This crispy cornflake fried chicken is doused in maple sriracha and wedged between two waffles!
Chicken and waffles is one of the most glorious combinations around. Today, much to your surprise I’m sure, we’re celebrating it sandwich style. Follow me…
Chicken Breast
We’re using chicken breast for this recipe, but you could use chicken thigh if you’d prefer. The main thing is that you’re using boneless/skinless chicken.
Pounding the chicken
You’ll want to pound the chicken before you coat it in the cornflakes. Not only will this tenderize the meat, but it’ll also level it out, meaning it’ll cook quickly and more evenly. To pound the chicken just lay over cling film and bash with a rolling pin, mallet or heavy pan!
Can I slice the chicken instead?
If you’d prefer, you can slice the chicken breast right through to create two even sized, skinner breasts. That way you won’t have to pound the chicken, as both slices will be of similar thickness.
Process shots: lay chicken on chopping board (photo 1), lay over cling film (photo 2), pound with rolling pin (photo 3), remove cling film (photo 4).
Cornflakes
Not only do crushed cornflakes make an awesome crispy coating for chicken, but they also pair nicely with the waffles too.
How do you use cornflakes as breadcrumbs?
You essentially want to crush the cornflakes until they mimic the texture of Panko breadcrumbs. You want to save a bit of the texture, so don’t crush them into a fine dusty crumb. To crush the cornflakes, you can pound them in a zip lock bag with a rolling pin, or you could add them to a food processor. Failing that you could just scrunch them up with your hands in the packet!
Here I use a rolling pin, just because we’ve already got it out to pound the chicken. Plus, it’s horrendously therapeutic!
Process shots: add cornflakes to ziplock bag (photo 1), pound with rolling pin (photos 2&3).
Cornflake Crusted Chicken
To coat the chicken in the cornflakes, it’s the same technique as coating it in breadcrumbs i.e flour, then egg, then cornflakes.
Cornflake fried chicken
No need to deep fry, shallow frying works just fine here. You’ll want enough oil to come up to just above half way up the chicken. I recommend frying in two batches, just so you’re not cramming the chicken, which in turn would encourage the coating to fall off. It’ll also lower the oil temp too much.
Process shots: dredge chicken through seasoned flour (photo 1), then egg (photo 2), then seasoned crushed cornflakes (photo 3), add to hot oil (photo 4), fry both sides until golden with the chicken cooked right through (photo 5).
Maple Sriracha
Typically you’d just serve maple syrup with fried chicken and waffles, but today we’re spicing it up a little by adding sriracha. I recommend equal quantities of each. Just whisk them together in a small pot and you’re good to go!
Process shots: add sriracha and maple syrup to a small pot (photo 1), whisk to combine (photo 2).
Chicken Waffle Sandwich
When it comes to the sandwich itself, you really don’t need anything else besides the waffles, crispy chicken and sriracha maple sauce. You could use 4 very big waffles and make 4 sandwiches, or do as I do here and cut the chicken in half to fit in 8 smaller sandwiches.
I recommend toasting the waffles, just to firm them up and avoid a soggy sandwich. I usually toast them in the toaster, but you could toast them in the oven or air fryer if you’d prefer.
Process shots: sprinkle chicken with salt once fried (photo 1), slice in half (photo 2), add waffle to chopping board (photo 3), top with chicken (photo 4), drizzle over maple sriracha (photo 5), add waffle (photo 6).
Serving Waffle Sandwiches
I usually serve these for brunch or lunch on the weekends as a treat! They don’t need any sides, they’re perfect as they are 🙂
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these fried chicken waffles sandwiches shall we?!
How to make Cornflake Chicken Waffle Sandwiches (Full Recipe & Video)
Cornflake Fried Chicken Waffle Sandwiches
Equipment
- Rolling Pin/Mallet & Cling Film (for pounding chicken)
- 3 Large Shallow Dishes (for dredging chicken)
- Large Zip Lock Bag or Food Processor (for crushing cornflakes)
- Large Cast Iron Skillet or Heavy Bottom Pan & Tongs (for frying chicken)
- Wire Rack & Paper Towels or Tray (for resting chicken)
- Small Pot or Bowl (for maple sriracha)
- Small Pot (for seasoning)
Ingredients
- 4x 5-7oz / 150-200g boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
- 8 small or 4 large Waffles, toasted (see notes)
- 5 cups / 180g Cornflakes
- 1 cup / 250ml Vegetable or Sunflower Oil, for frying
- 1/3 cup / 50g Flour
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp EACH: Paprika, Salt (plus extra salt to serve)
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper
- equal parts Maple Syrup and Sriracha (I usually do 2-3tbsp of each)
Instructions
- Crush Cornflakes: Crush the cornflakes to a texture similar to Panko breadcrumbs. You can do this in a food processor or just pound them in a zip-lock bag. Failing that just use your hands to scrunch them up in the bag. Place to one side.
- Mix Seasoning: In a small pot combine 1 tsp salt and paprika with 1/2 tsp onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Place to one side.
- Maple Sriracha: In a small pot or bowl combine maple syrup and sriracha. Start with a couple of tbsp of each, then adjust later if you need to. Place to one side.
- Pound Chicken: Place a chicken breast on the chopping board and lay cling film over it. Pound with a rolling pin, mallet or heavy pan until even thickness. Avoid pounding too thin that it starts breaking apart (around 1/2" is fine). Slice off any stray or pointy bits, then repeat with the remaining breasts.
- Dredge Chicken: Set up 3 bowls - the first with flour and half of the pot of seasoning, the second with 2 beaten eggs and the third with crushed cornflakes and the rest of the seasoning. Coat the chicken in the flour, then the egg and finally in the cornflakes, ensuring you thoroughly coat at each stage (namely the cornflakes). Repeat with the remaining breasts.
- Fry Chicken: Heat around 1 cup of oil (or enough to comfortably cover the base of the pan) over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet or pan. You want the oil around 350F/180C (drop a few crumbs in to test if they rapidly sizzle). Carefully place chicken in 2 breasts at a time and fry for 3-5mins on each side, or until golden on the outside and white/piping hot through the centre.
- Rest Chicken: Remove chicken from the pan and place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath. Sprinkle with salt, then bring the oil back to temp and fry the second two chicken breasts.
- Sandwich: If you have 4 large waffles, keep the chicken as it is. If you have smaller waffles then slice the chicken in half. Top toasted waffle with chicken, followed by a good drizzle of maple sriracha, then finish with a second waffle.
Quick Demo
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
For the ultimate fried chicken sandwich check out my Classic Fried Chicken Sandwich!
For more similar recipes checkout these beauties:
Shallow Fried Chicken Sandwiches
- Chicken Pesto Sandwich
- Chicken Katsu Sandwich
- Chicken and Bacon Sandwich
- Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
- Chicken Caesar Sandwich
If you loved this Chicken Waffle Sandwich Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!
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