Fried Chicken and Waffles
Buttermilk marinated chicken thighs fried until crisp, served on waffles with a warm honey butter drizzle.
Equipment
- Deep pot or fryer
- deep fry thermometer
- Wire rack
- Waffle iron
- Shallow dish
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp kosher salt for the marinade
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper for the marinade
- 1 tbsp garlic powder for the marinade
- 1 tbsp hot sauce optional
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper for the marinade
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder for the coating
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt for the coating
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper for the coating
- 4 cup vegetable oil for deep frying, about 2 to 3 inches deep in the pot
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper for the sauce
- 1 pinch kosher salt for the sauce
- 6 waffles homemade or your favorite waffle recipe
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
Instructions
Cooking
- Marinate. Soak the thighs in the seasoned buttermilk, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Coat. Dredge in the seasoned flour, dip back in buttermilk, and coat again. Rest on a rack 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fry. Fry in 350 degrees F oil, in batches, 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and 165 degrees F inside. Drain on a rack.
- Make the sauce. Heat the honey, butter, cayenne, and salt until just simmering.
- Cook the waffles. Cook waffles in a hot iron until golden and cool on a rack.
- Assemble. Top each waffle with chicken, drizzle with honey butter, and garnish with thyme.
Notes
Substitutions: Maple syrup can replace honey, and chicken breasts can replace thighs.
Tips: Keep the oil at 350 degrees F and cook the chicken to 165 degrees F. Rest the coated pieces before frying.
Storage: Refrigerate the components separately for 3 to 4 days and reheat the chicken to 165 degrees F.