Black Folks Southern Fried Chicken And Waffles Recipe
This post may contain affiliate partner links. View our privacy statement HERE.
A chicken and waffles recipe embodies the essence of Southern cuisine, deeply rooted in Black culture. This dish, a shining example of elevated soul food, combines the savory richness of Southern fried chicken with the subtle sweetness of waffles, creating an unparalleled dining experience.
Historically, chicken and waffles bridged the gap of meals from breakfast to dinner, showcasing its versatility. Now, I’m bringing this comfort food into your home, adding a personal twist to a meal typically found on the menus of popular soul food restaurants!
Southern chicken and waffles
My Southern fried chicken and waffles recipe is the perfect combination for a delicious and soulful breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner! This recipe features a delightful blend of juicy, tender buttermilk Southern fried chicken and fluffy, buttery waffles. To add an exciting twist, I’ve included a sweet and spicy syrup made with honey, sriracha, garlic, and ginger, providing a delicate kiss of sweet heat.
Is chicken and waffles a Black thing?
Chicken and waffles is a dish that originated from African-American chefs in Harlem, New York, during the Great Depression. It gained popularity thanks to Joseph T. Wells, who opened the famous Wells Supper Club during the 1930s jazz era. The Supper Club offered both lunchtime dining and late-night meals, which is why chicken and waffles is often referred to as “the evening/morning combination.”
Today, this iconic soul food dish remains popular! If you’ve ever visited Long Beach, you may have stopped by Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles, a California landmark founded by Harlem native Herb Hudson. The name says it all: Roscoe’s Chicken ‘N Waffles serves delicious fried chicken and waffles—both together and separately—along with other soul food specialties.
Ingredients
This recipe requires many ingredients and has a high calorie count. Enjoy chicken and waffles as an occasional treat, as it’s not recommended to eat this dish regularly.
Measurements for the recipe can be found in the printable recipe card below.
For the chicken
- Fried chicken pieces – This classic Southern delicacy can be made with various cuts of chicken, including chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or even tenders and strips. However, it is most often served with chicken wings.
- Peanut oil (or vegetable oil) – Essential for achieving that golden Southern soul food fried chicken crispness.
- All-purpose flour and egg – The foundation of the chicken’s breading. The egg inds the flour to the chicken.
- Soul food seasoning blend – Start with the best soul food seasonings for fried chicken: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, red pepper, salt, black pepper, and an all-purpose seasoning. This homemade seasoning blend guarantees a flavor-packed fried chicken interior and crust!
- Buttermilk – Helps to tenderize the chicken, ensuring it’s juicy! You can easily make buttermilk at home by combining ½ cup of buttermilk with ½ cup of milk and ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Mix the ingredients together and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
For the waffles
- All-purpose flour and baking powder – The flour is the backbone of the waffles, and the baking powder is the leavening agent, making them fluffy.
- Milk, heavy cream, and eggs – Together, they contribute moisture, creaminess, and a binder for all the ingredients.
- Brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract – infuse the waffles with sweetness, warm, spiced notes, and a hint of caramel flavor, while salt balances the sweet flavors.
- Melted butter and cooking spray – Butter enriches the batter, contributing to the waffles’ golden, crispy edges, and the cooking spray ensures an easy release from the waffle iron. No sticking!
For the syrup
- Honey – This delectable syrup creates a harmonious balance that tantalizes the taste buds.
- Sriracha – This sauce brings the sweet heat and ensures each bite remains a complex dance between sweet and spicy!
- Minced garlic and ginger – They infuse the syrupy concoction with a profound depth of flavor. The garlic contributes a robust, earthy character. At the same time, the ginger offers a zesty bite to perfectly counter the syrup’s sweetness and heat.
- Apple cider vinegar – This ingredient boldly elevates the syrup’s tanginess, blending acidity perfectly with sweetness and heat.
Homemade spicy honey syrup for chicken and waffles
Do you put syrup on chicken and waffles? Absolutely—syrup is essential to seamlessly blend the chicken and waffles together! (And I recommend a spicy syrup for an extra kick.)
In Black cuisine, the harmonious blend of sweet and spicy isn’t just a coincidence. It’s a testament to our rich culinary heritage. From my kitchen to yours, combining honey and sriracha creates a spicy honey syrup that transforms chicken and waffles from a simple breakfast or brunch dish into a comforting soul food experience!
The syrup represents more than just flavor. It acts as a bridge that connects the essence of African American cuisine with the innovation found in gourmet home cooking.
How to make chicken and waffles
Start by seasoning and dredging the chicken to prepare it for frying. If you’re a seasoned pro (pun intended), you can begin making the homemade waffles while the chicken is frying.
If not, no worries! Just keep the finished chicken covered to stay warm while preparing the waffles. Once everything is ready, add chicken pieces to the waffles and drizzle with syrup to enjoy this soul food masterpiece!
Step-by-step instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Start by seasoning and dredging the chicken for frying.
- After frying, place the chicken in a closed container to keep warm while preparing the waffles. If you’re experienced at this, you can mix and make the waffles while the chicken is frying!
- Mix the batter for the waffles and cook them using a waffle iron.
- Prepare the homemade honey sriracha syrup while the waffles are being made.
- Finally, top the waffles with the fried chicken, drizzle with syrup, serve, and enjoy!
How to serve Southern chicken and waffles
Chicken and waffles, a classic soul food dish, is best enjoyed with syrup. Making my recipe for homemade syrup enhances this traditional dish, creating a delightful fusion as the syrup harmonizes with the main ingredients.
You can also try serving fresh Southern fruits, such as slices of Georgia peaches or Florida oranges, alongside this indulgent brunch favorite. Or add a pat of butter on top for an extra touch of richness. It pairs perfectly with the golden waffles and the crispy goodness of fried chicken.
When to serve chicken and waffles
The dish can be eaten at any time of day. It’s a perfect breakfast food with syrup on top, but it also works well for dinner when paired with favorite Southern sides like collard greens, baked mac and cheese, and Southern sweet tea.
Whether you’re seeking a satisfying breakfast, lunch, or dinner, your taste buds will savor the delightful combination of crispy seasoned chicken and fluffy waffles!
Equipment
- Large cast iron skillet or a deep-fryer
- Single waffle iron or multiple waffle maker
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Southern fried chicken
- 6-8 pieces chicken or one 3-pound chicken cut into pieces
- 48 oz peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning or all-purpose seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk ½ cup of buttermilk = ½ cup of milk & ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
Ingredients for the waffles
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter melted
- cooking spray
Ingredients for the syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Instructions for the fried chicken
- Mix the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Rub the seasoning mixture all over each piece of chicken.
- Pour the peanut oil (preferred) or vegetable oil into a deep fryer, 6-quart skillet, or Dutch oven until the oil is 1-inch deep.
- Heat the oil over medium heat or until it reaches 350 degrees F.
- While you’re waiting for the oil to heat up, Place 1 cup of the divided flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and red pepper in a medium-size mixing bowl or 1-gallon resealable food storage bag.
- Shake (or mix) the sealed bag to combine the ingredients for a homemade poultry seasoning, and set the flour mixture aside.
- Pour the second cup of flour into a second resealable bag (or medium-sized mixing bowl) and set it aside.
- In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg, and set that mixture aside too.
- The chicken will undergo a 3-step dredging process from here.
- First, place the chicken in the bag (or bowl) of seasoned flour and shake or toss to coat the chicken evenly.
- Second, shake off the excess flour and dip the chicken into the buttermilk mixture.
- Third, transfer the chicken to the last bag (or bowl) of flour and shake or toss until it’s very well coated.
- Place the coated chicken into the pre-heated oil, skin-side down, and be careful not to overcrowd the chicken in the oil. You can fry a second batch, if need be, to avoid overcrowding by frying all the chicken at once. Just make sure the hot oil remains at 350 degrees F.
- Cook the chicken pieces for 10 to 12 minutes, occasionally turning to prevent excessive browning. (If you're experienced at this, you can mix and make the waffles while the chicken is frying!)
- As the chicken batter turns golden brown, remove it from the hot oil, and allow it to drain in a closed container (to keep the fried chicken warm) with a paper towel under the chicken.
- Serve Black folks Southern fried chicken right away with warm waffles, and enjoy!
Instructions for the waffles
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set the mixture aside.
- Then whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy whipping cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and butter in a separate medium-sized bowl.
- Pour the dry ingredients mix into the egg and milk mixture.
- Combine the ingredients with an electric mixer.
- Lightly coat the waffle maker with cooking spray.
- Use a large serving spoon or ladle to pour the waffle batter onto the waffle maker griddle.
- Cook the waffles according to your waffle iron instructions (approx. 5-7 minutes), which will vary by the number of waffles you can make in one batch.
Instructions for the syrup
- Chicken and waffles sauce – While the waffles are cooking, stir together the honey, sriracha, garlic, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl, and set aside. (Double the ingredients to make more syrup!)
- Serve this soul food chicken and waffles recipe with a generous spoonful of syrup, and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Like this post? Pin the below image to your Pinterest “Soul Food Recipes” board!
This is recipe is great for a cheat day. Yay!
Yes! Definitely soul food chicken and waffles is a cheat-day treat!
This waffle recipe is everything. We just took a trip to LA to celebrate my son completing chemo. Chicken and waffles were at the top of his list. And I wanted to be able to recreate the waffles at home for him. You nailed it. I have made this recipe almost every weekend since I found you. And all of my boys love it. Thank you for being a part of weekend breakfast memories for years to come. I have also shared your recipe with friends. And all agree. It’s the one!