Crunchy chicken over a crispy Belgian waffle drizzled with sweet gravy is the ultimate sweet-and-savory combo!
If you’ve never had Chicken & Waffles, drop what you are doing right now and go make this recipe! Crunchy chicken over a crispy Belgian waffle drizzled with sweet gravy is the ultimate sweet-and-savory combo. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is…the beauty of this dish is that it is perfect for breakfast, brunch or dinner. My personal favorite is brunch!
Chicken & Waffles first gained popularity in 1930’s Harlem, when the after hours jazz crowd was looking for something to eat that satisfied both their dinner and breakfast cravings. This soulful tradition has since spread across the country and is becoming a staple on many restaurant menus.
A few months ago my husband was on a quest to find the best Chicken & Waffles in Dallas. So every Sunday for 2 months we went to brunch at a different restaurant claiming to have the best in town. We definitely tasted some delicious Chicken & Waffles creations ranging from the classic Belgian waffle and buttermilk fried chicken to the more gourmet bacon-laced waffles, crisp chicken tenders, and scrambled eggs covered in a smoked chili hollandaise sauce. As you can imagine, we really enjoyed these Sunday brunches!
After devouring every Chicken & Waffles dish in town, I began my quest to create an original Chicken & Waffles dish at home. I wanted it to be a little less heavy, but still indulgent. So I created an oven-fried chicken version with the best of both worlds. You still get that delectable crunch fried chicken should have, but without all the grease and fat. The lightly sweetened waffle batter and creamy maple gravy provide the perfect sweetness to compliment the tender spiced chicken.
This recipe is super simple and sure to please every mouth in the house!
Let’s start with the OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN…
Let the chicken marinate in a mixture of buttermilk and egg whites for at least 30 minutes.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Place one piece of chicken in the bag and toss to coat. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken on the prepared rack. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray.
Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes; turn the pan and bake for 20 more minutes, or until chicken is brown and crispy.
It’s waffle time and who doesn’t love fresh waffles? Especially, fluffy crispy BUTTERMILK WAFFLES!
Do as I say, not as I did on this batch. Lesson learned that I will never put more than a soup ladle full of batter into the waffle iron!
This is more like it…
And to top it off, the creamy Maple Gravy!
Heat butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add Wondra® flour and stir constantly 2-3 minutes until flour turns golden brown. Slowly whisk in stock. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly until gravy thickens (about 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in syrup. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.
Let’s build this delicious dish. The idea is to get all of the amazing flavors in one bite!
Stack a piece of chicken on top of a waffle…
Drizzle with lots of maple gravy…
Top it off with some fresh rosemary or a little hot sauce and dig in!
Enjoy!
~Maegan
This recipe was created as part of my partnership with Gold Medal Flour however thoughts and opinions are certainly my own!
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large egg whites, beaten
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs.)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
- cooking spray
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- cooking spray, for waffle iron
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons Gold Medal® Wondra® quick-mixing flour
- 1-3/4 cups chicken stock
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- Whisk buttermilk and egg whites in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
- Whisk flour, cornmeal, salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Place one piece of chicken in the bag and toss to coat. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken on the prepared rack. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Discard any leftover flour mixture and buttermilk marinade. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray.
- Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes; turn the pan and bake 20 minutes longer, or until chicken is brown and crispy.
- Preheat the waffle iron to medium-high heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, vanilla and eggs; add the flour mixture, and mix until batter is combined. Do not over mix – there should still be some lumps.
- Spray preheated waffle iron with cooking spray. Using a soup ladle, spoon a ladle full of batter into the waffle iron and close the lid. Cook until golden brown about 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes in a low heated oven.
- Note: If the waffles are getting dark brown, turn down the heat on the iron. If they’re pale, increase the heat, or let them cook a bit longer.
- Heat butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add Wondra® flour and stir constantly 2-3 minutes until flour turns golden brown. Slowly whisk in stock.
- Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly until gravy thickens (about 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in syrup.
- Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.
Gravy was AMAZING! Chicken wasn’t crispy though. It was still very moist and flavorful.