This is the very best fried chicken and waffles recipe. It combines easy fried chicken, mini waffles, and maple butter to create chicken and waffle sliders! Mini chicken and waffles is the perfect appetizer for your next get-together.
Fried Chicken and Waffles drizzled with syrup is distinctly a southern favorite that has grown to cross many culinary boundaries. We hope you love this version as much as we do!
Fried chicken and waffles are part of the soul food tradition and it runs deep. I don't quite remember the first time I made chicken and waffles, but can tell you that this chicken and waffles recipe is easily my favorite.
When I say this is the best chicken and waffles recipe I've ever made, I'm not kidding! Like a sandwich, I can easily hold one of these chicken waffles in my hand and the taste and texture is fantastic to say the least!
Eat these chicken and waffle sliders once and you can forget about eating a chicken "sandwich" any other way. So, give this fun and flavorful easy chicken and waffles recipe a try!
Make fried chicken and waffles for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Any fried chicken and waffles recipe wouldn't be complete without a sweet syrup. Our version uses a spreadable maple butter to help your sliders hold together, and of course the extra flavor.
If you're interested in trying a maple butter with pecans too I hope you'll try our amazing maple pecan butter.
Our chicken and waffle slider recipe wouldn't be complete though without a drizzle of syrup, and we have some terrific homemade syrup recipes for you. Kick it up a notch with our Spicy Maple Syrup or Mustard Maple Syrup, and you'll go nuts for this sweet Butter Pecan Syrup.
Though chicken and waffles are a meal on their own, you might want a side dish or two to serve. Try serving with Sauteed Spinach or Fried potatoes or Onion rings.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Fried chicken and waffles can get a little messy. This sliders version is easy to eat. Our recipe has a maple butter that spreads over the waffle for less mess, and is great with just that, if you need to omit the syrup drizzle.
- Perfect for a tailgate bash or house party, chicken and waffles are a super fun weekend treat for friends and family alike.
- The crispy fried chicken and fluffy waffles are a great combination of textures.
- Kids love these mini chicken and waffles too!
Ingredients in Chicken and Waffles
A simple recipe calls for simple ingredients. It doesn't get any simpler than that. The items listed below will have you creating homemade waffles with unbelievable flavor and taste!
- Buttermilk: Tenderizes chicken and helps make the outside nice and crispy.
- Hot sauce: Balances the sweetness without making this dish too spicy.
- Salt & Pepper: Simply seasoned chicken is what you want.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: 2-inch pieces are perfect for sliders.
- Maple syrup: A less messy and delicious alternative to maple syrup.
- Salted butter: Softened butter blends best with the maple syrup.
- Cooking spray
- All-purpose baking mix like Jiffy or Bisquick.
- Canola oil: Use any good, mild vegetable oil for frying the chicken.
- Water: To make the waffles.
- All-purpose flour: For dredging the chicken.
How to Make the Best Chicken and Waffles Recipe
Here are the step-by-step photos and instructions for making this hand held fried chicken and waffles recipe. For the complete instructions, check the recipe card further down on the page.
Chicken
- Pull out and measure all of your ingredients.
- Gather together buttermilk, hot sauce and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add chicken and whisk until blended.
4. Cover and refrigerate the chicken mixture, allowing it to soak overnight or for at least two hours.
Maple Butter
5. Make the maple butter to spread over the completed dish. In a small mixing bowl, combine maple syrup and butter.
6. Stir until creamy and smooth. Syrup and butter can be also combined over low heat to reach desired consistency if you wish.
Making the Waffles
7. Preheat mini waffle maker and coat with cooking spray. Bring out your all purpose baking mix, water and oil.
8. Combine all-purpose baking mix with 4 tablespoons of oil and water.
9. Mix until smooth.
10. Pour ¼ cup of waffle batter into each cavity of the waffle maker.
11. Cook according to the machine’s recommendation or until golden brown.
12. Set mini waffles aside to cool.
Frying the Chicken
13. Over medium heat, begin to heat the remaining oil.
14. Using a resealable bag, combine the flour and season with salt and pepper.
15. Remove chicken mixture from the refrigerator and place 8-10 pieces of chicken in the flour mixture one at a time. Zip the bag shut.
16. Shake until chicken is coated evenly with flour.
17. Remove chicken pieces from the bag and repeat for all remaining chicken pieces.
18. Once oil is hot, carefully lower the pieces of chicken into the oil and cook on each side for 5 minutes.
19. Remove chicken pieces and set on paper towel to drain excess oil. After all the pieces of chicken have been fried, start assembling your sliders.
Assemble Chicken Waffle Sliders
20. At your workstation, place maple butter, sliders and chicken.
21. Coat each waffle with Maple Butter. Wedge 1-2 pieces of chicken between two sliders.
22. Drizzle with maple syrup. Enjoy every bite!
Substitutions
- Don’t have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this recipe for Fried Chicken and Waffles Sliders.
- Fried Chicken: If you simply don't have time to fry the chicken yourself, you can substitute fresh for fried chicken tenders from the deli at your grocery store. Just cut them into 2-inch pieces.
- Don't want to use chicken breast? Chicken breast is going to be the easiest to prep and cook, but using chicken thighs or other parts of the chicken is absolutely fine as long as you remove the bones and are able to coat and fry it.
- Substitute the syrup with honey or pure maple syrup.
Variations
- If you're not a fan of hot sauce, try a little crushed red pepper or chili powder in the buttermilk instead. Remember, a little goes a long way!
- Toppings are terrific for chicken and waffles. Try sliced bananas, whipped cream and cinnamon!
Equipment
All you need are a handful of basic kitchen tools to cook up chicken and waffles.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large, Medium & Small mixing bowls
- Wire whisk
- Medium size bowl
- Silicone spatula
- Mini waffle maker
- Wooden Board
- Frying Pan
- Plate
Storage
- Refrigerator: You can store the chicken and waffles separately, once cooled, in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a few days.
- Freezer: You may freeze separately, in airtight containers for up to one month.
- Reheat: Waffles may be placed in the toaster frozen or after slightly thawed. Refrigerated Chicken may be heated in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Allow frozen chicken to thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
What to Serve with Chicken and Waffles
We love chicken and waffles so much we created an entire post including everything we love to serve with it. Hope you enjoy our favorites as much as we all do.
Tips
Want to personalize this chicken and waffles recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- So the waffles don’t stick, make certain that you spray the waffle iron. No one wants a half waffle or a messed up waffle with their slider! And you want the waffle to look like one, right?
- Give your chicken time to marinate so that it’s good and all the flavors have had time to soak in. A minimum of 2 hours would be okay, but overnight is best and will give you the utmost flavor.
- Letting your waffles cool is key and will help them firm up a bit. This will also give them the right texture that pairs perfectly with the chicken for a nice crisp bite.
FAQ
Do you have questions about fried chicken and waffle sliders? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about chicken and waffles.
The answer is most definitely yes. This is a soul food brunch dish that everybody loves. If you haven't had it, the concept of the dish might seem strange, but give it a try. You are likely to love it!
To get you started, the great part about making waffles is that you can use a sort of "cheater". If you want waffles fast, the best baking mixes out there are Jiffy or Bisquick.
You can, and most do. If you don't want yours quite so messy, use the syrup as a dipping sauce on the side. It's really up to you how you ant to eat it.
What does chicken and waffles taste like?
With it's perfectly crisp and crunchy combination of savory and sweet flavors, eating a chicken and waffle slider is how I imagine heaven would be. Waffles being the bun for your piece of chicken breast are absolutely scrumptious. Comparing them to buns is no contest.
Sometimes you don't want a meal to end and this AMAZING fried chicken and waffles recipe is one of them.
More Chicken Recipes
Can't say enough good things about chicken. If you want more chicken recipes, try Captain Crunch Chicken or Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta or KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Copycat Recipe (KFC Chicken Bowl)
Best Chicken and Waffle Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 1-½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 2 inch pieces
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 stick salted butter at room temperature
- cooking spray
- 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
- 2 cups canola oil, plus 4 tablespoons, divided
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Pull out and measure all of your ingredients.
- Gather together buttermilk, hot sauce and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add chicken and whisk.
- Until blended.
- Cover and refrigerate the chicken mixture, allowing it to soak overnight or for at least two hours.
Maple Butter
- Make the maple butter to spread over the completed dish. In a small mixing bowl, combine maple syrup and butter.
- Stir.
- Until creamy and smooth.
- Syrup and butter can be also combined over low heat to reach desired consistency if you wish.
Making the Waffles
- Preheat mini waffle maker and coat with cooking spray. Bring out your all purpose baking mix, water and oil.
- Combine all-purpose baking mix with 4 tablespoons of oil and water.
- Mix until smooth.
- Pour ¼ cup of waffle batter into each cavity of the waffle maker.
- Cook according to the machine’s recommendation or until golden brown.
- Set mini waffles aside to cool.
Frying the Chicken
- Over medium heat, begin to heat the remaining oil.
- Using a resealable bag, combine the flour and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove chicken mixture from the refrigerator and place 8-10 pieces of chicken in the flour mixture one at a time.
- Zip the bag shut.
- Shake until chicken is coated evenly with flour.
- Remove chicken pieces from the bag and repeat for all remaining chicken pieces.
- Once oil is hot, carefully lower the pieces of chicken into the oil and cook on each side for 5 minutes.
- Remove chicken pieces and set on paper towel to drain excess oil. After all the pieces of chicken have been fried, start assembling your sliders.
Assemble your Sliders
- At your workstation, place maple butter, sliders and chicken.
- Coat each waffle with Maple Butter. Wedge 1-2 pieces of chicken between two sliders.
- Drizzle with maple syrup.
- Enjoy every bite!
Notes
- So the waffles don’t stick, make certain that you spray the waffle iron. No one wants a half waffle or a messed-up waffle with their slider! And you want the waffle to look like one, right?
- Give your chicken time to marinate so that it’s good and all the flavors have had time to soak in. A minimum of 2 hours would be okay, but overnight is best and will give you the utmost flavor.
- Letting your waffles cool is key and will help them firm up a bit. This will also create a texture that pairs perfectly with the chicken for a nice crisp bite.
Nutrition
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