Chicken and Waffles
Chicken and waffles bring together crispy, juicy fried chicken with soft, fluffy waffles, topped with maple syrup or honey butter. A Southern classic that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!
Equipment
- Deep Fryer or Heavy-Duty Skillet
- Waffle Maker
- Tongs
- Wire Rack with Baking Sheet
- Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
Crispy Fried Chicken
- 4 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 2 cups buttermilk for marination
- 1 tbsp hot sauce optional, for slight kick
- 2 cups all-purpose flour for coating
- ½ cup cornstarch for extra crispiness
- 1 tsp baking powder for a light crust
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper optional, for heat
- 2-3 cups vegetable oil for frying
Fluffy Waffles
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups buttermilk for a rich texture
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Place chicken in a bowl and marinate with buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper.
- Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Coat in flour mixture, pressing to adhere.
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep skillet. Fry chicken in batches for 12-15 minutes (bone-in) or 6-8 minutes (boneless) until golden brown and cooked through.
- Drain fried chicken on a wire rack to keep it crispy.
- Preheat waffle iron. In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, beat eggs, then add buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.
- Grease waffle iron and pour batter. Cook waffles until golden and crisp.
- Serve fried chicken on waffles with maple syrup, honey butter, or hot sauce.
Notes
- For extra crunch, double-dip chicken in buttermilk and flour before frying.
- Keep waffles warm in a 200°F oven to maintain crispiness.
