Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potato Waffles

I definitely consider myself a Southern girl. Having been born and raised in the South, there are just certain tasks that have been ingrained in me since I was little. I know how to make really great sweet tea. I know how to pair pearls with blue jeans and make it work effortlessly. But perhaps most importantly, I know how to make really delicious, really crispy fried chicken. When I think back to my own childhood, I can remember the sound of fried chicken being dropped into the oil and for all of us, that meant that dinner was going to be spectacular. I watched my grandmother meticulously show me her secret to the best friend chicken, and then I relearned it with my mom. While many may consider the key to really crispy fried chicken a secret that should be well guarded, I’m about to spill the beans and not only show you how to get the most delicious, crispiest fried chicken ever with an airy crust that will leave you drooling, but I’m going to take things one step further and show you step by step how to create my classic Southern masterpiece of Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potato Waffles.

ust hearing the name of this dish, I know you’re totally drooling (as you should be) but let me tell you a little more about it before we get started with the recipe. Growing up, any time my mom or grandma made crispy fried chicken, it was accompanied by mashed potatoes. They just went together and truthfully, I’ve never been able to separate the two. However, being the modern Southern woman that I am, I like to take tradition and give it a twist, and when I did that with this combination, it only made sense to create Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potato Waffles. This dish that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner (or breakfast…I don’t judge) is made with the same recipe my family used, including their secret ingredient (more on that later). So, let’s get started and create this dish I promise will leave you saying, “Y’all, that was GOOD!”.

At first, I thought this recipe looked so complex when my mom passed it down to me, but after making it myself, I realized that getting the crispiest chicken ever is actually pretty easy. It just requires the correct steps, and more importantly, the right ingredients. To start, it’s important to soak the chicken thighs over night. While it makes this a meal that I must “think ahead” for, trust me when I say the extra effort is totally worth it. So, to start by Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potato Waffles, I added my buttermilk and hot sauce to a bowl, rinsed off my chicken thighs and placed them in the bowl.

After covering the bowl, I placed the chicken thighs back in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, I removed the chicken thighs from the refrigerator and set them on my counter to warm while I start the process of making my mashed potato waffles. These waffles are so easy to make and simply require mashed potatoes, Argo® Corn Starch, eggs and flour. To start them, I added my potatoes to boiling water and allowed them to cook for about 25 minutes, until they were soft.

Once my potatoes were cooked, I drained them, added them to a bowl with my butter and minced garlic and mashed them (my little guy loves to help on this step!).

When my potatoes were mashed to perfection, I set them aside and moved on (for the moment) to my chicken. To start my chicken batter, I mixed together my Argo® Corn Starch (which is my secret ingredient), all-purpose flour, seasoning salt, pepper, thyme and garlic powder. Now, in case you’ve never made fried chicken using Argo® Corn Starch, it’s the secret to really crispy, really airy, really delicious chicken.

You’re likely already got it in your home and have used it for things like thickening sauces and soups or getting the crispiest flash-fried meat and veggies when flash frying Asian stir-fries. While I still use my Argo® Corn Starch for all of these things (and my mashed potato waffles), my favorite way to use it is in fried chicken because it truly does give you the crispiest chicken ever with a light and airy crust that crunches as you bite into it (yum!). Once I had my Argo® Corn Starch mixed into my other dry ingredients, I sat aside 1/4 cup of my dry mixture.

Then, in a second bowl, I mixed together 1/4 cup of buttermilk and 1/2 cup of milk. I then poured this milk mixture into the large bowl of dry ingredients and mixed it gently until a batter formed. As a side note, if your batter is too thick after mixing in the milk, add water by the tablespoon and continue to stir until you get a consistency that’s similar to pancake batter.

Once my batter was ready, I removed my chicken thighs from the buttermilk and rolled them in the flour and Argo® Corn Starch mixture that I reserved. They immediately went to into my batter next and were covered in the Argo® Corn Starch batter that ensures the crispiest, airiest chicken every time.

Once my chicken thighs were battered to perfection, I heated my Mazola® Corn Oil over medium heat on my cook top. Once the oil reached about 350 degrees, I added my chicken and fried it for about 8 minutes on each side, until the interior temperature was 160 degrees.

Once my chicken thighs were cooked through completely and had my trademark crispy, airy crust thanks to the Argo® Corn Starch that is mixed into the batter, I placed them on a wire rack to drain any excess grease.

While my chicken thighs were cooling, I heat my waffle iron and sprayed it with cooking spray. Then I quickly added my eggs, Argo® Corn Starch and all-purpose flour to my mashed potato mixture.

Now, if you’re wondering why I add Argo® Corn Starch to my mashed potatoes, it’s the perfect way to thicken them so that they cook into fluffy waffles. In fact, the Argo® Corn Starch is the secret to these mashed potato waffles turning out right. In case you didn’t already know, Argo® Corn Starch is the leading corn starch brand with over 100 years of quality and it’s been trusted my multiple generations. It’s also the perfect way to thicken up mashed potatoes and turn them into waffle batter. Once I had mixed my mashed potato waffle batter, I added 1/2 cup to my waffle iron, closed it and cooked my mashed potato waffles for about 3-5 minutes, until they were golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside.

When my waffles were done, I removed them from the waffle iron and added them to a plate. Then I took the crispiest chicken thighs ever that I made with Argo® Corn Starch and placed one on top of each waffle.

Finally, I drizzled a little maple syrup over the top and sprinkled on some scallions and just like that, I had Southern perfection in a dish that’s totally drool-worthy.

This is one of my family’s favorite recipes and I can’t blame them because the crunch of the chicken batter and the tenderness of the mashed potato waffles come together in a way that makes everyone close their eyes and savor the flavor. Seriously, you guys, when you cut through these chicken thighs, you can HEAR the crunch….after all, eating happens with more than just your mouth!

For us, this is a perfect weekend brunch recipe or a great way to make dinner fun. My Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs with Mashed Potato Waffles always bring my entire family to the dinner table, and I know that when I serve it up, everyone will be more than happy with the crispy, crunchy, airy unmatched taste of this amazing dish.