Hot Honey Fried Chicken Waffle Sliders

Fried chicken and waffles just got an upgrade with these hot honey chicken waffle sliders! But it doesn’t just stop there. The waffles are made using Hawaiian sweet rolls for the perfect balance of flavors AND textures!

Making the Waffles

There are two parts to this recipe: the fried chicken and the waffles. This recipe was born when I was trying to think of creative ways to make sliders using King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls. I absolutely love fried chicken and waffles so I immediately ran to the kitchen, stuck a roll in the waffle maker, and it worked! It turned into a waffle and that’s when this recipe was born.

I love the Cuisinart Round Classic Waffle Maker on Amazon! Just set it on a low heat level of 1 or 2 and allow it to preheat. Every waffle maker’s heat setting will be different so you just need to make sure the heat is not high. The bread is already cooked and golden brown so we don’t want it to toast too much.

Once preheated, add one roll on the left side and one on the right side and press down to shut. Keep shut for 1 minute. Open up and take out once crispy! Repeat with the rest of the rolls!

Fried Chicken Part 1: The Wet Batter

The other part of this recipe is the fried chicken which is broken up into three parts: the wet batter, the dry batter, and frying. The wet batter is simple, these are the ingredients you need:

• milk
• pickle juice
• chili powder
• smoked paprika
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• oregano
• mustard powder

You can also substitute the milk and pickle juice for buttermilk instead!

Fried Chicken Part 2: The Dry Batter

Now the dry batter is exactly like the wet batter in that we’ll use the same spices but substitute the wet ingredients for the dry. These are the ingredients you need:

• all purpose flour
• cornstarch
• chili powder
• smoked paprika
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• oregano
• mustard powder

Just whisk it all together and that’s it.

This step is completely optional but HIGHLY recommended. In fact, take back what I said about it being optional, you have to do it! Add three to four spoonfuls of the wet batter into the dry and mix it together so clumps form in the dry batter. This creates an incredible texture and flakey look to the chicken! Now that everything is prepped, it’s time to batter the chicken.

Fried Chicken Part 3: Batter and Fry

Cut chicken breast into small pieces, about the size of the Hawaiian sweet rolls. Then dip each piece first in the wet batter, letting any excess drip off. Transfer to the dry batter and use the other clean hand to coat in the dry batter. Repeat with the rest using one hand to only touch the wet and the other hand to only touch the dry.

Once the chicken is breaded and has had time to rest for ten minutes, it’s time to deep fry! Heat vegetable, canola, or peanut oil to 325 to 350°F. Make sure it is not hotter or else the chicken will still be raw in the center while the outside is already golden brown. Once the oil is heated, add the breaded chicken pieces and fry for 7 to 9 minutes until golden and crispy on the outside while fully cooked in the center!

Finally, transfer to a wire rack to let any excess oil drain. Let the fried chicken rest for two to three minutes.

The Hot Honey Sauce

Now to put the hot honey in this fried chicken recipe! It’s super simple and only requires three ingredients:

• honey
• red pepper flakes
• Frank’s Hot Sauce

Just add all the ingredients and whisk together in a large bowl. Taste and adjust the spice level to your likeness. The more honey, the sweeter. The more red pepper flakes and hot sauce, the spicier!

Once the chicken is fried, add it to the bowl with the hot honey sauce and shake around to coat it evenly.

Then add on top of a waffle with some pickles and seal shut with another waffle. There you have Hot Honey Fried Chicken Waffle Sliders!

Looking For Tips to Make Fried Chicken?

• Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying. If it is not hot enough, the breading will soak all the oil and be mushy instead of crispy. The temperature should be right at 325°F to 350°F. Do not go higher or the outside will burn before the inside has a chance to cook. If you find that your chicken is not done in the center but the outside is already golden brown, just pop it in the oven at 350F to bake until cooked through.
• Use an oil suitable for hot temperatures like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
• When breading the chicken, make sure to pat it down firmly to make sure it adheres well. This will prevent it from falling off in the fryer.
• When dredging your chicken, make sure to let any excess wet mixture fall off before coating it in the dry. If you don’t let the wet batter drip off, it will fall off after you add the dry, and you’re left with a breading that won’t stick on after frying.
• To get a flakey texture on your fried chicken, this is the secret! Add about 3 to 4 spoonfuls of the wet batter into the dry and mix it together to create small flakey clumps. Now when you bread the chicken, it’ll develop that signature Kentucky fried chicken texture.

Craving More Chicken? Try These Recipes Out!

• Butter Chicken
• Honey Garlic Chicken
• Persian Chicken Kabob
• Harissa Honey Chicken
• Chipotle Cilantro Lime Chicken

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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