Description
Southern comfort meets culinary artistry in this Chicken and Waffles masterpiece, blending crispy buttermilk-marinated chicken with golden, fluffy waffles. Rich flavors and contrasting textures invite you to savor a classic dish that celebrates comfort and indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 4 boneless chicken thighs or breasts
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Breading and Seasoning:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
Waffle Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (separated)
- 1.75 cups milk
- 0.5 cup butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Serving Ingredients:
- Butter (softened)
- Maple syrup
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate chicken pieces in buttermilk, salt, black pepper, and hot sauce for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator to enhance flavor and tenderness.
- Combine flour, cayenne, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow dish for coating the chicken.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off, then thoroughly coat each piece in the seasoned flour mixture.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F, ensuring the oil is deep enough to fully submerge chicken pieces.
- Carefully lower breaded chicken into hot oil and fry until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, approximately 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking.
- Remove fried chicken and drain on a wire rack or paper towels to eliminate excess oil.
- Prepare waffle batter by mixing dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, salt) separately from wet ingredients (eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla).
- Combine wet and dry ingredients gently, stirring until just incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Preheat waffle iron to medium-high heat and lightly grease with cooking spray or melted butter.
- Pour batter into waffle iron, cooking until crisp and golden brown, typically 3-4 minutes.
- Plate crispy waffles and top with fried chicken pieces.
- Drizzle warm maple syrup over the chicken and waffles, serving immediately for the best texture and temperature.
Notes
- Marinate chicken in buttermilk overnight for deeper flavor and more tender meat, ensuring juiciness and improved texture.
- Use a cast-iron skillet for extra crispy exterior when frying chicken, distributing heat evenly and creating perfect golden-brown crust.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or hot sauce to breading mix for those who enjoy a spicy kick, allowing customizable heat levels for different taste preferences.
- Separate egg whites when making waffles to achieve lighter, fluffier texture by whipping them separately before folding into batter.
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 825 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg