Chicken and waffles at 'Sweet Chick' in Brooklyn

WILLIAMSBURG, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Chicken and Waffles are said to have gotten their start in Harlem in the 1920s, and now that dish is the premise for a Brooklyn restaurant.

There are two locations, but the one featured in "Neighborhood Eats" is the Williamsburg location at 164 Bedford Avenue at North 8th Street.

"I did the research and there was no spot in New York that did chicken and waffles and owning it," said John Seymour, owner of Sweet Chick.

Seymour first opened in Williamsburg where he lives, and opened a second location on the Lower East Side. At both spots chicken and waffles are the draw, but in ways you might not expect.

"We do a Buffalo chicken and waffles, a Nashville hot chicken and waffles, a jerk chicken and waffles, and a blackened chicken and waffles," Seymour said.

The Buffalo version for example has carrots, celery and blue cheese in the waffle.

When it comes to the chicken, there's a reason they call it "Sweet Chick."

"All the chicken at Sweet Chick, whether it's in a sandwich or on a waffle is marinated in a sweet tea brine for 24 hours, that really brings out some great flavors," Seymour said.

Then there's the coating: a flour seasoned with a mix of cayenne paprika and thyme, some corn starch is added for extra crispiness.

The chicken is dredged in the flour, dunked in an egg wash and back into the flour before it hits the fryer. For the chicken sandwich, it's topped with slaw and a hot honey.

There are other items that have a southern leaning like the shrimp and grits, bacon laced bloody marys, and waffles for every taste at Sweet Chick.

"We want to make sure people leave here thinking this is the greatest restaurant in the history of the world," Seymour said.

Sweet Chick Batter for Fried Chicken Recipe

For the flour component:

C Sweet Chick Spice Blend (Paprika, Thyme, Black Pepper, Cayenne, Salt in equal parts)

2.5C Flour

1/2C Corn Starch

1/4 Milk Powder

1.5 T Sugar

For the egg mixture:

4 Egg Whites

1/4C Buttermilk

3T Flour

1T Sweet Chick Spice Blend

Take your chicken (you can use breast, drumstick-whatever piece you'd like)

First coat chicken in the flour, then in the egg mixture, then again in the flour.

Deep fry each piece.