This PA Dutch Chicken and Waffles recipe is made with slow cooker boneless, skinless chicken breast, a homemade chicken and waffles gravy recipe and from-scratch waffle recipe. It’s a delicious, wholesome, comfort food meal and our family favorite.
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
You may be wondering what a 100% Italian person who specializes in Italian recipes, such as myself knows about PA Dutch cooking (which is simple and not heavily seasoned.) Well for one, I’ve lived in Pennsylvania (one hour from Amish country) my whole life.
I’ve seen my fair share of horse and buggies and cute, little, barefoot (in summer) shy, Amish kids that wave back to me along side of a Lancaster County road.
photo courtesy of Pixabay
Second, I’m married to a German-American who has PA Dutch roots. This is how I learned how to make Fastnachts (delicious potato donuts typically eaten on Fat Tuesday a.k.a. Mardi Gras, which is the day before Ash Wednesday.) By the way, I have plenty of Lenten recipes- fish and seafood and Vegetarian, if you need them.
Hence, I’ve learned about PA Dutch Chicken and Waffles early in our marriage from my mother-in-law. Now, our kids ask for it and I can’t get away without making it for birthday dinners or just because. Our youngest is a waffle-lover.
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PA Dutch Chicken and Waffles
Now this isn’t the southern version of Chicken and Waffles, which is fried chicken over waffles with syrup. This is the Pennsylvania Dutch version which uses cooked shredded chicken made in a slow cooker with homemade chicken gravy and homemade (from scratch) waffles.
This recipe has four parts: slow cooking the chicken, making the gravy, making the waffle batter and cooking the waffles.
You can make the waffle batter ahead of time and store it, covered in the refrigerator, if that’s easier for you. I like to use the chicken broth from the slow cooker to make the chicken gravy. It gives it fresh, natural flavoring.
Comfort Food
We love comfort food chicken dinners in our house- Creamy Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Noodle Casserole and this recipe are some of our absolute favorites!
Classic Chicken
As I mentioned above, this recipe uses slow cooker boneless, skinless, chicken breast for two reasons. First, the slow cooker renders moist, tender chicken breast and my recipe is outlined below.
Second, when you cook the chicken breast (leaving the bits of fat on it,) along with the seasonings and a whole onion, and water will cook in the slow cooker and create a simple chicken broth that you’ll use to make the homemade chicken gravy.
Therefore, the first thing you’ll do is set up your chicken breasts in the slow cooker with water and a whole onion. The onion will act as an aromatic and will season your chicken. You can remove it at the end of cooking or cut it and serve it with your chicken.
Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
*See the printable recipe in the recipe card below.
Ingredients
- two boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- one whole onion (small or medium sized)
- 2 cups of water
- 1/4 tsp ground sage or thyme
- salt and black pepper to taste
Below, is what the slow cooker chicken will look like when it’s done.
Remove the “white goo” or otherwise known as soluble protein with a gravy strainer, which comes in handy when making Thanksgiving turkey gravy!
Next, when the chicken is done cooking in the slow cooker, you’re going to make the chicken and waffles gravy recipe.
Chicken and Waffles Gravy Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup chicken broth from slow cooker
- 1/8 tsp of garlic powder or more if you prefer
- salt and pepper to taste
Melted Butter
In a medium-sized sauce pan, make a roux: add butter and flour on medium heat and stir.
Then, stir in one cup of the chicken broth from the slow cooker (if it’s under one cup, add water until it reaches one cup.)
Next, add in the 1/2 of a cup of whole milk. NOTE: You can use half and half or two percent milk if that’s what you have on hand.
Stir until smooth. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add as much or as little as you like of seasonings.
Next, you’re going to make the homemade waffles. You can use a boxed mix like Bisquick if you prefer but, this homemade waffles recipe is from my 30+ year old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.
The recipe has no sugar in it, which I love because I don’t want sweet waffles for my chicken and waffles. But, you do what makes you happy!
Waffle Iron
I use a waffle iron similar to this waffle iron to make this recipe. My husband gave it to me as a gift so that I was sure to have the capability of making him one of his favorite dinners.
When it comes to the part where you have to use the waffle iron to cook the waffle batter, oil spray it even if it’s a non-stick waffle iron. Also, do not overfill the waffle iron because it’ll get messy quickly.
My tip is to allow the batter to spread about 1/2 inch away from the edges. This isn’t easy to do, but, try it. If you overfill it, it’ll run over and make the waffle iron messier to clean up but, it won’t ruin your waffles. Also, put the waffle iron next to your kitchen sink, if possible.
Next, allow the waffles to cook until they’re browned because they’ll be easier to remove from the hot waffle iron using a fork and the outer edges will be crispy too.
Waffles Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 egg whites
Egg Whites
First, you’ll need to separate the eggs and put the egg whites in a separate medium bowl to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. See the picture below if you don’t know what stiff peaks look like.
Stiff Peaks
What are stiff peaks in egg whites? Below is a picture. See how the egg whites are sticking to the whisk? This is what stiff peaks egg whites looks like. They’re white and fluffy.
I find it easier to beat the egg whites in a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl) and then add the batter to the big bowl of stiff peaks egg whites and fold the egg whites into the batter.
Use a medium bowl to mix the egg yolks, milk and vegetable oil and set it aside. Additionally, I also use a medium bowl to mix the dry ingredients- flour, baking soda and salt. Using a small bowl will make it too hard to mix and you’ll end up spilling it on your counter or worse, your floor.
TIP: If possible, reserve waffle batter to make waffle ice cream sandwiches for dessert.
Maple Syrup
You may be wondering if you can still use maple syrup with this recipe and the answer is “Yes.” You can use it instead of the chicken gravy or along with it. I don’t think there are any rules with this particular dish, as far as I’ve seen anyway.
What to serve with Chicken and Waffles
Serve chicken and waffles with a vegetable side dish such as Broccoli and Cheese with Bread Crumb Topping, mashed potatoes, or Parmesan green beans.
Although heavy on the carbs, serving them with mashed potatoes seems like a great fit because you can put the gravy on the mashed potatoes too. This works well if you don’t have a lot of waffle batter as the mashed potatoes are filling.
What to Do with Leftover Waffle Batter
Make waffle ice cream sandwiches with leftover waffle batter! After dinner, if anyone has room left in their tummies, make waffles with leftover batter and put your favorite ice cream inside two pieces of hot crispy waffles and top with some powdered sugar (or not.)
This is where your kids (or grandkids) can get creative with sprinkles, chocolate syrup and cookies.
This four-part chicken and waffles recipe is wholesome, comfort food your family will love. The slow cooker chicken breast gives it a tender and moist texture while the homemade chicken gravy is fresh, smooth and yummy.
The crispy waffles are hot and ready to dig your fork and knife into. Get what ingredients you need to make this Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken and Waffles recipe!
You may also like:
- Creamy Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Cheesy Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy
- Chicken and Corn Chowder
See more chicken recipes.
See my PA Dutch Fastnachts recipe!
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it in the recipe card and leave a comment!
PA Dutch Chicken and Waffles
Equipment
- slow cooker
- waffle iron
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium whole onion, peeled
- 1/4 tsp ground sage or thyme
- sat and pepper to taste
Chicken Gravy
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup chicken broth from slow cooker
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Homemade Waffles
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 egg whites
Instructions
- First, place the chicken in the slow cooker. Add the water, whole onion, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for four hours on low setting.
Chicken Gravy
- Next, when chicken is done, make chicken gravy. This is what the slow cooker chicken breast looks like when it's done.
- Next, in a medium sauce pan, make a roux: add butter and flour on medium heat and stir.
- Then, when it gets a little lumpy, add milk and stir until smooth.
- Then, stir in one cup of the chicken broth from the slow cooker. If it's under one cup, add water until it reaches one cup. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Homemade Waffles
- First, preheat the waffle iron.
- Next, in a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- Then, in separate medium sized bowl, beat egg yolks. Add milk and oil and stir. Add egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until combined yet still a little lumpy.
- Next, in a small bowl (or use a stand mixer), mix egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Then, fold the egg whites into the flour mixture, leaving a few fluffs of egg whites. Do not overmix.
- Next, oil spray the preheated waffle iron. Pour the waffle batter onto the middle of the waffle iron. Do not let it get too close to the sides or it'll spill out and make a mess. Close the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes. Check doneness (browning and crispiness) is to you liking. Repeat until there is no more waffle batter.
