Description
A delicious fried chicken waffle sandwich featuring crispy marinated chicken tenders fried to golden perfection, nestled between homemade savory waffles with garlic sauce, fresh rocket, and tomatoes. This hearty and indulgent recipe combines crispy, spicy chicken with tender waffles for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Marinade:
- 8 chicken tenders or fillets
- 300ml buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 3 tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
For the Chicken Coating:
- 320g plain flour
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 eggs (for dredging)
- Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- 1 tsp salt (added to coating)
For the Waffles:
- 320g plain flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 30g light brown soft sugar
- 3 eggs
- 480ml buttermilk
- 50g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 strips pancetta, cooked and finely chopped (optional)
For Assembly:
- Garlic sauce (shop-bought or homemade)
- Handful of rocket
- Tomatoes, chopped or sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Buttermilk Marinade: In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, chilli powder, and garlic powder. Add the chicken tenders and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- Make the Chicken Coating: In another bowl, combine the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl for dredging.
- Coat the Chicken: Remove chicken from the marinade a few pieces at a time. Toss each piece in the dry coating mixture, then dip into the beaten eggs, and toss again in the coating mix. Arrange coated chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet to rest while preparing oil.
- Prepare the Waffle Batter: Combine plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Beat the eggs separately, then gently fold them into the dry mix. Add the buttermilk and stir until smooth. Fold in the melted butter and optional pancetta pieces.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat sunflower oil in a saucepan to about 175°C (350°F) — test by dropping a small piece of bread which should brown in 30 seconds. Fry chicken tenders in batches, turning to cook evenly until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper. Reduce heat if chicken browns too quickly.
- Cook the Waffles: Preheat and grease your waffle iron. Pour batter and cook waffles for 5-6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cut each waffle in half horizontally.
- Assemble the Sandwich: Spread garlic sauce on the bottom halves of the waffle. Layer with rocket, tomatoes, and fried chicken tenders. Top with the other waffle halves to form sandwiches.
- Serve: Serve the sandwiches immediately while warm and crispy.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight enhances flavor and tenderness.
- Adjust the cayenne and chilli powder to your heat preference.
- If you don’t have pancetta, you can omit it or substitute with cooked bacon.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer to maintain correct oil temperature for best frying results.
- The garlic sauce can be store-bought or homemade for a fresher taste.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 2+ hours marinating
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: fried chicken, waffle sandwich, chicken tenders, buttermilk marinade, crispy chicken, waffle recipe, savory waffles, garlic sauce
