Chicken and Waffles Recipe

The best part of this chicken and waffles recipe is the contrast: crisp, savory chicken with a tender waffle underneath, all finished with a buttery maple-hot sauce. The four chicken pieces soak in buttermilk before being coated in seasoned flour, which keeps the meat moist while giving the outside a craggy coating that holds onto the sauce. It is a little more involved than a quick breakfast, but the 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking are well spent, especially when everything reaches the table hot. For the chicken, let the pieces sit in the cup of buttermilk for at least 20 minutes while you prepare the waffle batter and heat your cooking oil or oven, depending on your preferred method. Lift each piece out and let the excess buttermilk drip off before pressing it firmly into the cup of flour. That pressing step matters; a loose flour coating tends to slide off during cooking. Cook the chicken until the crust is deeply golden and the center reaches 165°F. If the pieces brown before they are cooked through, finish them in a 375°F oven rather than turning up the heat and risking a burnt coating. The waffle batter is best cooked just before serving, so the waffles stay crisp at the edges and soft in the middle. I like to melt the quarter cup of butter and combine it with maple syrup and hot sauce for a quick drizzle, adjusting the hot sauce gradually. The maple syrup rounds out the heat, while the butter gives the sauce enough richness to cling to the chicken instead of running straight onto the plate. If using a full 15-ounce can of hot sauce, do not add it all at once—start with a small amount and reserve the rest for the table, since brands vary dramatically in heat and salt. Serve this as a substantial weekend breakfast or a relaxed brunch, with one or two pieces of chicken over each waffle and the sauce spooned over just before eating. A little extra maple syrup on the side is welcome for anyone who prefers more sweetness. Fresh fruit, sliced oranges, or a crisp green salad help balance the fried chicken, while black coffee, iced tea, or a lightly sweetened lemonade pairs especially well with the hot sauce. Allow about an hour from start to finish, and keep finished waffles on a rack in a low oven rather than stacking them, which traps steam and softens their edges.