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Southern fried chicken and waffles are great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! The fried chicken is super crispy and the waffles are perfectly fluffy, when you combine the two, you get the most incredible meal ever!
I love serving it with lots of cinnamon maple syrup, a glass of milk, or a cup of coffee.
I first tried this dish in Louisianna, and I was instantly hooked. I just knew I had to run home and recreate it my way, so I combined two of my favorite fail-proof recipes, fried chicken and waffles and boy was it good! I just know you and your family will love this!
Table of Contents
INGREDIENT NOTES
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Chicken – You can use up to 4 pounds of chicken with this recipe. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can also use bone-in, skin-on thighs. For boneless, skinless thighs, cook for 6-7 minutes per side. If using bone-in thighs, cook for about 10 minutes per side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°F.
- Buttermilk – A must for both the chicken brine and buttermilk waffles. Use store-bought buttermilk for best results.
- Syrup – Feel free to use store-bought maple syrup or use the cinnamon maple syrup recipe I provide down below.
TOP TIPS
- Be sure to remove the chicken from the fridge at least 30 minutes before frying. You should never fry cold chicken.
- For perfectly cooked fried chicken, use a thermometer to ensure the oil is at 350°F. Cook the chicken over medium heat, if you use high heat, the crust will burn while the inside remains raw.
- Don’t overmix the waffle batter, just mix until well combined. Also, make sure to spray the waffle machine with nonstick spray.
- I highly recommend cooking the waffles as soon as the chicken comes out of the fryer. The chicken needs to rest for 4-5 minutes, which gives you just enough time to cook the waffles since they cook quickly.
- Want to get creative with your waffles? Add some chocolate chips or shredded cheddar cheese for a twist.
- Serve warm with lots of maple syrup for best results!
STORAGE
If you have any leftover fried chicken, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, use the microwave, oven, or air fryer until heated through.
As for the waffles, they tend to get soggy over time, so it’s best to enjoy them right after cooking and avoid keeping any leftovers. However, you can place any leftover waffle batter in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to a few days.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Southern Fried Chicken and Waffles
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs , *check notes*
- vegetable oil or frying
Chicken Brine
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Flour Coating
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Buttermilk Waffles
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Maple Syrup
- 1 cup real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine 1 tbsp salt, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp paprika, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir in the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce.
- Place the chicken in the buttermilk brine and let it marinate for a minimum of 1 hour.
- In a large brown paper bag or freezer bag, combine the flour, cornstarch, 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp of salt, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp paprika, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix well.
- Add 3-4 pieces of chicken at a time to the bag and mix well. Shake the bag! Make sure to discard any excess buttermilk before adding the chicken to the flour mixture. Make sure to coat the chicken very well on both sides!
- Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil over medium heat. The oil should be at 350 degrees F.
- Add the chicken to the frying pan, about 3-4 pieces at a time, shaking off any excess flour, don't overcrowd the skillet. Cook the chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side or until it reaches 165 degrees F. If using bone-in chicken, it will take longer to cook so make sure to cook for 10 minutes on each side or until it reaches 165 degrees F.
- For the waffles: Mix the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and melted butter in a large bowl.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until well combined but do not overmix. Spray the waffle iron with nonstick spray and add about 3/4 cup of the waffle batter to the iron and cook until done.
- For the cinnamon maple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Heat over medium-low until butter is melted and the sauce is warm. Stir occasionally.
- Place the fried chicken on top of the waffles, serve with cinnamon maple syrup, and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to remove the chicken from the fridge at least 30 minutes before frying. You should never fry cold chicken.
- For perfectly cooked fried chicken, use a thermometer to ensure the oil is at 350°F. Cook the chicken over medium heat, if you use high heat, the crust will burn while the inside remains raw.
- Don’t overmix the waffle batter, just mix until well combined. Also, make sure to spray the waffle machine with nonstick spray.
- I highly recommend cooking the waffles as soon as the chicken comes out of the fryer. The chicken needs to rest for 4-5 minutes, which gives you just enough time to cook the waffles since they cook quickly.
- Want to get creative with your waffles? Add some chocolate chips or shredded cheddar cheese for a twist.
- Serve warm with lots of maple syrup for best results!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe…turned out exactly as the author described!