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–+ servings
A serving of crispy chicken and waffles resting on a black plated with a fork and a glass mug of coffee nearby.

Crispy Chicken and Waffles

Course: Breakfast / Brunch
Cuisine: American Southern
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 1100kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
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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Equipment

  • Large skillet for frying Preferably 12-inches
  • 1 waffle iron

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

Video

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