Waffle Fried Chicken: A Taste of Soul in Street Food!

The surging wave of fried chicken has propelled a very unique twist to the forefront of street food: waffle chicken! Yes, you read that right — the unlikely marriage between a slightly sweet waffle and crispy fried chicken, drizzled with a rich maple syrup sauce. This calorie-packed bomb, to be enjoyed in moderation, is one of the iconic symbols of soul food, whose origins date back to the late 17th century, when enslaved Black people brought their traditional cooking to Southern U.S. states like Louisiana and New Orleans.

Popularized by Black jazz musicians, this particular specialty is said to have emerged in the early 20th century. After playing all night in Harlem clubs, they were often offered a meal at dawn — either leftover fried chicken from the night before or a freshly made breakfast waffle. Often unable to choose, the jazzmen got into the habit of combining the two, creating this hybrid dish that would go on to become a must-have of Afro-American cuisine, later brandished as a symbol during the fight against racial segregation.

In Paris and its suburbs, as well as in cities like Marseille and Lyon, places to discover soul food are becoming more and more numerous and appealing: Crispy Soul, Mama Jackson Soul Food, Gumbo Yaya, Juicy Pop, Uncle Bumpy, and more.

Even Mory Sacko, the 2020 breakout star of Top Chef and a Michelin-starred chef with Senegalese and Malian roots, offers his own take on waffle chicken at MoSugo, his latest Parisian restaurant mainly dedicated to fried chicken.