Chicken and Waffles
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My homemade Chicken and Waffles Recipe is crispy, juicy fried chicken served on top of warm, fluffy waffles and drizzled with spicy honey butter. This classic soul food combo is comfort on a plate. Whether you’re serving it for brunch, dinner, or a special treat, this dish combines savory, sweet, and spicy in the most satisfying way.
Table of Contents
- Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- In Photos: How To Make
- More Homemade Favorites
The waffles are golden and tender with a hint of vanilla, while the chicken boasts an ultra-crispy coating and flavorful, juicy meat thanks to a quick brine and seasoned flour. Topped with a buttery hot honey sauce, every bite is a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The chicken is brined and battered for extra flavor and tenderness.
- Sparkling water makes the batter light and crisp without being greasy.
- The waffles are soft inside, crisp outside, and come together in minutes.
- Spicy honey butter drizzle brings the whole dish together with just the right heat and sweetness.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Waffles:
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base for a light and fluffy texture.
- Granulated sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness.
- Baking powder: Gives the waffles a nice rise.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Buttermilk: Adds tang and tenderness.
- Unsalted butter: Brings richness and flavor.
- Eggs: Bind everything and provide structure.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warm, aromatic depth.
For the Fried Chicken:
Brine:
- Chicken tenderloins: Juicy, fast-cooking, and ideal for frying.
- Hot sauce: Infuses flavor and a little kick.
- Water: Helps distribute the seasoning.
- Kosher salt: Seasoning and tenderizing.
Batter:
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the wet coating.
- Kosher salt: Enhances flavor.
- Garlic powder: Adds depth.
- Eggs: Helps bind the coating.
- Sparkling water: Creates a light and airy texture.
Seasoned Flour:
- All-purpose flour: For coating and crunch.
- Kosher salt: Balances and enhances the seasoning.
- Ground white pepper: Adds subtle heat.
- Onion powder: Boosts savory flavor.
- Paprika: Adds color and mild spice.
- Dry mustard: Adds tangy complexity.
- Ground black pepper: More kick and depth.
- Garlic powder: Doubles down on flavor.
- Ground thyme: Offers an herby note.
Additionally:
- Oil for frying: Use a neutral, high-heat oil like peanut or vegetable oil.
For the Spicy Honey Butter Drizzle:
In Photos: How To Make
Step 1: Make the Waffles
Preheat your waffle iron. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Create a well in the center and add buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Fold gently until mostly combined with a few lumps remaining. Cook about 1 cup of batter at a time until golden brown, around 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 2: Brine the Chicken
Whisk together hot sauce, water, and salt. Submerge the chicken tenderloins and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Step 3: Prepare the Batter and Seasoned Flour
In a bowl, mix flour, salt, and garlic powder, then whisk in eggs and sparkling water gradually to form a thin batter. In a separate bowl, combine seasoned flour ingredients and stir in a few spoonfuls of the batter to create a shaggy texture.
Step 4: Fry the Chicken
Heat about an inch of oil to 325 to 375°F. Remove chicken from the brine, dip in batter, then coat in seasoned flour. Fry until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 5 to 15 minutes depending on size.
Step 5: Make the Spicy Honey Butter
Melt butter in a small pot over low heat. Whisk in honey and hot sauce until fully blended.
Step 6: Assemble and Serve
Top each waffle with a piece of fried chicken and a generous drizzle of spicy honey butter. Serve immediately.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Keep your waffles warm and crispy by placing them on a wire rack in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.
- Use a thermometer to keep your oil temperature steady. This helps the chicken cook evenly and stay crisp.
- If you’re short on time, hit the easy button. Use frozen waffles, pre-cooked chicken tenders, or bottled hot honey to get a similar flavor with half the effort.
- Marinate the chicken overnight for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Make the spicy honey butter ahead and store it in the fridge. Just rewarm before serving.
More Homemade Favorites
- How to Make Homemade Marshmallows
- Homemade Pasta Recipe
- Homemade Chicken Cheesesteak Recipe
- Homemade Oreos
- Homemade Soft Pretzel Recipe
Chicken and Waffles
Ingredients
For the Waffles:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Fried Chicken:
Brine:
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Batter:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sparkling water
Seasoned Flour:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
- 1/1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
Additionally:
- oil for frying
Equipment
- waffle maker
Instructions
To Make the Waffles:
- Preheat the waffle maker.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla.
- Fold together until mostly blended but still a little lumpy.
- Place about 1 cup of waffle batter into the hot waffle maker and cook until golden brown (about 2 to 3 minutes).
To Make the Fried Chicken:
- Combine the hot sauce, water, and salt in a large bowl or plastic bag.
- Drop the chicken tenderloins into the brine to coat, and allow them to marinate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Place the flour, salt, and garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Whisk in the eggs and sparkling water a little at a time, until a thin batter forms.
- Whisk the flour, salt, white pepper, onion powder, paprika, dry mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, and ground thyme together in a large bowl.
- Stir in a few spoonfuls of the batter, until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Heat about an inch of oil to between 325 and 375 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken tenderloins from the brine and coat them first in batter, then in seasoned flour.
- Fry the chicken (turning) until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (approximately 5 to 15 minutes).
To Make the Spicy Honey Butter Drizzle:
- Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat.
- Whisk in the honey and hot sauce until blended.
