Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 24 waffles
Mini chicken and waffles are excellent as a passed hors d'oeuvre, party appetizer, or a fun brunch buffet item.
As a twist on the well-loved American dish of fried chicken served on top of a stack of waffles and flavored with hot sauce and maple syrup, this recipe is designed to satisfy comfort food cravings in a bit more elegant way.
Buttermilk and panko-crusted chicken tenders are secured on top of small pieces of fluffy buttermilk waffles with toothpicks. Parmesan shavings add a touch of nutty depth and saltiness, and a generous drizzle of hot honey rounds off the flavors and introduces a spicy kick. If you cannot find prepared hot honey making your own is as easy as folding hot red pepper flakes into your favorite honey.
With only a few simple ingredients, easy to follow steps, and the help of a waffle iron, even a kitchen novice can successfully tackle these delicious bites. The recipe for the waffles yields about a dozen regular-sized waffles. Cut into mini pieces only as many of them as you need and freeze the rest. Once frozen they are perfect for the toaster when you need a quick breakfast.
It is absolutely acceptable to prepare the stacks of mini chicken and waffles in advance and to heat them up in the oven for a couple of minutes just before garnishing with Parmesan shavings and hot honey and serving them.
Ingredients
For the Waffles:
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2 cups flour, cake flour or pastry flour recommended
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon salt
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3 tablespoons sugar
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3 large eggs
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1/4 cup melted butter
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2 cups buttermilk
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Cooking oil or oil spray, for greasing waffle iron
For the Chicken:
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2 quarts cooking oil, for frying
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1 pound chicken breast
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1 cup flour
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1 cup buttermilk
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2 cups panko
For the Garnish:
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4-ounce solid piece of Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended
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1/3 cup hot honey, or 1/3 cup honey plus red pepper flakes, to taste
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat the oven to 200 F.
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In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients for the waffles.
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In a small bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the melted butter, the buttermilk, and the vanilla extract.
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Do not use a mechanical mixer or overmix.
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Grease the waffle iron with your cooking spray or oil and, using a measuring cup, add the recommended amount of waffle mix to each slot (again, per the manufacturer's instructions, as each waffle maker may be able to handle a different amount of waffle batter). Cook until the waffles turn golden on both sides, then remove and cut them into small bite-sized pieces. Place them in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve. Repeat with the remaining batter.
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In a deep heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat bring the cooking oil to 375 F. Prepare a paper towel-lined baking sheet for the fried chicken.
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While the oil is heating, slice the chicken breast into bite-size pieces to roughly match the size of the mini waffles.
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Prepare 3 bowls—one with flour, one with buttermilk, and one with panko breadcrumbs.
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Coat each piece of chicken in flour (shake of excess), then buttermilk, and finally in panko.
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Fry in small batches for 6 to 8 minutes. Place on the paper towel-lined baking sheet.
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Assemble the mini chicken and waffles onto a serving platter by securing the chicken pieces onto the waffles with toothpicks.
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Using a potato peeler, shave off Parmesan bits and garnish. Drizzle with hot honey and serve.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 12 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 516 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 23g | 30% |
| Saturated Fat 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol 99mg | 33% |
| Sodium 783mg | 34% |
| Total Carbohydrate 52g | 19% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 6% |
| Total Sugars 15g | |
| Protein 24g | |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 3% |
| Calcium 226mg | 17% |
| Iron 3mg | 17% |
| Potassium 299mg | 6% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
