Chicken and waffles get a delicious twist when you drizzle them with a sauce made from my two favorite toppings—grape jelly and maple syrup. Perfectly seasoned boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the ultimate topper for the light and golden waffles.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 to 5 dashes hot sauce, plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup grape jelly
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing the waffle iron
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- Softened butter, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving, optional
Instructions
- For the chicken: Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken, making sure all the pieces are fully submerged. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Mix together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, baking powder, seasoning salt, cayenne and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow bowl or baking dish. Set aside.
- For the grape jelly syrup: Combine the butter and jelly in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter and jelly have melted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup; set aside.
- For the waffles: Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (for keeping the waffles warm).
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and gently stir until just incorporated (it’s okay if there are some lumps).
- Lightly brush the top and bottom of the waffle iron with butter. Fill the waffle iron about three-quarters of the way full (there should still be some waffle iron showing). Close the lid gently and cook until the waffles are golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Keep the waffles warm in the oven or covered with foil on a plate while you make the remaining waffles.
- To fry the chicken, fill a wide, deep pot with 2 inches oil and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, remove half of the chicken from the buttermilk brine, letting any excess brine drip back into the bowl. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, pressing and turning to thoroughly coat. Shake off any excess flour and transfer to a wire rack. (Or, I use a brown paper bag or resealable bag to coat the chicken.)
- Carefully add the chicken to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a clean rack to drain; sprinkle with salt. Coat and fry the remaining chicken.
- Top the waffles with the chicken, butter, grape jelly syrup and a few dashes hot sauce, if using.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1690 |
| Total Fat | 99 g |
| Saturated Fat | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 148 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 58 g |
| Protein | 52 g |
| Cholesterol | 346 mg |
| Sodium | 1481 mg |
Reviews
A win-win recipe. My family and I enjoyed it!
Thank you, Kalen.
Thank you, Kalen.
Delicious! Please bring back Kalen Allen to the show – often. He was funny and entertaining – LOVED him!!!
Made the chicken with my preferred waffle recipe and maple syrup for breakfast on New Year’s day. Outstanding! My family loved the chicken, very juicy and great flavor. Will definitely make again.