Chicken and waffles is the morning tailgate that feels like an occasion: crisp chicken, fried green tomatoes, bacon and a waffle, stacked under sriracha maple syrup. The catch is the frying. On the Quad at Alabama, grills must be charcoal, with an extinguisher close by, so a propane fryer is out: you fry at home, and a charcoal kettle re-crisps everything at the lot.
At the lot: Re-crisp the chicken and tomatoes on the kettle, then stack the waffles, bacon and syrup at the table. Homegating: Fry and serve straight from the stove, and build the stacks at the counter while the pregame show runs.
Home gear: a Dutch oven and a frying thermometer
2 HRS
At home, mostly chilling
20 MIN
At the lot
8
Serves
Ingredients
Soak
- 2 cups whole buttermilk
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 8 chicken cutlets, about 3 oz each
- 4 large green tomatoes, cut into ⅓-inch slices
Crust
- 2 cups crushed cornflakes
- 2 cups panko
- ¼ cup cornstarch
Fry
- 4 to 5 cups peanut oil
Serve
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 frozen Belgian waffles
- 2 cups pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp sriracha
Steps
At home
- Whisk the buttermilk, paprika, salt, cayenne and black pepper together. Split it between 2 bowls. The chicken goes in one and the tomato slices go in the other. Refrigerate both for 1 hour.
- Fry the bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium-high until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain them on paper towels.
- Stir the cornflakes, panko and cornstarch together in a wide, shallow dish. Lift the tomatoes out of the buttermilk and let them drip, then press each slice into the crumbs on both sides. Do the same with the chicken. Lay everything on a parchment-lined sheet pan and throw out the leftover buttermilk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so the coating sets.
- Heat the oil in a deep Dutch oven over medium-high to 350°F. Fry in batches, without crowding the pot, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are golden and the chicken reads 165°F in the thickest part. Drain on a rack or paper towels.
- To pack it cold (the safer bet for a long day), cool everything fast on a rack, then pack the chicken, tomatoes and bacon in separate sealed containers in the cooler. Pack the waffles frozen. Stir the syrup and sriracha together in a jar.
At the lot
- Get the grill to medium. Warm the chicken in a foil pan over the cooler side until it reads 165°F again, then move the pieces straight onto the grate for a minute a side to crisp them back up. Give the tomatoes the same quick finish on the grate.
- Put the waffles straight on the grate and toast them for 1 to 2 minutes a side. Warm the jar of syrup in the saucepan at the edge of the grill.
- Build each stack: a waffle, a chicken cutlet, 2 tomato slices and a pinch of bacon, with syrup poured over just before you hand it off.
Pack for the lot
Lot notes
- Peanut oil: check whether anyone in your crew has a peanut allergy. Canola works the same at 350°F.
- The oil stays home: let it cool completely, strain it, and keep it for next week's fry or throw it out sealed. Never pour it on the grass.
Can you make chicken and waffles ahead for a tailgate?
Yes. Fry the chicken and tomatoes up to a day ahead, refrigerate them, and reheat on the grill to 165°F. The waffles go straight from frozen to the grate.
How do you keep fried chicken crisp at a tailgate?
Steam trapped in a sealed container softens the crust, so pack the chicken apart from the tomatoes, with the lids cracked if it's going in hot. Then give each piece a minute a side right on the grate before serving; direct heat dries the crust back out. The holding rules are in how to keep food hot at a tailgate.
How much do you need for 20 people?
Multiply everything by 2½: 20 cutlets, 10 green tomatoes, 20 slices of bacon, 20 waffles, 5 cups of syrup and 5 tbsp of sriracha. The oil stays the same. You just fry more batches.
Can you make chicken and waffle sliders?
Yes. For a crowd that grazes, cut each waffle into quarters and each cutlet into 4 pieces, then stack them on a toothpick with a piece of tomato and a drizzle of syrup. It's the same recipe and makes about 32 bites.
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