Fried Chicken and Waffles with Maple Butter Syrup
Chicken + waffles = the best breakfast food ever. Need I say more? Didn’t think so. On to the recipe!
Just kidding. I’m not going to leave you guys with that, but I’m not sure what to say that isn’t something like “OMG, go make these now,” even though that’s pretty much how I feel. I try to reserve my gushing for times when a recipe is truly gush-worthy, and well, this one is.
When we knew for sure Clara’s birthday party would be during brunch, I immediately suggested chicken and waffles. Eric was totally with me, despite the fact that we had no idea how we would fry a bunch of chicken in advance of the party. As usual, America’s Test Kitchen came to our rescue with a recipe for chicken nuggets that could be frozen and reheated. Score!
Let me tell you about these chicken nuggets. They’re double battered, moist and juicy on the inside, and perfectly crunchy on the outside. Yes, they are deep fried and totally worth the work/calories. We combined the fried chicken with our favorite waffle recipe and a syrup recipe from our friend Rebecca to create the ultimate chicken and waffle recipe. It’s fantastic in every way, and I’m still thinking about these tasty little bites more than three weeks after Clara’s party.
- YIELD: 4 main course servings
1 batch homemade waffles
For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs, crushed
2 teaspoons onion powder
¾ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 large egg whites
4 cups peanut or vegetable oil
For the syrup:
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1
Make the waffles and reheat in the oven when ready to serve.
- 2
To make the chicken, cut each breast diagonally into three pieces, then cut each third into ½-inch thick pieces. Whisk together the water, tablespoon of salt and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Once the salt has dissolved, add the chicken pieces, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3
Remove the chicken from the brine and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, panko, onion powder, teaspoon of salt, onion powder, pepper, garlic powder and baking soda. In another shallow dish, whisk the egg whites until foamy.
- 4
Coat half the chicken with the egg whites, then dredge in the flour mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Do not discard the flour mixture. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- 5
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 350º. If planning to serve right away, also heat the oven to 200º to keep the chicken warm. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Place the coated chicken back in the flour mixture and turn to coat, again pressing gently to adhere.
- 6
Fry half the chicken until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Drain the chicken on the wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Bring oil back to 350º and fry the remaining chicken.
- 7
To make ahead and freeze, place the cooked and cooled nuggets in a zip-top bag and freeze up to 1 month. When ready to serve, place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and reheat at 350º for about 15 minutes, turning halfway through.
- 8
To make the syrup, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, cook for about 30 seconds, then whisk in the maple syrup. Once the syrup is warm, whisk in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and reheat when needed.
Wow, wow, wow! These look outrageous!
Wow, wow, wow! These look outrageous!
Total party SUCCESS! I really wish there was a good veg version of chicken and waffles because I love that crispy savory sweet combo.
Yeah, you know how people say things like “I could never be vegetarian because of _____” and it’s usually bacon or steak? For me, it’s really good fried chicken, and this definitely qualifies as that.
Total party SUCCESS! I really wish there was a good veg version of chicken and waffles because I love that crispy savory sweet combo.
Yeah, you know how people say things like “I could never be vegetarian because of _____” and it’s usually bacon or steak? For me, it’s really good fried chicken, and this definitely qualifies as that.
This was such a cool idea for your party!! I, too, was wondering how you were able to fry all that chicken right before the party, so I am PUMPED to see you did it ahead of time and froze it- toddler mama mantra, right?? Make and freeze, make and freeze. Can’t wait to try these!
Yes, exactly! Who knew you could make and freeze chicken nuggets? Good ole ATK. 😉
Oh man, these look amazing. We’re hosting an Easter egg hunt brunch, and I’m pretty sure these just got added to the menu.
That sounds like so much fun! I think you guys will love these.
Oh man, these look amazing. We’re hosting an Easter egg hunt brunch, and I’m pretty sure these just got added to the menu.
That sounds like so much fun! I think you guys will love these.
Yes, exactly! Who knew you could make and freeze chicken nuggets? Good ole ATK. 😉
I’ve been saving this recipe for a special day. It finally came on Monday when the kids had their first day of school (it also happened to be National Waffle Day) and I thought it would be a fun treat for dinner. Total success. I believe what one said was “This is the best fried chicken you’ve made so far.” And “I could put this syrup on everything.” It even made it into the nightly prayers of thanks. Thanks again for sharing a great recipe!
Oh my gosh, that is the sweetest! Thank you SO much for sharing this with me; it totally made my night!
Omg so so yummy, made tonight. Made tenders instead of nuggets. I love you, Annie, Tara, and Josie. Reliable recipes, congrats on the baby as well!
Oh yum! We need to make tenders with this recipe soon. And thank you! 🙂