Easy Chili’s Chicken And Waffle Recipe With 5 Minute Sauce

Last Updated on February 28, 2024

Chili’s Crispers is one of our favorite take-out dishes. So, we thought we’d make a much better Chili’s chicken and waffle recipe at home!

Today we will be making our very own honey-chipotle sauce, Belgian waffles, and of course, their uber crisp and juicy chicken Crispers. Let’s get started!

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What You Need For Our Chili’s Chicken And Waffle Recipe

Ingredients for the honey-chipotle sauce

• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground chipotle spice
• Fine salt, to taste

Ingredients for the Belgian waffles

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups milk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredients for the chicken crispers

For the batter

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted

For the breading

• 2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the chicken

• 12 chicken tenderloins
• 12 bacon slices, grilled
• Jalapeno, sliced for garnish
• Ancho-chile ranch dressing, for garnish

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Waffle iron
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Tongs or spider
• Paper towel
• Toothpicks

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Make the honey-chipotle sauce

Start by making the honey-chipotle sauce in advance. It keeps well after being made and is best when served cooled anyway.

To make it, combine all of its ingredients in a small or medium saucepan. Then, bring the ingredients to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and allow them to simmer for roughly 2 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat, give it a good stir, and allow it to cool off.

Step 2: Make the waffle batter

To start, combine all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Set it aside. Then, in a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until you have a uniform mixture.

Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk them together very well. You should end up with a uniform and lump-free waffle batter.

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Step 3: Cook the waffles

Coat your waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and preheat it. Add batter to the appliance and allow it to cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Set the waffles aside for later use. You can also keep them in a low-heated oven until they are needed.

Step 4: Make the chicken crispers batter

Preheat your frying oil to 350ºF (180ºC). Then, make the batter for the chicken pieces. Whisk together the egg, milk, and spices. Make sure you whisk until they are well distributed. Then, add the flour into a separate bowl.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour while whisking constantly. Eventually, you should have a smooth and lump-free batter.

Set it aside.

Step 5: Make the seasoned breading mixture

For the breading, simply combine all of the ingredients together well. Place the breading into a shallow bowl or tray.

Step 6: Coat the chicken tenderloins in batter and breading

Next, dip each tenderloin into the batter, then the breading, and then place it directly into the preheated hot oil. Fry each piece for about 4 minutes or until they are beautifully golden brown. Always check the first piece to see if you are cooking them for long enough.

Repeat this process until all your crispers have been made. Drain them on a piece of paper towel.

Step 7: Assemble your Chili’s chicken and waffle recipe

Finally, to assemble your Chili’s chicken and waffle recipe, start by portioning out the waffles. Make each piece the size of your chicken crispers.

Then, stack your Crispers and waffles in the following order; waffle, bacon slice, chicken Crisper, jalapeno, and ranch dressing. You can serve the honey-chipotle sauce on the side or drizzle some over each bite.

Expert Tricks For This Chili’s Chicken And Waffle Recipe

• You can buy premade waffles to save some time, but fresh Belgian waffles are truly the best. You can keep them warm in the oven until you need them.
• The honey-chipotle sauce can be made as far as a week in advance. Just store it inside the fridge in an airtight stain and odor-free container.
• Make the Crispers as fresh as possible. The breading is about the only element here you can make in advance. The rest should be very fresh and uber-crispy!
• You only need to make about 6 averaged-sized Belgian waffles. Because you portion them, you don’t have to waste time making a bunch! Unless of course, you want to freeze them for later.

Preparations Times And Servings

Final Thoughts

Our Chili’s chicken and waffle recipe pay homage to their original one. But, if we do say so ourselves, the homemade version is far better in flavor and texture. It’s fresh, made with superior ingredients, and has an added touch of love.

So, feel free to share with us your experience making these. We’re dying to know how it went!

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Easy Chili’s Chicken And Waffle Recipe With 5 Minute Sauce

Chili's Crispers is one of our favorite take-out dishes. So, we thought we'd make a much better Chili's chicken and waffle recipe at home! Today we will be making our very own honey-chipotle sauce, Belgian waffles, and of course, their uber crisp and juicy chicken Crispers. Let's get started!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Baking Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili's chicken and waffle recipe, Do you pour syrup on chicken and waffles?, How do you make Chili's chicken strips?, How many carbs are in Chili's chicken and waffles?, What kind of waffles do you make for chicken and waffles?

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 2603kcal

Author: Ania Cooking Recipes

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Waffle iron
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Tongs or spider
• Paper towel
• Toothpicks

Ingredients

  

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Ingredients for the honey-chipotle sauce

• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground chipotle spice
• Fine salt, to taste

Ingredients for the Belgian waffles

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups milk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredients for the chicken crispers

For the batter

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted

For the breading

• 2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the chicken

• 12 chicken tenderloins
• 12 bacon slices, grilled
• Jalapeno, sliced for garnish
• Ancho-chile ranch dressing, for garnish

Instructions

• Make the honey-chipotle sauce

  Start by making the honey-chipotle sauce in advance. It keeps well after being made and is best when served cooled anyway.

  To make it, combine all of its ingredients in a small or medium saucepan. Then, bring the ingredients to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and allow them to simmer for roughly 2 minutes.

  Remove the sauce from the heat, give it a good stir, and allow it to cool off.
  3/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup of water, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons ground chipotle spice, Fine salt, to taste
• Make the waffle batter

  To start, combine all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Set it aside. Then, in a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until you have a uniform mixture.

  Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk them together very well. You should end up with a uniform and lump-free waffle batter.
  2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 cups milk, room temperature, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Cook the waffles

  Coat your waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and preheat it. Add batter to the appliance and allow it to cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.

  Set the waffles aside for later use. You can also keep them in a low-heated oven until they are needed.
• Make the chicken crispers batter

  Preheat your frying oil to 350ºF (180ºC). Then, make the batter for the chicken pieces. Whisk together the egg, milk, and spices. Make sure you whisk until they are well distributed. Then, add the flour into a separate bowl.

  Slowly add the wet ingredients to the flour while whisking constantly. Eventually, you should have a smooth and lump-free batter.

  Set it aside.
  1 large egg, beaten, 1 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted
• Make the seasoned breading mixture

  For the breading, simply combine all of the ingredients together well. Place the breading into a shallow bowl or tray.
  2 cups cake flour, sifted, 2 teaspoons fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Coat the chicken tenderloins in batter and breading

  Next, dip each tenderloin into the batter, then the breading, and then place it directly into the preheated hot oil. Fry each piece for about 4 minutes or until they are beautifully golden brown. Always check the first piece to see if you are cooking them for long enough.

  Repeat this process until all your crispers have been made. Drain them on a piece of paper towel.
  12 chicken tenderloins
• Assemble your Chili's chicken and waffle recipe

  Finally, to assemble your Chili's chicken and waffle recipe, start by portioning out the waffles. Make each piece the size of your chicken crispers.

  Then, stack your Crispers and waffles in the following order; waffle, bacon slice, chicken Crisper, jalapeno, and ranch dressing. You can serve the honey-chipotle sauce on the side or drizzle some over each bite.
  12 bacon slices, grilled, Jalapeno, sliced for garnish, Ancho-chile ranch dressing, for garnish

Notes

The honey-chipotle sauce can be made as far as a week in advance. Just store it inside the fridge in an airtight stain and odor-free container.

Make the Crispers as fresh as possible. The breading is about the only element here you can make in advance. The rest should be very fresh and uber-crispy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1order | Calories: 2603kcal | Carbohydrates: 306g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 125g | Saturated Fat: 40g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 4730mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 123g

Ania

My name is Ania, and I am very glad to see you here. I have always loved cooking; even some of my earliest memories are flipping through a cookbook and making pudding standing on a stool because I was too small to reach the stove.

You should know that I am not a professionally trained chef, just a big food lover who grew up in a family obsessed with cooking and focused on what we eat.