Fried Chicken and Waffle Wings with Bourbon Maple Syrup

Chicken & Waffle Wings with Bourbon Maple Syrup

This dish brings the sweet and savory combination of fried chicken and waffles into one bite. The first rubbed with a spice mixture then the wings are dipped in buttermilk and then dredged in ground waffles before they are fried to a golden brown and then drizzled with bourbon maple syrup. The addition of boozy maple syrup gives it a rich flavor while the rub gives it just a hint of spice. I would eat these for just about every meal if I could.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Chicken wings – They are such an inexpensive cut of meat. While there isn’t much meat on chicken wings, the flavor of the skin more than makes up for the small amount of meat! I recommend planning for about 4 wings per person as an appetizer. I like to buy whole wings and separate them in to drumsticks and drumettes. This recipe also works well with chicken breasts cut into strips for a chicken finger version of the recipe.
• Waffles – These may look like your average wings but the waffle bits crisp up and form a crunchy outer shell that keeps the meat tender and juicy.
• Bourbon – Adding a touch of bourbon to the maple syrup creates a rich flavor. The alcohol in the bourbon cooks off as it’s heated with the maple syrup.
• Spices – I use a combination of smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper as a dry rub for the chicken wings. It adds just the right amount of spice.

How to Make Chicken and Waffle Wings

1. Prep the wings. Split the wings at the joint into wingettes and drumsticks, then discard the wing tips or use for stock. In a small bowl whisk together the paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper.
2. Marinate wings. Rub the wings thoroughly with the spice mix and arrange the chicken in a container or on a platter, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
3. Make the maple syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the maple syrup, bourbon and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool and set aside.
4. Make the waffle dredge. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F (180ºC). In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, finely grind the waffles. Add the buttermilk to a medium bowl and in another medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and ground waffles.
5. Fry the wings. A few wings at a time, dip in the buttermilk mixture then in the cornstarch and waffle mixture. Fry, turning once, until the wings are deep golden brown and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the wings to paper towels to drain while frying the remaining wings.
6. Serve. Once all of the wings have been fried, arrange them on a platter and drizzle the maple syrup mixture over the top. Serve immediately.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend giving these a try:

• Thai Chicken Wings
• Sweet Chili Wings
• Nashville Hot Chicken

Chicken & Waffle Wings with Bourbon Maple Syrup

Print Pin

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 40 mins

Serves 6

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken wings
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cups maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• vegetable oil, as needed, for frying
• 4 medium waffles, made fresh or frozen
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 ½ cups cornstarch

Instructions:

• Split the wings at the joint into wingettes and drumsticks, then discard the wing tips or use for stock. In a small bowl whisk together the paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, ancho chili powder, salt and pepper.
• Rub the wings thoroughly with the spice mix and arrange the chicken in a container or on a platter, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the maple syrup, bourbon and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F (180ºC). In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, finely grind the waffles. Add the buttermilk to a medium bowl and in another medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and ground waffles.
• A few wings at a time, dip in the buttermilk mixture then in the cornstarch and waffle mixture. Fry, turning once, until the wings are deep golden brown and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the wings to paper towels to drain while frying the remaining wings.
• Once all of the wings have been fried, arrange them on a platter and drizzle the maple syrup mixture over the top. Serve immediately.

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