the heating element runs through the base itself rather than around the edges of the pan. It gives you more even heat across the whole surface, so the oil stays at a steady 350 degrees and you're not constantly adjusting the burner or checking a thermometer. These pop up secondhand on eBay fairly often and are usually a good deal cheaper there than buying new. → Shop our favorite electric skillet
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We hope you enjoy this week's menu. And as always,
Keep the Plates Full and the Spark Alive
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