A little spicy, a lot of flavor!
This Mardi Gras chicken is the answer to “what should we have for dinner?” It’s fast to make, no fuss, and absolutely delicious. This recipe is with chaffles, but the chicken pairs well with almost anything: broccoli, salad, or even fries. Since I’m making it with waffles, I’m calling for boneless, but the rub goes superb with wings, bone in thighs, and even an entire chicken – but the beauty is with the thighs. Darker meat really shines as you can set it in the oven and just let it cook as it takes a lot to overcook dark meat chicken!
What chicken can I use?
You can use any cut of chicken, but dark meat works exceptionally well. Since chicken breasts and tenders tend to have a fine line between juicy, they’re always difficult to cook. However, dark meat is the starling of baking: it’s cheap, difficult to overcook, and full of flavor. Why else? Because if you’re not sure if it’s cooked yet, simply leave it in the oven for another 10-15 minutes – it isn’t likely to dry out.
How long can I store the rub for?
The rub is made up of dried spices – so in reality, it will store for a long long time. Sure flavors decrease over time with dried spices, but I still have spices from over five years ago that I use sparingly. If you plan on storing the rub for a while or simply having some around for when the inspiration strikes, a mason jar works really well as it’s spacious, made of glass, and has a great airtight seal.
To make the rub will require a quite a bit of spices. If you’re looking for measuring spoons, I can highly recommend the Cuisipro Measuring Spoons set – these are a tad on the expensive side, but I absolutely love them (and it should be a lifetime buy).
- They have no edges where food can get caught
- They can stand flat on the counter with ingredients in the bowl (works great when baking and you have a little vanilla extract in there)
- Narrow bowl means no issues getting into most spice jars (except for the tablespoon size, that one is large!)
Mardi Gras Chicken 'N Chaffles (Keto/Low-Carb)
A little spice, a little tang, a little sweet!
Ingredients
Mardi Gras Dry Rub
- 2.5 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dry yellow mustard
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 0.5 tsp paprika
Chicken
- ~4 chicken thighs (boneless)
- olive oil
- Mardi Gras Dry Rub (from up above)
Waffles
- 2 large eggs
- 120g (1 cup) mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp low-carb sweetener
Spiked Sauce
Instructions
Making the Rub
To make the rub, simply combine all the spices in a container (I prefer to use a mason jar). Shake until evenly mixed and then use on whatever dish you'd like! Cap and store any remaining rub for future use.
Making the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/218.333°C.
- Line a baking tray with aluminum foil to catch any grease that will render.
- Clean your chicken thighs by removing any gristle or undesired parts. Dry the chicken with a paper towel and place it onto the foil lined tray.
- Lightly coat the chicken with some olive oil, making sure to flip the thighs and coat both sides.
- Liberally coat the thighs with the rub on both sides.
- Place the chicken into the oven for 30-35 minutes or until you get an internal temp of 165°F/74°C
- Remove and let cool for a minute or two before serving!
Making the Spiked Sauce
The spiked sauce is done to taste, so there are no real measurements per say.
- Cut the butter into small pats and place into an oven save bowl (such as a ramekin)
- While making the chicken, place the bowl with the butter in the oven (or you can use the oven exhaust if it is accessible).
- When the butter is melted, add a splash of whiskey, hot sauce, and sweetener to taste.
- Once you have your sauce right where you want it, get a whisk or a fork. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over top and vigorously whisk until it's well combined . It may not thicken yet, but as it cools, it will give the thicker sauce we want so don't go overboard and add more xanthan gum, otherwise, you'll basically end up with a thick jam type of consistency!)
- Set aside for now and let cool a bit.
Making the Waffles
This recipe makes 4 wafffles - 2 per person.
- About 10 minutes before the chicken is done cooking, into a blender, add your mozzarella, almond flour, and sweetener. Blend until you have a coarse flour like texture.
- Add the eggs into the mixture and blend again until you have something that resembles pancake batter.
- Using a waffle maker or a Dash Mini, pour the batter into the maker and cook accordingly. You may have to oil the waffle maker with a cooking spray or by using a brush and some butter/oil - this will depend on your waffle maker.
- Cook for about 2 minutes and remove once lightly brown.
- Place the waffle onto a wire rack to cool while you wait for the chicken.
Assembling the Chicken 'N Waffles
Simply place your waffles on a plate, place your chicken on top, and optionally drizzle the spike sauce over the top or pour into a small ramekin and place on the side!
Notes
You can use any chicken cut you like, but boneless thighs work great!
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Nutrition Information
Serving Size 2 thighsAmount Per Serving Calories 206Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 2.6gCholesterol 157mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gProtein 28g
NOTE!!!! The nutrition is ONLY for the 2 chicken thighs with the rub. It does NOT account for the chaffle
Can you use this instead of real ?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X93YBF9/ref=cm_sw_r_u_apa_glt_fabc_94MG6M6G0K9R8XH4P0F1?psc=1
One of these days I’m going to get around to making all these syrups (e.g. maple, honey, etc)
First, I’m so glad I found you! First the pasta recipe, and now this! I can’t wait to make this for my husband! AND, I love that you had Steve in the video – my other favorite Keto chef! Question: My husband prefers thighs with the skin left on – have you tried this recipe with the skin left on. If so, do you have any adjustments?
I actually tend to cook them with the skin on – it’s even better. Crispier and more flavorful! Just make sure to coat it well!
I made this recipe tonight for my non-KETO husband and myself, and it was really good, except the butter sauce separated. I don’t know what I did wrong. Bless me, Dennis, for I have sinned.
The sauce can be a bit wonky as youre basically adding fats and acids. Not sure if you added a little xanthan gum or not, but a little bit helps a lot to keep it homogenized!