This Crispy Chicken and Waffles recipe brings together the best of both worlds—juicy, golden fried chicken served over light, fluffy waffles. With its perfect balance of sweet and savory, it’s a comfort food classic that works just as well for brunch as it does for dinner.
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🍶 The Ingredients
Made with pantry staples and a touch of Southern charm, this dish uses tangy buttermilk in both the crispy fried chicken and the fluffy waffles for extra flavor and tenderness. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
👉 Substitutions and Variations
Substitutions
- Chicken: Use bone‑in pieces for extra juiciness, or boneless tenders for quicker cooking.
- Buttermilk: Make your own by mixing 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar.
- Flour coating: Swap part of the flour with cornstarch or panko for extra crunch.
- Waffles: Frozen waffles work in a pinch, or use pancake batter if you don’t have a waffle iron.
- Oil for frying: Peanut oil is classic, but canola or vegetable oil works well, too.
Variations
- Spicy kick: Add cayenne or hot sauce to the chicken marinade or batter.
- Savory waffles: Mix in cheddar cheese, chives, or crumbled bacon for a fun twist.
- Sweet touch: Drizzle with warm maple syrup, honey butter, or even hot honey for extra flavor.
- Brunch style: Top with a fried egg or a side of perfect scrambled eggs for a hearty meal.
- Southern flair: Serve with collard greens, mac and cheese, or pickles on the side.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
For extra crunch, drizzle a few spoonfuls of the buttermilk marinade into your seasoned flour and toss with a fork to create little clumps—these bits stick to the chicken and fry up into an ultra‑crispy, craggy coating.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make Crispy Fried Chicken
- Step 1: Stir together the buttermilk, hot sauce, garlic powder, and salt in a large measuring cup, then pour over the chicken in a bowl.
- Step 2: Shake excess buttermilk from the chicken pieces and dredge them in the seasoned flour.
- Step 3: Working in batches, fry the chicken pieces in hot peanut oil (or vegetable oil) until golden and crispy.
- Step 4: Place the fried chicken on a baking rack on a baking sheet while you continue frying. If desired, keep them warm in a low-temp (225°F oven).
🧇 How to Make the Waffles and How to Assemble
- Step 1: Sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 2: Combine the buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix and then stir into the flour mixture.
- Step 3: Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and then fold them into the batter.
- Step 4: Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Step 5: Plate two waffles and then place two crispy chicken pieces on them.
- Step 6: Drizzle with warm maple syrup and serve at once, with more syrup on the side.
Expert Tip
Keep fried chicken warm and crispy while you make the waffles by placing the pieces on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 250°F (120°C) oven. This allows air to circulate, preventing sogginess and keeping the coating crunchy until everything is ready to serve.
🍽️ How To Serve
- Drizzle generously with warm maple syrup for the classic sweet‑meets‑savory combo.
- For an autumnal feast, serve the chicken with pumpkin spice waffles.
- Add a pat of honey butter or hot honey for extra indulgence.
- Serve with a fried egg on top for a hearty brunch twist.
- Pair with fresh fruit or a simple green salad to balance the richness.
- Offer hot sauce on the side for those who like a spicy kick.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Crispy Chicken and Waffles ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the waffles in advance and reheat them in the oven, while the chicken is best fried fresh for maximum crunch.
What’s the best oil for frying Crispy Chicken and Waffles?
Neutral oils with a high smoke point, like peanut, canola, or vegetable oil, work best for frying.
Can I make Crispy Chicken and Waffles without a waffle maker?
Yes, you can use pancake batter cooked on a griddle as a substitute, though the texture will differ from waffles.
How do I store leftovers from Crispy Chicken and Waffles?
Keep chicken and waffles in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat in the oven or air fryer to keep them crisp.
🌞 More Classic Brunch Recipes
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Crispy Chicken and Waffles
Crispy Chicken and Waffles – A Southern classic that pairs golden, crunchy fried chicken with fluffy buttermilk waffles for the ultimate sweet‑and‑savory comfort food.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 1100kcal
Video
Equipment
- Large skillet for frying Preferably 12-inches
Ingredients
For the Crispy Chicken Marinade
- 2½ lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Breading and Frying
- vegetable oil for frying, or peanut oil
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Buttermilk Waffles and Serving
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
- 4 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt regular table salt
- 2½ cups buttermilk
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 3 eggs yolks save the whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg whites
- Cooking spray
- Maple syrup 100% pure, warmed
Instructions
Prepare the Crispy Chicken
- Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs. If desired, cut the thighs in half (this makes them the ideal size for serving on top of the waffles). Place in a large bowl.2½ lbs chicken thighs
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup, mix the buttermilk, hot sauce, garlic powder, and salt. Pour over the chicken and make sure all pieces of chicken are coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or even better, overnight.2 cups buttermilk, 2 tablespoon hot sauce, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Add enough oil to a large sturdy skillet to fill it just over halfway. Heat the oil to 340°F. Preheat oven to 225°F.vegetable oil
- In a medium-sized bowl or platter, stir together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add 5 tablespoons of the chicken marinade to the flour mixture and gently stir until incorporated. There should be clumps that have formed from the marinade in the flour.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoon chili powder, 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Working one chicken thigh at a time, remove the chicken from the marinade, and shake the excess off. Place the thigh in the flour mixture, and turn it several times to fully coat the chicken. Place on a baking rack on a baking sheet and continue with the remaining chicken thighs.
- Working in batches, carefully place the breaded cutlets into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan! Fry until golden brown and very crispy, using metal tongs to carefully flip the cutlets occasionally until the internal temperature is 165°F. Remove from the oil and place on a clean baking rack over a baking pan.
- Continue with the remaining chicken thighs. Keep the fried chicken thighs in the oven until ready to serve.
Prepare the Waffles and Assemble the Dish
- Heat your waffle maker to the desired setting.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal, 4 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.2½ cups buttermilk, 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, 3 eggs yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and whisk or stir with a spoon until combined. The batter will be somewhat lumpy.
- Place the egg whites in a bowl and use a hand mixer at high speed to beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.3 egg whites
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Continue working them into the batter until large chunks of white are no longer visible.
- Spray your waffle maker with cooking spray and follow the manufacturer's instructions for cooking waffles. Carefully transfer the cooked waffles to a platter and cover with foil to keep them warm. Continue this process with the remaining batter.Cooking spray
- Place two waffles on each plate and then top with one or two pieces of chicken. Drizzle warm maple syrup over the top and serve at once with additional syrup passed at the table.Maple syrup
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video near the top of the recipe for visual guidance.
- Make Ahead: Waffles can be made in advance and kept warm in a 200°F oven, while chicken is best fried fresh for maximum crunch.
- Substitutions: No buttermilk? Mix milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. Frozen waffles or pancake batter can work in a pinch.
- Storage & Reheating: Store chicken and waffles separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken in the oven or air fryer to keep it crispy, and waffles in the toaster or oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 1100kcal | Carbohydrates: 118g | Protein: 72g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 498mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 1495mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1696IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 513mg | Iron: 8mg
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Wes says
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs buttermilk-brined overnight make for the perfect crispy fried chicken. The buttermlik waffles made from scratch make for an amazing foundation for the chicken. allcovered with warm maple sryup…MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN!
Kris Longwell says
Yay!!! So glad you enjoyed the chicken and waffles! YUM!!!