AmericanChicken and waffles
Chicken and waffles: Harlem-style buttermilk fried chicken on crisp waffles with maple syrup and hot sauce
Chicken and waffles became famous in Harlem supper clubs, where jazz musicians finishing late at night ordered something between dinner and breakfast; today it is a weekend brunch star from Baltimore to Los Angeles. Boneless chicken thighs marinate overnight in spiced buttermilk in the fridge, are dredged and fried until craggy and golden, then set on hot, crisp waffles with maple syrup and a splash of hot sauce. The common mistake is frying in oil that is too cool: the coating drinks fat and slides off. Keep the oil at 170–175 °C and fry until the chicken reads 74 °C inside and the crust is deep golden. Chef's tip: drizzle a spoonful of buttermilk into the seasoned flour and rub it in to make small clumps; they fry into the extra-crunchy crags everyone fights over.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 980 kcal
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 8 boneless chicken thighsabout 800 g
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 tbsp hot pepper sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- 9 oz plain flour
- 1 oz cornflour
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 litres vegetable oilfor frying
For the waffles
- 9 oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 ¾ cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 2 ⅞ oz melted butter
To serve
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 oz butter (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: The night before, mix 1 ½ cups buttermilk, 2 tbsp hot pepper sauce and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Add 8 boneless chicken thighs, cover and marinate in the fridge for 4–24 hours.
Step 2: Whisk 9 oz plain flour, 1 oz cornflour, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt in a wide dish. Drizzle in 3 tbsp of the marinade and rub with your fingers to make small clumps.
Step 3: Heat 1.5 litres vegetable oil in a deep, heavy pan to 350°F; never fill it more than a third full. Heat the oven to 200°F to keep things warm.
Step 4: Lift the chicken from the marinade, let it drip, then press firmly into the flour on all sides. Discard the used marinade.
Step 5: Fry 3–4 pieces at a time for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest piece. Drain on a rack and keep warm in the oven.
16 minStep 6: For the waffles, whisk 9 oz plain flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp baking powder and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda. In a jug whisk 1 ¾ cups buttermilk, 2 eggs and 2 ⅞ oz melted butter, then stir into the dry mix until just combined; a few lumps are fine.
Step 7: Cook in a hot greased waffle iron for 4–5 minutes each, until crisp and the steam stops escaping.
15 minStep 8: Top each waffle with chicken, a knob of 1 oz butter if you like, and plenty of ½ cup maple syrup. Serve with extra hot sauce.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 980 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 98 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicken and waffles take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of buttermilk?
- Milk with lemon juice or white vinegar: 1 tbsp per 240ml (1 cup) milk, left for 5 minutes.
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