Apr 20, 2016

Fried Chicken and Waffles with Hot Sauce Maple Syrup

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
This is the ultimate sweet & savory meal. It may sound like an odd combination, but the sweet waffles taste amazing when they are drenched in the spicy maple syrup and eaten with the crispy fried chicken.
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This is the ultimate sweet & savory meal. It may sound like an odd combination, but the sweet waffles taste amazing. Especially when they are drenched in the spicy maple syrup and eaten with the crispy fried chicken. This sweet and savory combination is a specialty at the Los Angeles institution Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles. While there are several different locations around LA it has become a tradition of Aaron and mine to make a stop after USC football games at the Coliseum.

While fried chicken is a Southern food, LA has perfected chicken and waffles.

Fried Chicken and Waffles with Hot Sauce Maple Syrup

More About this Recipe

I had never heard of this combination before eating there and it’s definitely something everyone should try. I still remember the first time I went with a group of friends in college and my friend showed me how to combine the hot sauce into the small dishes of sticky syrup. Roscoe’s has a simple menu but their secret ingredient is adding cinnamon to the waffles. I have eaten the combination at different restaurants as it gained popularity but my version modeled after Roscoe’s chicken and waffles is still the best!

What sets this recipe apart?

  • This fried chicken and waffle recipe is topped with maple syrup spiked with hot sauce. Don’t opt out of using the spicy maple syrup it completes the meal.
  • Adding some cinnamon to the waffle batter adds to the contrast of the sweet and savory flavors. 
  • Need a shortcut? Pick up some good, old Kentucky Fried Chicken and serve over the waffles. Though I prefer the fresh buttermilk fried chicken instead.
Fried Chicken and Waffles with Hot Sauce Maple Syrup

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

  • Chicken – I recommend using boneless chicken thighs. In this recipe it’s easier to eat then cutting the meat off of the bone and they are still flavorful and tender. I find that for fried chicken using some form of chicken thighs are best because they remain extra juicy! For a quick shortcut you can substitute the fried chicken for chicken tenders.
  • Spices – I marinate the chicken in a combination of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne before it’s dredged and fried to add an extra layer of flavor to the recipe.
  • Buttermilk – Buttermilk is used to make both the fried chicken as well as the waffles. The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and helps to adhere the flour breading to the chicken. It also makes for fluffy and flavorful waffles.
  • Cinnamon – Adding a touch of cinnamon adds a unique twist to these buttermilk waffles that seamlessly complements the savory fried chicken.
  • Hot sauce – I recommend choosing a vinegar based hot sauce to combine with the maple syrup like Tabasco or Crystal brands.
  • Maple syrup – Combining hot sauce and maple syrup is similar to the popular combination of hot honey. Be sure to use real maple syrup in this recipe and not pancake syrup (which is mainly corn syrup). Maple syrup is a labor intensive product which is why it’s so expensive but a little goes a long way!
Fried chicken and waffles sweetened with a hint of cinnamon served with hot sauce maple syrup

How to Make Fried Chicken and Waffles

For the Fried Chicken:

  1. Marinate the chicken in spices. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, onion powder and cayenne. Season the chicken breasts with the mixture and place in a medium bowl. Let the chicken marinate in the spices for at least an hour.
  2. Heat oil. Fill a large cast iron pan, Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan halfway with vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350ºF (180ºC).
  3. Dredge the chicken. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in a medium bowl. In a shallow bowl stir flour and cornstarch together. Once piece at a time, dip chicken in the buttermilk then dredge in the flour mixture.
  4. Fry the chicken. Fry in the oil until the chicken is golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the oil and place on paper towels or a wire rack to drain the excess oil.

For the cinnamon buttermilk waffles:

  1. Mix dry ingredients. While the chicken cooks, begin to make the waffles. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients. In large mixing bowl whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs until thoroughly combined. 
  3. Combine waffle batter. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until just combined.
  4. Make the waffles. Spray waffle iron with vegetable oil cooking spray then spoon the mix into waffle maker until the surface is completely covered and cook until golden brown according to waffle maker instructions. Repeat with remaining waffle batter.

For the hot sauce maple syrup:

  1. Make the hot sauce maple syrup. While the waffles cook, whisk the maple syrup and hot sauce together in a small bowl and set aside.

For serving:

  1. Assemble and serve. Place one or two pieces of chicken on top of a waffle and pour spicy maple syrup over the top of both.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

Troubleshooting Fried Chicken

  • The chicken is too dark on the outside but raw inside. Your oil is too hot! Check the temperature of your oil with a thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer then add the end of a wooden stick into the oil. If small bubbles form around the wood then the oil is ready to fry. But if it is bubbling hard then the oil is too hot. The crust of the chicken will fry too fast and the inside won’t cook through. This can also happen if you cook the chicken directly from the fridge. The meat is too cold still and won’t cook evenly. 
  • The chicken is oily and takes forever to cook. Your oil is too cold. Take breaks in between batches so the oil can come back to the desired temperature. Every time food is added to hot oil the temperature decreases drastically. Allowing time for it to heat back up again results in an even fry among batches. This could also happen if you are overcrowding the pan when you cook.
When should fried chicken and waffles be served?

I think this sweet and savory meal makes for a great brunch option similar to fried chicken biscuits. Of course it makes for a great breakfast for dinner or late night meal as well.

How to Keep the Chicken Warm

If cooking for a crowd, keep the chicken warm in the oven while the waffles cook. Heat oven to 250ºF (130ºC) and arrange the chicken on a baking sheet. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

 Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this fried chicken and waffles recipe, give these a try:

Fried Chicken and Waffles with Hot Sauce Maple Syrup

Print Pin
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the fried chicken:

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the cinnamon buttermilk waffles:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs

For the hot sauce maple syrup:

  • ½ cup maple syrup, warmed
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce, (I use Franks’s Mild Hot Sauce or Tabasco®)

Instructions:

For the Fried Chicken:

  • In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, onion powder and cayenne. Season the chicken breasts with the mixture and place in a medium bowl. Let the chicken marinate in the spices for at least an hour.
  • Fill a large cast iron pan, Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan halfway with vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350ºF (180ºC).
  • Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in a medium bowl. In a shallow bowl stir flour and cornstarch together. Once piece at a time, dip chicken in the buttermilk then dredge in the flour mixture.
  • Fry in the oil until the chicken is golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the oil and place on paper towels or a wire rack to drain the excess oil.

For the cinnamon buttermilk waffles:

  • While the chicken cooks, begin to make the waffles. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  • In large mixing bowl whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs until thoroughly combined. 
  • Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until just combined.
  • Spray waffle iron with vegetable oil cooking spray then spoon the mix into waffle maker until the surface is completely covered and cook until golden brown according to waffle maker instructions. Repeat with remaining waffle batter.

For the hot sauce maple syrup:

  • While the waffles cook, whisk the maple syrup and hot sauce together in a small bowl and set aside.

For serving:

  • Place one or two pieces of chicken on top of a waffle and pour spicy maple syrup over the top of both.

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  1. Assuming these pictures are originally yours, I understand a local business from my location is using them to promote their restaurant. Just thought I’d let you know, I tried to trace them to see if they happened to be stock images but I always came back to this blog.

    • Hi Edgar – thank you so much for bringing this to my attention! Yes, these are all my original photos and I have not given any restaurants permission to use them for any marketing materials. Do you mind sending me an email at [email protected] with the name/ location of the restaurant so I could get in contact with them and sort it out? Thank you so much for looking out for me, I really appreciate it.