This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
if you’re going to make Southern Chicken and Waffles, you might as well do it RIGHT! I’m talking juicy, perfectly seasoned fried chicken with a golden, extra-crispy crust, stacked on top of fluffy homemade buttermilk waffles. And that brown butter maple Sriracha sauce? Honey, the sweet heat takes this Southern comfort food classic to a whole different level!
For more Southern inspired recipes, make my cajun shrimp and grits and old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese!
One thing about me? I LOVE a good sweet and savory combination, especially when there’s fried chicken involved! This recipe starts with my Southern Fried Chicken technique, but I take things a little further with a flavorful onion-garlic buttermilk marinade and a double-dredged coating that fries up beautifully crunchy. Pair that with buttery waffles and my homemade maple Sriracha sauce, and whew! Whether it’s Sunday brunch or breakfast for dinner, everybody’s coming back for seconds!
Southern Chicken and Waffles Recipe Overview
- ⭐ Difficulty: Intermediate
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 2 hours (including marinating)
- 🍳 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 4
- ❤️ Why You’ll Love It: Crispy, flavorful fried chicken, fluffy buttermilk waffles, and a buttery maple sauce with just the right kick of heat. Everything is homemade, and every component brings something GOOD to the table!
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post)
The full ingredient list and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks: I love using dark meat because it stays juicy and flavorful during frying. Boneless thighs are also easy to serve right on top of the waffles!
- Buttermilk, onion, and garlic: This is where the flavor starts! I puree the onion and garlic with Cajun seasoning and hot sauce before adding the buttermilk. The mixture seasons the chicken while the acidic buttermilk helps tenderize it.
- All-purpose flour and cornstarch: My lil secret to getting crispy fried chicken every time! Cornstarch reduces the overall gluten-forming potential of the dredge, helping create a lighter, crispier coating.
- Buttermilk and melted butter: The stars of our homemade waffles! Buttermilk contributes tang and tenderness, while melted butter gives the waffles rich flavor and beautifully golden edges. Pro Tip: If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make your own homemade buttermilk by mixing together 2 cups of whole milk with 2 tbsps of lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to curdle, and boom – you’ve got buttermilk!
- Brown butter, maple syrup, and Sriracha: This sauce is the REAL game changer! Brown butter adds a rich, toasted flavor, maple syrup brings sweetness, and Sriracha delivers a little heat to balance everything out. If you like some heat – add cayenne pepper to the maple sriracha sauce for extra heat. You can also swap out buttermilk fried chicken for my nashville hot chicken recipe instead!
How To Make Southern Chicken And Waffles
Step 1: Make the marinade. Add the onion, garlic, hot sauce, garlic salt, and Cajun seasoning to a food processor. Blend into a paste.
Step 2: Coat the chicken and let it marinate. Coat the chicken with the garlic and onion mixture. Add the buttermilk, mix together, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours or overnight.
Step 3: Double-dredge the chicken. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and seasonings. Add the eggs to the chicken marinade and mix well. Coat each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour, dip it back into the buttermilk mixture, then coat it in flour again, pressing the mixture onto the chicken to create those crispy, craggy bits.
Step 4: Fry until golden and crispy. Let the coated chicken rest on a wire rack while heating the oil to approximately 350°F. Fry in batches until the crust is deeply golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a clean wire rack to drain.
Step 5: Prepare the waffle batter. Preheat your waffle iron. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla, then gently whisk in the melted butter until just combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine!
Step 6: Cook the waffles. Lightly grease the waffle iron if needed and fill it approximately three-quarters full with batter. Cook for about 5–6 minutes, or according to your waffle maker’s instructions, until the waffles are golden brown with crisp edges.
Make the Brown Butter Maple Sriracha Sauce
Step 7: Make the sauce and assemble. Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden and nutty. Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, and salt, then simmer for 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, cool briefly, and whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, chili powder, and Sriracha. Stack the fried chicken on top of the warm waffles and drizzle generously with the sauce. Honey, DIG IN!
Britney’s Pro Tips
- Control the oil temperature when frying the chicken! This ensures even cooking and prevents the chicken from being greasy, undercooked, or overcooked! Ideal temp is 350 degrees F.
- Don’t crowd the pan – Crowding drops the oil temp and leads to greasy chicken. Work in batches and use a thermometer for consistent frying.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes – this not only tenderizes the meat but adds so much flavor to the meat! Ideally, marinate overnight. You’d be surprised how much a difference this makes in the texture and flavor of the chicken!
- While you’re prepping the waffles and sauce, keep the chicken warm on a wire rack in the oven at 200 degrees F.
- Don’t overmix the waffle batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing develops gluten and can leave you with chewy waffles instead of light, tender ones.
Serving Suggestions
Alright, so you’ve got your crispy fried chicken and fluffy waffles stacked and ready… but what about the sides? I like to serve with classic soul food dishes – southern style collard green, coleslaw, potato salad, and slow cooker green beans.
For more breakfast/brunch style, go with a side of hash browns, Cajun fried green tomatoes, and spicy deviled eggs. Don’t be afraid to mix sweet and savory on the plate. That’s the real beauty of chicken and waffles—syrup, hot sauce, gravy… it’s all fair game. Make it your own and have fun with it!
Chicken and Waffles Recipe FAQs
For chicken and waffles, bone-in fried chicken is the classic choice—it’s juicy, flavorful, and brings that Southern comfort vibe. But if you want something easier to eat, boneless chicken thighs or tenders are perfect and still pack plenty of flavor. No matter the cut, make sure it’s well-seasoned and extra crispy to stand up to those fluffy waffles and syrupy toppings.
Chicken and waffles have roots in both Southern and African American culinary traditions, but their most well-known origin traces back to Harlem, New York in the 1930s. Jazz musicians coming off late-night gigs wanted something hearty enough for dinner but sweet enough for breakfast—enter crispy fried chicken paired with fluffy waffles. The combo also likely has earlier influences from Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, but it was Harlem that made it iconic.
Yes! Marinate the chicken the night before and prepare your dry ingredients ahead of time. You can also make and freeze the waffles in advance. For the best texture, fry the chicken shortly before serving so the coating stays extra crispy.
Absolutely! Homemade buttermilk waffles are worth the extra effort, but if you’re short on time, you can use your favorite frozen waffles. Toast them until they’re golden and crispy so they can hold up to the fried chicken and syrup.
More Southern Comfort Food Recipes
Main Course
Low Country Boil Recipe
Easy Side Dishes
Old Fashioned Candied Sweet Potatoes
Breakfast
Southern Biscuits and Gravy
If you make this Southern Chicken and Waffles, please leave a star rating and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and use #britneybreaksbread so I can see what you’re cooking. Happy cooking, y’all!
Southern Chicken and Waffles
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (Large Pot or Deep Skillet)
- Meat Thermometer (optional)
- Candy Thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 4 Chicken Drumsticks
- 1 large Yellow Onion, (cut into 4 chunks)
- 3 cloves Garlic, (peeled)
- 2 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 2 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 2 cups Buttermilk
- 3 large Eggs
Flour Dredge
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 2 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Thyme
- 1 packed Sazon
- 4-5 cups Vegetable or Canola Oil, (for frying the chicken)
Brown Butter Maple Sriracha Sauce
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter , (browned)
- 1 1/4 cups Maple Syrup
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 2 tbsp Sriracha
Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter, (melted)
Instructions
- Start by marinating the chicken. Add onion, garlic, hot sauce, garlic salt, and cajun seasoning to a food processor. Blend until a uniform puree/paste forms. 1 large Yellow Onion 3 cloves Garlic 2 tbsp Hot Sauce 2 tsp Garlic Salt 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- Add chicken to a large bowl and coat in the puree. Pour in the buttermilk, making sure that the chicken is fully submerged in the buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow chicken to soak in buttermilk brine for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours (up to overnight) in the refrigerator. 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs 4 Chicken Drumsticks 2 cups Buttermilk
- Combine the ingredients for the flour dredge in a large bowl – Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and Sazon. Whisk together. Add eggs to the bowl with the chicken/marinade and mix together ensuring eggs are fully mixed into the marinade. 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 1/2 cup Cornstarch 1 tbsp Baking Powder 2 tsp Garlic Salt 1 tsp Smoked Paprika 1 tsp Onion Powder 1/2 tsp Oregano 1/2 tsp Thyme 1 packed Sazon 3 large Eggs
- Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Place chicken into the flour mixture, then dunk into the buttermilk marinade, then dip back into the flour mixture. Make sure to really coat the chicken in the flour coating, this is what gives the chicken its crispy crust (It's ok if the dredge gets scraggly looking).
- Place onto a wire rack and let the chicken rest at room temperature while the oil heats. Heat oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or pot, oil should be about 4-5 inches deep in the pan. Heat to roughly 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. 4-5 cups Vegetable or Canola Oil
- Fry 2-3 pieces of chicken at a time and let the chicken cook until crispy and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. (Cooking time will vary with the thickness of the meat. To ensure chicken is thoroughly cooked, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F.) Place chicken onto a clean wire rack or paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Set aside. (Pro Tip: to keep the chicken warm, place into the oven on a wire rack with the oven heated to 200 degrees F)
- Now let's make the waffles. Preheat the waffle iron and spray with nonstick cooking spray (if needed).
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Whisk together, then add in the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined, then pour in the melted butter, whisking until all of it is combined. (whisk until just combined, it's ok if the batter is lumpy) 2 cups All Purpose Flour 1/4 cup Sugar 1 tbsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp Baking Soda 1/8 tsp Nutmeg 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 2 large Eggs 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk 2 tsp Vanilla Extract 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- Fill the waffle iron about 3/4 the way with the batter. Cook until waffles are golden brown and crispy – about 5-6 minutes. (or until the waffle maker stop emitting steam).
- Now make the maple sriracha sauce. Begin by browning the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once browned, add the maple syrup, kosher salt, and brown sugar. Whisk together and bring to a boil. Boil for 4-5 minutes, until it begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from heat and cool for about 5-10 minutes, then whisk in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, chili powder, sriracha, and kosher salt. 1/2 cup Salted Butter 1 1/4 cups Maple Syrup 1/3 cup Brown Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Chili Powder 2 tbsp Sriracha 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- Assemble – place waffles onto a serving plate, top with fried chicken, and drizzle with the maple sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this for Fathers day. Best gift ever for everyone. I didn’t think I could pull it off,but it was much easier then I thought. As with all of her recipes; it was full of flavor and the waffles were delicious and supportive of all the ingredients. Way to go Ms. Brit
Also tried some of her other recipes and so far I think hers are the easiest to follow with the best taste.
Thank you so much!
I think I’m going to cook this every day for the rest of my life!!!!! Not hard to make and soooo freaking good!!! A million thumbs up!
OMG, you’ve out done yourself Britney! This one might be the best one yet, it provides the perfect balance of savory and sweet with a little kick. The waffles are fluffy with the light crush on the outside and the chicken with the Sriracha sauce on top…mmmm. Chefs kiss!!!
In a word….Wow!!! I’m so proud of myself for making this recipe. I feel like a pro. This was the talk of my brunch this afternoon. My only regret was that I didn’t make more it was the first to go. The ladies devoured it.
I’m so happy to hear that everyone loved it!
This recipe was so easy to follow. It was most impressive to the eye. More importantly the taste was AMAZINGLY GOOD!! It was savory, crunchy, moist and very tasty. My family wants me to make it again only this time for dinner
Thank you so much!