This popular breakfast/lunch (brunch) meal is an underrated power meal that gives you an enormous amount of healthy proteins, fibers, and minerals. You may not think chicken and waffles, two unrelated food items, go well together, but they work great as a pairing, even with toppings like maple syrup.
They are most commonly served with fried chicken, but lean chicken breast with whole wheat waffles is a healthier pairing that I highly recommend, and this recipe is made for this specific pairing. Both fried chicken and unfried chicken give lots of protein and taste amazing.
Fried vs Unfried chicken
Let’s face it-fried chicken usually tastes like heaven, but it is not very good for your health! Studies show that fried foods, when eaten regularly, increase plague buildup in your arteries which can worsen your arterial health over time. Life-threatening diseases like heart attacks, coronary artery disease, and stroke are not uncommon among regular fried chicken eaters. Several social experiments like this one prove that “frequent consumption of fried foods…[were] associated with a higher risk of all cause and cardiovascular mortality in women in the US.”
Switching to a lean cut of chicken, like chicken breast tenderloin, with a dusting of bread crumbs and seasonings, still tastes great while being much healthier for you. Non-fried chicken boasts more lean protein and less fat, making it suitable as a food that bolsters muscle gain and weight loss. Pairing this food with waffles to create chicken and waffles will give you a much-needed boost in carbohydrates and proteins to help satisfy you in the morning.
Best of all, you can batch-bake lots of chicken at once and store them. Then, you can take one or two breasts per morning and make a quick and delicious breakfast with your waffles.
Healthy Breaded Chicken & Waffles
Equipment
- 1 large oven-resistant bowl
- 1 oven mitten
Ingredients
- 1 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 frozen/homemade waffles
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- any light seasonings ex. garlic powder/onion powder
- maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Take out your fully thawed chicken tenders. If they are not fully thawed, leave them under warm running water for about 5 minutes.
- Place a large ceramic bowl on a table and lubricate the inside with olive oil (not extra virgin).
- Place one pound of chicken on the oil, and turn it over both sides so it gets covered in olive oil.
- Sprinkle all seasonings, salt, and pepper on both sides. After this, cover both sides in bread crumbs.
- Place the chicken in your preheated oven. It should take around 25-30 minutes to bake golden-brown. Use the toothpick test to check the tenders if you are unsure.
- Remove the chicken tenders after they finish baking, and place them on a table. Take out 2 frozen waffles and pop them in your toaster, or make fresh ones from scratch using a waffle maker.
- Once the waffles are warmed, and the chicken cools off, serve them on a dish with your favorite selection of delicious toppings.
Tips for bulk-baking chicken and waffles
Why is bulk baking chicken and waffles a good idea? If you do this, you can save a lot of time during future mornings by simply taking out the finished recipe ahead of time. Storing food is a very good idea in times of economic and supply chain uncertainty-or for simply saving it for friends and family.
For bulk baking chicken breast tenderloins, use more chicken and olive oil, first and foremost. You may use several heat-resistant bowls and put them all in the oven together-this saves you a lot of time. You may add extra seasonings and bread crumbs as well.
For waffles, it’s a lot simpler-just increase the amount of waffles that you cook. For making waffles from scratch, four waffles will be easiest to batch create because most waffle makers only allow up to four waffles to be made at a time. Be sure to scale your waffle batter to accommodate the amount of waffles you want to create.
How to store chicken and waffles
To chill your chicken and waffles, place them on a dish, wrap them from the top in plastic wrapping, and place them in your fridge. The amount of time you can store them seems to vary, but according to the USDA, you should consume cooked chicken leftovers in 3 to 4 days. Chicken is susceptible to bacterial growth, but waffles are not, so it is up to you to decide if want to separate them or not, specifically if you plan on storing them a while.
To freeze them, wrap the food in aluminum foil, preferably separate from each other. Then, place them in a freezer-safe container and put it in the freezer. They may last up to nine months.
