Classic Chicken and Waffles
A beloved American breakfast featuring crispy fried chicken paired with fluffy waffles. This recipe delivers juicy, well-seasoned chicken with a crunchy coating served alongside golden buttermilk waffles, drizzled with maple syrup for a comforting start to your day.
Ingredients
Check ingredients as you go.
- Chicken
- Frying
- Waffles
- Serving
Let’s make it
Chicken
In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight.
Chicken
In a separate large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt for coating the chicken.
Frying
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy skillet to 175°C (350°F). Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, then dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing to coat well.
Frying
Fry chicken in batches without crowding until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Maintain oil temperature. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.
Waffles
While the chicken marinates, prepare waffle batter by whisking flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Waffles
In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract (if using). Gradually combine wet ingredients into dry and mix until smooth. Let batter rest 5 minutes.
Waffles
Preheat and grease waffle iron. Pour batter to cover waffle iron surface and cook until golden brown and crisp on the outside, 4-5 minutes, depending on waffle iron.
Serving
Serve hot fried chicken on top of freshly made waffles. Drizzle with maple syrup to taste and enjoy immediately.
Tips & notes
Marinate chicken overnight to maximize flavor and tenderness. Maintain oil temperature to ensure crispy exterior and properly cooked inside. Rest waffle batter briefly before cooking to improve texture.
Saving it for later
Store leftover fried chicken and waffles separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Consume within 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat chicken in a hot oven (about 190°C/375°F) on a wire rack until heated through and crispy, about 10-12 minutes. Warm waffles in a toaster or oven for a few minutes until crisp.
