While you might think it is an unlikely pairing, chicken and waffles is a popular dish in many American restaurants. Consisting of golden, grilled waffles topped with crispy fried chicken and syrup, the unique recipe is believed to date back many years. Here’s a brief overview of how this flavorful, savory-sweet combo became well-known.

Pennsylvania Dutch Origins

While the exact beginnings are unknown, the combination of chicken and waffles appears to have originated with the Dutch community of Pennsylvania in the 1600s. One of the earliest mentions of the dish appears in a 19th-century book written by Peter Seibert Davis, a German Reformed minister, who described chicken and waffles as the “stereotypical” Sunday night dish of settlers in southeastern Pennsylvania. It became a staple of the area, with hotels and inns offering it frequently on their menu. This recipe was slightly different from today’s because it didn't use fried chicken. Instead, it featured pulled, stewed chicken piled on top of a plain waffle with gravy.

Modern Chicken & Waffles

While chicken and waffles continued to be a specialty dish in various Eastern states, the contemporary version with crispy fried chicken wasn’t established until the late 1930s. This adaptation was popularized by Wells Supper Club, a well-known restaurant in Harlem, New York City. This eatery was open late into the night, and jazz musicians would frequently arrive after their concerts, which ended past the typical dinner service and before breakfast. Fried chicken and waffles became their go-to dish, as it featured both a delicious dinner and breakfast staple.

Chicken and waffles became a mainstay in restaurants throughout Harlem and eventually made its way across the country. By the 1970s, it had reached California, where it received a surge in popularity thanks to the founding of the hugely popular Long Beach fast-food chain Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles®, which is still open to this day.

If you’re craving delicious chicken and waffles, make your way to The Flaming Rooster in Chattanooga, TN. Serving authentic Nashville-style hot chicken, they have a huge menu of delicious fried chicken dishes, plus catfish, whiting, butterfly shrimp, pork chops, and more. Visit them online to view their menu and call (423) 805-5357 to place an order for curbside pickup.