Combine 1 cup buttermilk (reserve 3 tbsp) with paprika, black pepper, and 1/2 the garlic powder and cayenne in a Ziploc bag. Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt as well. Mix well then add chicken. Marinate for 2-12 hours in the refrigerator.
Whisk flour, corn starch, a pinch of kosher salt, baking powder and dried ginger and mustard together in a large, shallow bowl. Sprinkle about 4 tbsp of your marinade into the flour mix.
Using your fingers work the marinade around in the flour until you get some dry chunks in there. These chunks will lend to the crispiness of your fried chicken
Setup your breading station. In addition to your craggy flour mix you'll combine your eggs and the remaining buttermilk in another bowl. Also have a third empty plate to place your breaded chicken fingers.
Place each piece of chicken in the flour first, then the egg wash, then the flour again. Make sure to get those crags stuck to your chicken fingers. To prevent all the clumps to sticking to your actual fingers use one hand for dry ingredients and another for the wet ingredients. For a good explanation on this method check out http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/02/the-food-lab-all-american-eggplant-parmesan.html
Pile your chicken on the plate. I didn't separate my chicken fingers and it led to a lot of stickage as the breading got moist. So I recommend separating the chicken fingers and stacking with sheets of parchment paper. Go ahead an add your oil to a large cast iron dutch oven or skillet at this point and heat to about 340F.
Whisk together 2 cups of AP flour, baking soda, baking powder and powdered sugar. Then add the wet ingredients: melted butter, 2 cups buttermilk, egg whites, and maple and vanilla extracts. Whisk until smooth.
Fry up your chicken fingers in the preheated oil. You're looking for a golden brown fried-chickeny looking color about 4 minutes on one side. Using tongs, carefully agitate the chicken so you don't get any hotspots sticking to the pan. At 4 minutes flip you're chicken fingers and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Repeat for all the chicken.
Stick the bamboo skewers into each individual chicken finger. You've not got chicken on a stick.
Pre-heat a waffle iron and spray with cooking spray. Pour a little waffle mix in the bottom of the iron, about halfway to what you would use to make a regular waffles. Put two chicken skewers down on the iron (one on each half. Pour about half the amount of the original pour over the chicken.
Close waffle iron and cook according to your waffle-ironing instructions. Try not to pour too much as you will have waffle mix all over your counter (I know this from experience). These waffles will puff up about twice the size of the batter when cooked. Split the waffles, sprinkle with maple syrup or dip in ketchup. It's chicken and a waffle, you can do that. Enjoy!
