Fried chicken and blueberry waffle sandwich (Bojangles copycat)

Buttermilk marinade for chicken: in a medium bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika to 1 cup of buttermilk (add hot sauce if you want extra spice) and whisk to combine. Put two sandwich-sized pieces of chicken into a zip-top bag or bowl with a lid. Pour buttermilk marinade over the chicken and store in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight. 

Blueberry maple syrup: add maple syrup, blueberries, and lemon juice to a small skillet or pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

For the last minute or so, using a spoon or potato masher, mash up the softened blueberries to release more of their juice into the mixture. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the pan or pot from the stove. 

Using a strainer, strain the syrup into a container with a lid to try to remove as many seeds and skins from the syrup as you can. Store in a sealed container or squeeze bottle in the refrigerator for up to a month. 

Blueberry waffles: add all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly.

In another bowl, add the whole egg and beat. Add buttermilk and vegetable/canola oil to the bowl with the egg and stir your wet ingredients to combine.

Add your wet ingredients into the bowl with your dry ingredients and stir just long enough that you no longer see dry flour. This batter does not need to be super smooth a few lumps are ok. Leave the bowl on the counter while you wait for your waffle maker to come to temperature. 

I typically use a heaping 1/4 measure to scoop out my waffles into the waffle maker. Waffle makers are different, so you might need more or less for a perfect waffle. 

Once you have the batter scooped into the waffle maker, quickly add 8 to 10 blueberries scattered across the top. Close the lid and cook.

Once your waffle is cooked according to the device specifics, or once it has turned your favorite shade of tan/brown, remove from the heat to a sheet pan or cookie pan and place in a 200-degree oven to keep the waffles warm until the rest are finished cooking.

Chicken frying: make seasoned flour by combining flour with all the spices, salt, and pepper in a bowl or pan that is large enough for a piece of chicken to lie flat in the flour. 

Remove one piece of chicken at a time from the marinade and dredge in the seasoned flour mixture until thoroughly coated on all sides. Place the fully coated chicken onto a piece of parchment or a sheet pan rack to rest. 

Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Fry each piece of chicken for 6 to 7 minutes or until it reaches 165 degrees F. You'll probably want to fry for 3 minutes on the first side and then flip it to make sure you're getting the level of browning that you want. Continue cooking on the other side. 

After frying, place the finished chicken on a cooling rack over paper towels to drain some of the oil away. 

Sandwich assembly: to build the sandwich, place one blueberry waffle down and top it with a bit of blueberry syrup.

Add the crispy fried chicken cutlet on top, and then top the cutlet with some butter (here's a great hot honey butter recipe) and then more of the blueberry maple syrup.

Close the sandwich with a second blueberry waffle and then serve.