Protein-Packed Chicken & Waffle Bites

Chicken and waffles are the greatest breakfast-dinner hybrids ever created. That perfect combination of savory crispy chicken paired with sweet, fluffy waffles is simply unbeatable.

Traditional chicken and waffles, while incredible, are very heavy on the calories and light on the protein. That’s where these protein-packed chicken and waffle bites come in to save the day.

We’re coating crispy chicken nuggets in high-protein waffle batter and cooking them to perfection to create the perfect high-protein snack or meal.

Each bite contains 80 calories with 6g of protein, meaning a full plate will give you 400 calories and 30g of protein. For a full plate of chicken & waffles, you can’t ask for much more than that!

What I love most about this recipe is how customizable it is. You can use your favorite chicken nuggets or breaded chicken, and use any waffle mix flavor you want to take things to the next level.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. You only need three main components to make these delicious bites.

First, you’ll need a high-protein waffle mix. Any “just add water” mix will work, but I highly recommend using PEScience’s buttermilk mix. Am I biased because I created this product? Probably.

Does that take away from the fact that this is the most delicious high-protein waffle mix you will ever have? Absolutely not.

If you want to just use a regular waffle mix and skip the added protein, you can go that route as well.

Next up is the chicken. Since these are small chicken & waffle bites, you’ll want to use chicken nuggets or small chicken chunks.

I recommend using Tyson Air Fried Nuggets because they remind me of Burger King nuggets and get super crispy in the air fryer.

Just Bare Chicken Chunks are another excellent option with great macros. Both options are 160 calories and 15-16 grams of protein per serving, making them awesome “fried” chicken options.

The key is finding chicken that gives you that fried-chicken-like crunch while providing more protein than standard nuggets.

Of course, if you happen to have fried chicken ready to go, you can always dice that up, too.

Finally, you’ll want something to drizzle on top. I love the combination of sugar-free syrup mixed with hot sauce, but hot honey works amazingly well too.

How to Make Healthier Chicken & Waffle Bites

Start by cooking your chicken according to the package instructions. The air fryer is definitely the best method if you want maximum crispiness.

If you’re in a pinch, you can microwave your nuggets. They won’t be quite as crispy, but once they’re coated in waffle batter and cooked, it actually works just fine.

While your chicken is cooking, prepare your waffle mix according to the package directions. I recommend adding a tiny bit of extra water than called for to thin the batter slightly.

This makes it easier to coat the chicken evenly. You don’t want it too runny, but it should be thin enough to create a nice coating.

Once your chicken is cooked and your batter is ready, it’s time to assemble. You can take two approaches here.

Option one is to skewer each nugget with a popsicle stick or wooden skewer, then dip it into the waffle batter. This creates a chicken-waffle popsicle that’s fun to eat.

Option two is simply dipping the nuggets directly in the batter, then placing them in your mini waffle maker. This creates more traditional-looking mini chicken and waffles that you can eat with a fork.

Either way, make sure each piece of chicken gets fully coated in the batter. One serving of waffle mix should be enough to coat about 5 nuggets.

Cook each coated nugget in your mini waffle maker until the outside is golden brown and crispy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes, but your waffle maker might vary.

Once they’re done, transfer to a plate and drizzle with your choice of toppings, or dip them into your favorite sauce.

My go-to sauce is simply whisking together sugar-free syrup with hot sauce, but I am also partial towards hot honey. There’s nothing quite like hot honey chicken.

Customizing Your Protein-Packed Chicken & Waffle Bites

One of the things I love most about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can switch things up in countless ways to make your tastebuds happy.

Try using different flavored waffle mixes like chocolate (PEScience has an amazing one) or cinnamon if you want to experiment with sweet and savory combinations.

A chocolate protein waffle with spicy chicken might sound weird, but don’t knock it ’till you try it.

For the chicken, any crispy nugget or tender will work great. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make my go-to air fryer crispy chicken recipe and form chicken chunks instead of full patties.

The toppings are where you can really get creative. Classic maple syrup works great, but don’t be afraid to try hot honey, sugar-free chocolate syrup, or even a savory option like gravy. No judgment here.

These chicken and waffle bites make a perfect brunch item, but they’re also great as a post-workout snack or on-the-go breakfast.

However you choose to make them, these protein-packed chicken and waffle bites are sure to become a regular in your recipe rotation.

They’re quick, delicious, and packed with protein – what more could you ask for?

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