The Party Snack I Keep Coming Back To
I brought these chicken and waffle skewers to a birthday party last month and they were gone in maybe ten minutes. Not even joking. I walked in with the tray, set it down, and by the time I grabbed a drink and turned around – completely empty. Kids were grabbing them, adults were grabbing them, and three different people asked me for the recipe before the night was over.
The best part? I didn’t even make the waffles from scratch. I bought them, assembled everything in under 30 minutes, and showed up looking like I’d been in the kitchen all day. That’s the kind of recipe I love. These chicken and waffles skewers are now my go-to whenever I need something that looks fancy but takes almost no effort.
Why This Recipe Works
- Looks impressive on a tray but takes maybe 30 minutes to pull together
- Budget-friendly – chicken fillets and store-bought waffles keep the cost low if you make them yourself
- Kids go crazy for them, and honestly adults just as much
- Easy to make a big batch without breaking a sweat
- No waffle maker needed if you buy them pre-made (and I’ll share my two favorite store options)
- That maple syrup drizzle at the end ties the sweet and savory together in the best way
What You’ll Need to Make These Chicken and Waffle Skewers
For the Chicken Nuggets:
- Chicken fillets – 1.5 lbs / 680g, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Egg – 1 large
- Breadcrumbs – 1 cup / 100g
- Flour – ½ cup / 65g
- Garlic powder – ½ tsp
- Paprika – ½ tsp
- Salt – ½ tsp
- Black pepper – to taste
- Oil for frying – enough to shallow fry
For Assembly:
- Mini waffles – 1 package (store-bought works great, see options below)
- Maple syrup – ¼ cup – this one is a great option
- Fresh parsley or thyme or rosemary – a small handful, finely chopped for garnish (optional, but it makes it look so good)
- Wooden skewers – short cocktail-style ones work best (these ones from Amazon are exactly what I use)
Store-bought waffle options I recommend:
- Le Chic Patissier Petite Belgian Waffles – my top pick, they’re the perfect size
- St. Pierre Brioche Waffles – slightly thicker and a little richer, also really good
If you want to make your own waffles:
- All-purpose flour – 1½ cups / 190g
- Baking powder – 2 tsp
- Sugar – 3 tbsp or more if you want to make them sweeter
- Salt – ½ tsp
- Egg – 1 large
- Milk – 1¼ cups / 300ml
- Butter – ¼ cup / 60g, melted
- Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
For a waffle maker, I love the DASH Mini Waffle Maker – makes perfectly sized mini waffles for skewers. No electricity? The Rome’s Chuckwagon Waffle Iron goes right on the stovetop or campfire and is so fun to use.
How to Make These Chicken and Waffles Skewers
- Cut the chicken fillets into bite-sized nugget pieces, roughly 1 inch / 2.5cm each. Set up a breading station – flour in one bowl, beaten egg in another, and breadcrumbs mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a third. Coat each piece in flour, dip in egg, then press into the breadcrumbs until fully coated.
- Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the chicken pieces in batches – about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of crisp up. Set aside on a paper towel to drain.
- If you’re using store-bought waffles, just warm them up in the toaster or oven for a few minutes so they’re not cold. If you’re making your own, whisk together the dry ingredients, then mix in the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Cook in your waffle maker according to its instructions, then cut into smaller squares if you want more bite-sized pieces.
- To assemble – slide one piece of crispy chicken onto a skewer, then push a small waffle square on right after it. That’s honestly it. Repeat until your tray is full.
- Right before serving, drizzle maple syrup over the whole tray and sprinkle with chopped parsley, thyme or rosemary if you’re using it. Serve immediately while the chicken is still warm and crispy. If you need to warm it later – you can put the whole tray with the skewers as they are in the oven for 5 minutes or in the air fryer for 2 minutes , but make sure to keep an eye on the wooden skewers.
Tips That Make a Difference
- Don’t skip resting the fried chicken on paper towels. Even just 2 minutes makes a difference – it keeps the coating crispy instead of getting soggy on the skewer.
- Warm the waffles right before assembly. Cold waffles are a little rubbery and don’t slide onto the skewer as cleanly. A quick 2 minutes in the toaster fixes everything.
- Drizzle the maple syrup at the very last second. If you do it too early the waffles absorb it and get soft. Do it right before you set the tray down.
- Make your own waffles and cut them smaller if you want true bite-sized chicken and waffles skewers – one piece of waffle per skewer makes them way easier to eat standing up at a party.
- Double the batch if you’re feeding a crowd. These go fast. Genuinely faster than you’d expect.
Substitution Ideas
- No time to fry? Use store-bought frozen chicken nuggets – just bake or air fry them and they work perfectly
- Gluten-free – swap the flour and breadcrumbs for gluten-free versions and use GF waffles
- No maple syrup? Honey works really well here too, or a honey mustard drizzle if you want something more savory
- Want to add a dipping sauce on the side – a little hot sauce mixed with butter, or a creamy ranch, is amazing with these
- Fresh parsley, thyme or rosemary are not your thing – skip it, or swap for a tiny pinch of powdered sugar for more of a sweet angle
How to Make These Ahead for a Party
These chicken and waffles skewers are easiest when you prep the parts separately and assemble last minute.
- Fry the chicken nuggets up to a day ahead and reheat in the oven at 375°F / 190°C for 8-10 minutes until crispy again – works great
- Store-bought waffles just need to be toasted day-of, takes 2 minutes
- Homemade waffles can be made the night before and stored in an airtight container, then warmed in the toaster before serving
- Don’t assemble the skewers more than 30 minutes before serving – the waffles start to soften once they sit with the chicken
- The maple syrup drizzle always goes on last, right before serving
Ways to Serve These
- On a big wooden board or slate tray at a party – they look so good lined up
- As a fun appetizer for birthday parties, holiday get-togethers, or game day
- Served at a kids’ party alongside some fresh fruit – always a hit
- As a fun dinner with a simple green salad on the side
- Set up a little DIY station with the parts separate and let guests build their own skewers – people love that
FAQ
Can I use store-bought frozen chicken nuggets instead of homemade? Yes, 100%. Bake or air fry them according to the package, then skewer as normal. It makes this recipe even faster and the result is just as good for a party.
How far in advance can I make these? Fry the chicken up to a day ahead and reheat in the oven. Assemble the actual skewers no more than 30 minutes before serving so the waffles stay firm. The maple drizzle goes on last.
Do I really need a waffle maker? Nope! That’s the beauty of this recipe. Store-bought mini waffles are totally legit here and honestly what I use most of the time. Check the two Walmart options I linked above – both are great.
How many skewers does this make? With 1.5 lbs of chicken and one package of mini waffles, you’ll get roughly 20-24 skewers depending on how big you cut the chicken pieces. Double everything if you’re feeding a bigger crowd.
Can I make these in an air fryer? Yes – air fry the breaded chicken pieces at 400°F / 200°C for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway. They come out really crispy without the oil.
What skewers should I use? Short cocktail skewers or fancy toothpick-style ones work best – the kind that are about 4-6 inches long. I linked the exact ones I use in the ingredients section above.
Go Make These
If you’ve been looking for a party snack that looks like you put in way more effort than you actually did – this is it. Chicken and waffles skewers check every box: easy, budget-friendly, crowd-pleasing, and genuinely fun to eat. Once you bring these to one party, people will start requesting them for every party. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Enjoy!
Fancy Chicken and Waffles Skewers With Maple
Ingredients
For the Chicken Nuggets:
- Chicken fillets – 1.5 lbs / 680g cut into bite-sized pieces
- Egg – 1 large
- Breadcrumbs – 1 cup / 100g
- Flour – ½ cup / 65g
- Garlic powder – ½ tsp
- Paprika – ½ tsp
- Salt – ½ tsp
- Black pepper – to taste
- Oil for frying – enough to shallow fry
For Assembly:
- Mini waffles – 1 package store-bought works great, see options below
- Maple syrup – ¼ cup – this one is a great option
- Fresh parsley or thyme or rosemary – a small handful finely chopped for garnish (optional, but it makes it look so good)
- Wooden skewers – short cocktail-style ones work best these ones from Amazon are exactly what I use
If you want to make your own waffles:
- All-purpose flour – 1½ cups / 190g
- Baking powder – 2 tsp
- Sugar – 3 tbsp or more if you want to make them sweeter
- Salt – ½ tsp
- Egg – 1 large
- Milk – 1¼ cups / 300ml
- Butter – ¼ cup / 60g melted
- Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Instructions
- Cut the chicken fillets into bite-sized nugget pieces, roughly 1 inch / 2.5cm each. Set up a breading station – flour in one bowl, beaten egg in another, and breadcrumbs mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a third. Coat each piece in flour, dip in egg, then press into the breadcrumbs until fully coated.
- Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the chicken pieces in batches – about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of crisp up. Set aside on a paper towel to drain.
- If you’re using store-bought waffles, just warm them up in the toaster or oven for a few minutes so they’re not cold. If you’re making your own, whisk together the dry ingredients, then mix in the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Cook in your waffle maker according to its instructions, then cut into smaller squares if you want more bite-sized pieces.
- To assemble – slide one piece of crispy chicken onto a skewer, then push a small waffle square on right after it. That’s honestly it. Repeat until your tray is full.
- Right before serving, drizzle maple syrup over the whole tray and sprinkle with chopped parsley, thyme or rosemary if you’re using it. Serve immediately while the chicken is still warm and crispy. If you need to warm it later – you can put the whole tray with the skewers as they are in the oven for 5 minutes or in the air fryer for 2 minutes , but make sure to keep an eye on the wooden skewers.
