This southern style chicken and waffles recipe is the ultimate comfort food dinner. Juicy, pan-fried chicken is served over golden cornbread waffles with a hearty drizzle of hot honey! Served for brunch or dinner, don’t be surprised by how quickly this southern dish disappears.
Why This Is The Best Chicken And Waffles Recipe
This Southern style chicken and waffles always hits the spot! Whether it’s early in the day for brunch, or a late-night craving, our family always gobbles it up.
- Quick and Easy: If you prepare your waffles ahead of time, you will be enjoying a plate of hot fried chicken and waffles in under 30 minutes.
- Comforting: Few things say “Southern comfort food” like crispy fried chicken and savory cornbread waffles. No one is leaving hungry after enjoying this hearty southern classic!
- Sweet and Spicy: The hot honey with candied jalapeños adds the perfect amount of heat to our chicken and waffles creating a flavor explosion.
Do you love juicy and crispy, breaded fried chicken? Make sure to try our air fryer chicken cutlets, crispy chicken piccata, or easy chicken parmesan.
What You’ll Need
We always gather our ingredients together before starting. Once you get moving, this recipe moves fast! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Chicken Breasts: You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- All-Purpose Flour: Whole wheat flour or cornstarch work too.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Eggs: Liquid eggs are great for this.
- Buttermilk: Make your own by combining 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar into 1/2 cup whole milk and letting it rest for 5 minutes.
- Oil: It needs a high smoke-point like corn, vegetable, or canola oil.
- Cornbread Waffles: We like to stir in any savory waffle fillings, like shredded cheese or green onions, before adding the batter to the waffle iron.
- Hot Honey: This is an optional garnish, but we love drizzling it over the top for a sweet, spicy and savory combination. (Check tips section below for more topping ideas.)
How To Make Southern Style Chicken And Waffles
The flavor for the fried chicken is all in the garlic-seasoned flour and buttermilk coating. Scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post for full detailed instructions.
- Set up the breading station: Add the flour to a shallow bowl and whisk in the spices. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk in a second shallow bowl.
- Dredge it: Coat all the chicken in the seasoned flour. Then dip the floured chicken in the egg mixture, and immediately back into the seasoned flour. Repeat for all the chicken.
- Fry the chicken: Add the oil to a pan and let the oil get good and hot. Cook the chicken until perfectly golden brown and crispy on all sides.
- Serve: Place the chicken over warm cornbread waffles. Drizzle with hot honey and enjoy!
Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Use Store-Bought: We love the savoriness the cornbread waffles add to this fried chicken and waffles. But if you are short on time, you can use your favorite store-bought frozen waffles, like Belgian waffles or buttermilk waffles, instead.
- Thin Chicken Breasts: Save time by purchasing “thin chicken breasts” that have already been sliced. If you don’t see any out, you can ask the butcher to slice them for you.
- Flatten and Tenderize: This helps to make sure your fried chicken is extra juicy and that it cooks quickly and evenly. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound it with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it is evenly 1/2″ thick.
- Toppings: If you aren’t a fan of hot honey, use maple syrup instead. You can also make your maple syrup spicy by whisking in a little hot sauce! For a sweet option, try some honey butter, or our garlic herb butter for a savory flavor.
- Marinate the Chicken: If you have the time, marinate the chicken overnight in buttermilk or pickle juice. This ensures your chicken will be flavorful and tender, every time!
What To Serve With Chicken And Waffles
These golden chicken and waffles are a great brunch or dinner option all on their own. However, both of our husbands love topping them with a sunny-side up egg!
You can also serve them with a side of smokey bacon, sausage and potatoes, or our twice baked potato casserole. Salty bacon wrapped asparagus also pairs well for a green vegetable side!
How to Store Leftovers
This juicy fried chicken and waffles recipe is best enjoyed the day it’s made. However, if the ingredients are stored separately, they are still be tasty once reheated!
- Fridge: Store waffles and chicken separately in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: For best results, air fry the chicken at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes, until hot and crispy again. Reheat the waffles in the toaster or in the microwave in 20-second increments.
Yield: 4 Servings
Chicken and Waffles
This juicy, fried chicken and waffles recipe with tangy buttermilk is the perfect comfort food for brunch or dinner. With a stack of homemade cornbread waffles, crispy pan-fried chicken and a drizzle of hot honey, this southern classic will be sure to satisfy!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, , thinned (sliced in half lengthwise)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 3-4 tablespoons oil
- 1 batch cornbread waffles
- Hot honey, or maple syrup, for garnish
Instructions
- Make an assembly line with the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Place flour in a shallow bowl and whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk to combine the eggs and buttermilk.
- Dredge all of the breasts through the plain flour first. Then dip the floured breasts into the egg mixture and immediately dredge the same breast back into the seasoned flour and set aside. Repeat until all chicken breasts are coated.
- Add oil to a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (drop a tiny pinch of flour into the oil, if it sizzles it is hot) add the chicken breast leaving a little room between each piece. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until perfectly golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve fried chicken on top of warm cornbread waffles with a hearty drizzle of hot honey on top!
Notes
Store Leftovers: Store waffles and chicken separately in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat: For best results, air fry the chicken at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes, until hot and crispy again. Reheat the waffles in the toaster or in the microwave in 20-second increments.
Use Store-Bought: We love the savoriness the cornbread waffles add to this fried chicken and waffles. But if you are short on time, you can use your favorite store-bought frozen waffles, like Belgian waffles or buttermilk waffles, instead.
Thin Chicken Breasts: Save time by purchasing “thin chicken breasts” that have already been sliced. If you don’t see any out, you can ask the butcher to slice them for you.
Flatten and Tenderize: This helps to make sure your fried chicken is extra juicy and that it cooks quickly and evenly. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound it with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it is evenly 1/2″ thick.
Toppings: If you aren’t a fan of hot honey, use maple syrup instead. You can also make your maple syrup spicy by whisking in a little hot sauce! For a sweet option, try some honey butter, or our garlic herb butter for a savory flavor.
Marinate the Chicken: If you have the time, marinate the chicken overnight in buttermilk or pickle juice. This ensures your chicken will be flavorful and tender, every time!
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 169mg, Sodium: 790mg, Potassium: 550mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 245IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 3mg
