Papa John’s recently unveiled plans to add a chicken and waffle pizza to its menu later this year, complete with crispy chicken, waffle crumbles, bacon cheese sauce, and spicy honey drizzles.
Pizza lovers have long experimented with mixing their favorite foods into unique creations that strike the ideal balance between sweet and salty flavors, light texture, and hearty protein content.
Crust
When most of us think of chicken and waffles, our minds often conjure images of crispy fried chicken served on top of a fluffy waffle with syrup drizzled on it. While this version can indeed be delicious, pizza-based variations of this classic dish have recently become a trendy new trend across the internet.
At the forefront of creating waffle pizza is dough preparation – whether from scratch or purchased ready-made dough from a store. Next, preheat your waffle iron and grease it with nonstick cooking spray before rolling out your pizza dough to an approximate thickness of 1/4 inch with either your hands or a rolling pin.
Once your dough is prepared, place it onto a waffle iron and cook until crisp and golden brown. Top your waffle with pizza toppings of your choice before serving!
One of the most popular choices for creating a chicken and waffle pizza is Chick-fil-A sauce, although any pizza sauce will work equally well. When it comes to chicken nuggets or fully cooked frozen pieces of chicken, you can either bake your own or purchase already cooked ones from frozen stores; similarly, any type of waffle you desire, from classic Belgian waffles to crinkle cut or steak fries, is acceptable for your dish!
Sauce
Some pizza fans prefer thin layers of sauce on their pizza, while others like thicker layers bursting with flavor. To create this recipe, select your preferred traditional pizza sauce (you can either make your own or purchase from the grocery store) for this step.
Fried chicken is one of the stars in this unique pizza mash-up. Although restaurants have experimented with pairing savory foods like burgers and chicken or steak and mashed potatoes with waffles in the past, the modern trend of pairing fried chicken with waffles is relatively recent.
Although fried chicken is at the forefront of this dish, pizza sauce plays an essential role in unifying all its components. While most pizza sauce recipes are designed for full-sized pies, you can modify them slightly for use here by mixing in small amounts of milk or water to thin and spread the sauce more easily.
Substituting toppings is entirely up to you when creating this pizza – try fruit, vegetables, other meats, or cheeses to give it an exciting and delicious meal or dessert option!
As an alternative, try replacing pepperoni with mushrooms and sauteed spinach instead of pepperoni for an all-vegan version of pizza. Or switch out fried chicken for cooked bacon for even more savory flavor – the possibilities are limitless, so let your creativity run wild!
Toppings
Pizza waffles are a unique variation on classic pizza that brings toppings together on a waffle instead of its crust. Commonly served for breakfast or brunch at restaurants around Kalamazoo, these tasty treats may even appear on menus as specials! Others make homemade versions using regular pizza sauce with pre-made waffle mix and their desired combination of toppings.
An essential ingredient of any waffle pizza, basic pizza sauce is an integral component. Though there are various recipes available, some choose to prepare their own at home while others opt for ready-made marinara from their supermarket.
Considerations when creating chicken and waffle pizza include choosing the type of waffle used – some chefs use crisp Belgian-style waffles, while others may opt for thick and fluffy varieties like those served at breakfast restaurants.
Pizza waffles are one of the latest food trends that have taken America by storm, and their popularity may outlive expectations. As this dish grows in popularity, expect more restaurants to offer it and perhaps even special promotions at fast-food chains.
Cooking
Chicken and waffles have long been an American classic, yet their popularity seems to be on the rise again. A man recently attempted to rob Roscoe’s in Harlem because they had run out of chicken and waffles, though in reality, he ended up taking home only some syrup! This incident only serves to demonstrate further just how widespread this combination is with many.
People usually envision this dish as consisting of fried chicken served atop a waffle with syrup. Still, its actual roots go back to 1938 when a Harlem restaurant served it on its menu. This restaurant was frequently frequented by entertainers such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway to dine after their shows.
At its opening in 1961, The Supper Club served a range of foods to its patrons, including stewed chicken over plain waffles. But its most iconic combination – fried chicken and waffles – quickly gained in popularity, drawing inspiration from similar pairings such as bacon and eggs that had long been considered tasty combinations at that time.
To create a pizza waffle, start by preparing both dough and sauce. A standard pizza dough recipe works great with this style of pizza; any flavor of pasta sauce you like works, too. Some recipes also call for adding sugar for sweetness or chili powder for an extra spicy kick of flavor!
