Spicy Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle Bites
Get out the mini waffles, add fried chicken, spicy sauce, maple syrup, and briny pickles and you have pretty much the best party app ever.
Here’s a spin on chicken and waffles: A bite-sized take on the American favorite, with a mini waffle, topped with a crunchy buttermilk chicken bite, a tangy-sweet-spicy sauce, and a briny pickle on top.
This is a GREAT recipe for a party if you have a bit of time to prep.
About The Recipe: Buttermilk Fried Chicken And Waffle Bites
These appetizer bites are full of great flavors:
- Crispy mini waffle base
- A drizzle of maple syrup
- Buttermilk fried chicken
- Spicy sriracha mayonnaise
- A bread and butter pickle on top
Each bite has crunch, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.
Although I recommend making the chicken yourself (it was my first time making buttermilk fried chicken and it wasn’t as difficult as I anticipated), you can buy ready-made chicken tenders and cut them into bite-sized pieces. I’m all about shortcuts when you’re throwing a party!
Love fried chicken? Check out this Cholula hot chicken.
Other Academy-Award Inspired Recipes
- Arrival: Chocolate Dipped Fruit “Spaceship” Appetizers from Greta of Pickles Travels
- Hacksaw Ridge: Flourless Muffin Cup Potato Latkes from Lauren of Oatmeal With a Fork
- Hell or High Water: Texas Glazed Pecans from Sharon of The Honour System
- La La Land: Espresso Star Cookies from Suzanne of Flour Arrangements
- Lion: Chicken Pakoras with Creamy Coconut Dip from Joyce of Pups With Chopsticks
- Manchester By The Sea: New England Clam Chowder from Alice of Dining With Alice
- Moonlight: Arroz Con Pollo Rice Balls with Spicy Cilantro Dip from Kara and Remington of K&R Adventures
- Oscars Signature Cocktail: Pomegranate Ginger Red Carpet Cocktail from Grace and Maddie of Double Thyme
- Get some super creative Academy Awards party ideas from Minnemama Adventures.
Spicy Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle Bites
Short on time? Want the super simple version of this recipe? Purchase fried chicken strips instead of making them from scratch.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Canola or vegetable oil, for frying (enough to submerge chicken in... 1 to 2 cups for a small pan)
- 1 package mini frozen waffles (I used Udi's Gluten Free mini waffles)
- Bread and butter pickles
- Maple syrup
- Sriracha mayonnaise (2 parts mayonnaise to 1 part sriracha sauce)
Instructions
- Marinade chicken: Cut each chicken breast in half the long way, and cut each half into approximately 9 pieces. You want chicken nugget-size pieces of chicken. Combine chicken pieces with buttermilk and spices, and place in a zip-lock bag. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Fry chicken: Remove chicken pieces from buttermilk marinade. In one bowl, beat egg and buttermilk; add half the spices. In another bowl, combine flour with the remaining spices. Heat oil over high heat. You'll know that the chicken is ready to fry when it sizzles when dipped in the oil.
- Take one piece of chicken, dip it in the egg mixture, and then dip it in the flour mixture. Place chicken into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Fry 4 or 5 pieces of chicken at the same time. Repeat until all the chicken is fried. Place fried chicken on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. If you aren't immediately assembling the waffle bites, keep chicken warm in a 300-degree oven.
- Assemble waffle bites: Toast mini waffles according to package directions. Drizzle a small amount of maple syrup on waffles. Top each waffle with a piece of fried chicken. Drizzle with sriracha mayonnaise. Top with a pickle and serve.
Yum! I’ve never had chicken & waffles, but I think it’s something I should remedy ASAP! These look super tasty and I love the kick of heat with the spicy mayo. I haven’t seen this movie but I know Viola Davis is a shoe in for best Actress. I saw a clip where she’s so into her character’s emotions that there’s snot flying everywhere! Committed. 😉 Thanks again for organizing the party Haley!
She really was great – and that is true about the snot flying everywhere! She stole the show, I have to say.
I’m a little torn, though, between her and Natalie Portman (Jackie). Glad I don’t have to make the decision 🙂
Drooling over this amazing combination of flavors and textures. I think I may need to practice making these a few times before the Oscars ceremony!
Haha… thanks Suzanne!
Wow this recipe is screaming to me to make it. The flavours you use are making my mouth water right now haha! Maple syrup, sriracha mayo, pickles and crispy chicken and waffles! Thanks for inviting me to this party Haley I had a fantastic time with it!
Thanks, Joyce! So glad you were up for it 🙂 Come back, please, next year!
Amazing suggestions. Thank you. The couple recipes I plan on using will spark my guests attention, I know.
I may never make it to the Academy Awards, but as long as I can have these delicious little guys I’ll call it a win. I cannot get over how good these look!
I’m sure I’ll never go either – but I’m with you. A great app is all I need to be happy during an Oscars party!
I LOVE chicken and waffles! I often choose it off a brunch menu over anything else. The idea of a mini version served as an appetizer is amazing and the flavors in your recipe sound just perfect, especially the addition of sriracha mayo!
Thanks Kara! I love the flavor combo too 🙂
These look amazing! I wish I’d found them last week when my son was looking for a chicken and waffles recipe for our Super Bowl party. I’m sure he’ll still be excited about trying this!
I hope he likes them! Now you have a recipe ready to go for next time 🙂
these look delicious!