Chicken and Waffles
Experience the ultimate sweet and savory comfort food combination with crispy fried chicken perched atop fluffy homemade waffles.
Ingredients
- •2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally (or 4 bone-in chicken thighs)
- •1 cup buttermilk (240ml)
- •1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- •1 tablespoon paprika
- •1 teaspoon garlic powder
- •1 teaspoon onion powder
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- •2 cups neutral oil for frying (such as canola or vegetable oil)
- •2 cups all-purpose flour (250g) for the waffles
- •1 tablespoon baking powder
- •2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- •1/2 teaspoon salt
- •2 large eggs
- •1 3/4 cups milk (420ml)
- •1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (115g)
- •1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- •Warm maple syrup for serving
- •Softened butter for serving
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them, ensuring they are fully submerged, and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
- 2
In a shallow dish, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- 3
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting any excess drip off, and dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
- 4
Heat the neutral oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- 5
Carefully fry the chicken in batches for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), then transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- 6
Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- 7
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt for the waffle batter.
- 8
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- 9
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until combined, leaving a few small lumps.
- 10
Ladle the batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crisp, usually about 4 to 5 minutes.
- 11
To serve, place warm waffles on plates, top each with a piece of crispy fried chicken, and serve immediately with butter and warm maple syrup on the side.
💡 Chef tips
- For extra crispy chicken, let the dredged chicken rest on a wire rack for 15 minutes before frying to let the coating set.
- Keep cooked waffles warm in a 200 degrees F (90 degrees C) oven directly on the wire rack while you finish frying the chicken.
- Leftover waffles can be frozen and popped into the toaster for a quick weekday breakfast.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish should feature deeply golden, shatteringly crisp chicken sitting on top of light, golden-brown waffles, filling the kitchen with a rich, buttery, and savory aroma that balances perfectly with sweet maple syrup.