Gluten-Free Chicken and Mini Waffles

Mini gluten-free waffles topped with fried chicken nuggets and drizzled with demerara syrup.

Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
Approximately 20 minutes
Servings

Syrup

  • 1 cup Florida Crystals Turbinado Cane Sugar 1 cup Florida Crystals Turbinado Cane Sugar
  • 1 cup Water 1 cup Water
  • ½ cup Freshly squeezed orange juice ½ cup Freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon Orange zest 1 teaspoon Orange zest
  • 2 sticks Cinnamon 2 sticks Cinnamon

Buttermilk mixture (for the chicken)

  • 2 cups Buttermilk 2 cups Buttermilk
  • ½ tablespoon Paprika ½ tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Onion powder 1 teaspoon Onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon Cracked black pepper

Flour Mixture (for the chicken)

  • 1 ½ cups Gluten-Free All-purpose flour 1 ½ cups Gluten-Free All-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons Salt 2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon Cracked black pepper
  • 3 Chicken breasts cut in cubes. Six pieces out of each breast 3 Chicken breasts cut in cubes. Six pieces out of each breast
  • Vegetable oil to spray Vegetable oil to spray

Waffles

  • 2 large Eggs 2 large Eggs
  • 6 tablespoons Butter, melted 6 tablespoons Butter, melted
  • 2 cups milk 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon Gluten-free vanilla extract 1 teaspoon Gluten-free vanilla extract
  • 2 1/3 cups Gluten-free all-purpose flour 2 1/3 cups Gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar 2 ½ tablespoons 2 ½ tablespoons Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¾ teaspoon Xanthan gum ¾ teaspoon Xanthan gum

Instructions

Step 1

Prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, bring turbinado sugar, water, orange juice, orange zest, and cinnamon sticks to a boil. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month. 

Step 2

Prepare the chicken. Preheat air fryer to 400°. In a shallow bowl, combine buttermilk, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. In another shallow bowl, combine gluten-free flour, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, then in flour mixture, patting to help coating adhere.

Step 3

In batches, arrange chicken in a single layer in greased air-fryer basket; spray with vegetable oil. Cook until coating is golden brown and chicken is no longer pink, 7-8 minutes on each side or until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature. Preheat oven to 200°F. After each batch comes out of the air fryer, place inside the oven to keep warm.

Step 4

Prepare the waffles. Preheat waffle maker. Whisk all wet ingredients together. Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix both mixtures until combined. To make the waffles, pour a small amount of batter in the center or the waffle maker and follow directions from your waffle maker.

 

Assemble the dish by adding a piece of chicken on top of a waffle. Drizzle with Turbinado syrup. Serve.

Chef's Tip

If you do not have an air fryer, use your oven preheated at 375°F. Spray a baking sheet with oil and bake until golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.