Chicken And Waffles Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.

Whisk together brown sugar, maple syrup and black pepper in a small bowl. Brush or spoon mixture evenly over both sides of each bacon slice.

Arrange bacon in a single layer on the rack. Bake 12–18 minutes until edges are crisp and sugar is bubbling and caramelized. Watch closely near the end to prevent burning.

Remove from oven and let cool on the rack 5 minutes. Chop into roughly 1/2-inch pieces for folding into batter and additional garnish.

If using bone-in thighs, trim excess fat and pat chicken dry. In a bowl, combine buttermilk and optional hot sauce. Add chicken, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight to tenderize and flavor.

About 30 minutes before frying, remove chicken from fridge to come closer to room temperature. In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.

In a second bowl, beat eggs with milk. Set up an assembly line: buttermilk-marinated chicken, egg wash, seasoned flour. Dredge each piece first in egg wash, then press into flour mixture, ensuring an even coating. For extra-crispy, double-dredge: dunk back into egg and flour one more time.

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to reach roughly 1/2–1 inch depth and heat to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to maintain temperature. Carefully add chicken (do not overcrowd), fry 7–10 minutes per side for boneless or 12–15 minutes per side for bone-in, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing remaining pieces.

Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions. Lightly grease.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs then whisk in buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract until combined.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined; a few lumps are okay. Overmixing will toughen waffles.

Fold in 3/4 cup chopped candied bacon, reserving a tablespoon for garnish.

Cook waffles in the preheated waffle iron according to its timing (typically 4–6 minutes) until deep golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack in a warm oven (200°F / 95°C) to keep crisp while making remaining waffles.

Warm the wild maple syrup gently in a small saucepan or microwave so it's pourable but not boiling. Stir in unsalted butter until melted for a silkier finish (optional).

Place one waffle on each plate. Top with a piece of fried chicken. Drizzle generously with warm maple syrup and sprinkle reserved candied bacon pieces over the top.

Finish with a light sprinkle of foraged herbs, a pinch of fine sea salt and a crack of freshly ground black pepper to balance sweet and savory.

Serve immediately while waffles are crisp and chicken is hot.