Southern Soul Food Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Chicken and Waffles
Crispy buttermilk-fried chicken stacked on a golden, fluffy waffle and drizzled with warm maple syrup for the ultimate sweet-and-savory comfort plate.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Crispy
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Submerge the chicken thighs in 1 cup buttermilk with 1 teaspoon salt and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to tenderize and season the meat.
- 2
Whisk together 1.5 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and the paprika, then dredge each marinated thigh in the seasoned flour, pressing firmly so the coating adheres.
- 3
Heat oil to 350°F in a deep skillet and fry the chicken for 12-14 minutes, turning once, until the crust is deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then drain on a wire rack.
- 4
For the waffles, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup flour with the baking powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt, then stir in the eggs and remaining 1 cup buttermilk until just combined.
- 5
Pour the batter into a preheated, greased waffle iron and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp and golden.
- 6
Place a hot waffle on each plate, top with a piece of fried chicken, and finish with a generous drizzle of warm maple syrup.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
77/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving585
Calories
47 g
Protein
54 g
Carbs
18 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Chicken and waffles pairs crisp fried chicken with a fluffy waffle and maple syrup, a sweet-and-savory combination popularized in Harlem supper clubs in the 1930s and later cemented as a soul food and Southern brunch icon. The dish bridges a late-night supper and an early breakfast, which is part of why fried chicken and a breakfast waffle ended up on the same plate.
Listahan note
This version brines the chicken in buttermilk first for tender, seasoned meat, then fries it to a deep golden 165F crust, and keeps the waffle batter barely mixed so it stays light against the rich chicken.
Technique cues
- Soaking the thighs in salted buttermilk for at least 30 minutes both seasons and tenderizes the meat, and its acidity helps the flour coating cling.
- Pressing the seasoned flour firmly onto the marinated chicken builds the craggy crust that fries up shatteringly crisp.
- Stirring the waffle batter only until just combined leaves it slightly lumpy, which keeps the waffles tender; overmixing develops gluten and makes them tough.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Mix and rest the waffle batter while the chicken finishes its buttermilk brine so both are ready together.
- Make-ahead
- Brine the chicken the night before; the longer soak only makes it more tender and seasoned.
- Leftover move
- Reheat leftover fried chicken in the oven and freeze extra waffles to toast straight from frozen.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack over a sheet pan, which doubles as the holding tray and catches drips.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
bone-in chicken thighs
Main protein
Purpose: Dark meat on the bone stays juicy through the 12-14 minute fry where breast would dry out.
Handling: Brine in buttermilk, then dredge and press the flour on firmly.
Adaptation: Boneless thighs fry faster, in about 8-10 minutes; just watch for a 165F internal temperature.
buttermilk
Brine and batter liquid
Purpose: It tenderizes and seasons the chicken and gives the waffles their tang and rise.
Handling: Divide it: one cup brines the chicken, one cup goes into the waffle batter.
Adaptation: Milk soured with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar stands in for both jobs.
all-purpose flour
Coating and waffle base
Purpose: It forms both the chicken's crisp crust and the structure of the waffles.
Handling: Season the dredge flour with salt and paprika; keep the waffle flour barely mixed.
Adaptation: A cup-for-cup gluten-free blend works for both, though the crust crisps slightly less.
eggs
Waffle binder
Purpose: They give the waffles structure and richness so they hold up under the chicken and syrup.
Handling: Stir them into the batter just until combined.
Adaptation: A flax egg can bind the waffles but yields a denser, less crisp result.
maple syrup
Finishing sweet
Purpose: Its sweetness against the salty fried chicken is the whole point of the dish.
Handling: Warm it so it pours thin and soaks into the waffle.
Adaptation: Hot honey adds a spicy edge that plays well with the savory chicken.
Technique notes
- Hold the fry oil at 350F; too cool and the crust turns greasy, too hot and it browns before the meat reaches 165F.
- Rest the fried chicken on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the underside stays crisp instead of steaming.
- Heat the waffle iron fully before pouring so the first waffle crisps as well as the rest.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour for both the dredge and the waffle batter; expect a slightly lighter crust.
- Dairy-free direction
- Brine and batter with a plant milk soured with lemon juice in place of buttermilk; the tang and tenderizing carry over.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use boneless thighs and a toaster of frozen waffles to assemble the plate in a fraction of the time.
Serve alongside
- Collard greens
- Mac and cheese
- Spiced candied bacon
- Fruit salad
- Hot coffee
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice
- Spiced chai
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate fried chicken and waffles separately up to 3 days.
- Reheat the chicken on a rack in a 190C (375F) oven to re-crisp and toast the waffles directly in a toaster.
- Freeze cooked waffles up to 2 months and toast from frozen; fried chicken is best eaten fresh.
Equipment
- Deep skillet or Dutch oven
- Waffle iron
- Wire cooling rack
- Instant-read thermometer
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