Southern Chicken and Waffles
Crispy Southern fried chicken and waffles piled high, drizzled with a brown butter maple Sriracha sauce for the perfect sweet and savory bite.
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.
Notes
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!
Nutrition
Calories: 1898kcal, Carbohydrates: 243g, Protein: 66g, Fat: 73g, Saturated Fat: 38g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 21g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 555mg, Sodium: 4717mg, Potassium: 1432mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 106g, Vitamin A: 3386IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 849mg, Iron: 11mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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