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A person pouring spicy maple bourbon syrup over a platter of waffle fried chicken bites, with a white plate with two bites on it beside the platter.
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5 / 2 votes

Waffle Fried Chicken with Spicy Bourbon Maple Syrup

Waffle fried chicken is chicken coated with waffle batter and fried until crisp on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. With maple syrup for the kiddos and spiked syrup for the adults.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 765

Ingredients

For the waffle fried chicken

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoon Diamond Brand kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade hot sauce or Sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch (2 1/2-cm) chunks
  • Mild vegetable oil, for frying

For serving

US - Metric

Instructions

Make the waffle fried chicken

  • Heat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and top with a wire rack. Slip the pan and rack in the oven.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, eggs, hot sauce, and vanilla.
  • Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and whisk until no lumps remain. Let the batter sit in the fridge for 15 minutes. The batter will be very thick.
  • Add the chicken to the batter and stir to coat each piece.

Fry the chicken

  • Add enough oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven to reach about 3 inches (8 cm). Place over medium-high heat, attach a deep fry thermometer to the side, and heat until the oil registers 360°F (182°C). Alternatively, you can use a deep fryer and follow manufacturer’s directions for heating the oil.
  • Add a few pieces of chicken to the oil. Be careful to only add a paltry number of pieces as you don't want to come anywhere close to crowding the pan.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: You want to be careful to add only a few pieces to the pan at a time not just so pieces don't clump together. When you add anything to hot oil, its temperature will initially plummet and then slowly climb. The less chicken you add at a time, the less the temperature will fall. And a steady temperature ensures a dark, crunchy exterior that's not underdone or soggy in any way.

  • Fry the chicken, maintaining the oil temperature at 360°F (182°C) as best you can, until the batter is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If, after you flip the nuggets to cook the other side, they insist on flipping over again, simply use a slotted spoon or the tips of tongs to gently hold the nuggets in place.

  • Drain the fried chicken on paper towels and transfer them to the rack in the oven to keep warm while you fry up the rest.

Serve

  • Serve hot and pass the spicy bourbon maple syrup, plain maple syrup, and hot sauce on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 765kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 242mg | Sodium: 248mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g