Move Over Chicken and Waffles: John Legend Says Chicken and Pancakes Is the Better Combo

Some flavor combinations are just iconic, like peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and chicken and waffles. However, there's one singer-songwriter who's willing to say that chicken and pancakes is the more choice combo.

In early 2022, John Legend posted a photo of his fried chicken and pancakes on Instagram with the caption "Chicken & Pancakes >>>>> Chicken & Waffles. Fight me." As you can imagine, the post received some mixed reactions in the comments. Then, on Legend's recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the host brought up his "little controversy."

"I stand by it. Y'all doubting it because y'all haven't tried it," Legend said. "But I know I'm right."

The EGOT winner went on to say you could get chicken and pancakes at the world-famous restaurant Bubby's in New York — but Legend also has his own recipe. Fallon brought the interview full circle by pulling out a plate of Bubby's fried chicken and pancakes for the two to try.

"It's a blessing. That's delicious," Legend said.

"He's right. That's unbelievable. It's actually better than waffles," Fallon concurred.

Legend originally shared his fried chicken and pancake recipe back in July for National Fried Chicken Day. The recipe also lives on his wife Chrissy Teigen's website, Cravings by Chrissy Teigen.

Like Jimmy Fallon — and seemingly half of the internet — we were a little skeptical that chicken and pancakes could be better than chicken and waffles. The appeal of chicken and waffles, beyond the savory and sweet flavors, is all that crunchy texture. However, the texture is exactly what Legend says makes chicken and pancakes taste better.

"They're basically made with the same batter — similar batter. But I like the soft, fluffy texture of a pancake with the crispy chicken," he said.

The only way to know if chicken and pancakes are the better combination is to try them, so we gave Legend's recipe a shot. His recipe includes simple fried chicken and buttermilk pancakes all topped with smoked honey butter. You could, of course, use your own fried chicken recipe paired with your go-to pancake recipe. Or, even use store-bought pancake mix — you can even buy Bubby's iconic pancake mix for $12 online for a truly authentic experience.

We Tried John Legend's Fried Chicken and Pancakes

First things first, fried chicken and pancakes are an amazing combination. We're not going to say it's better than chicken and waffles, because ultimately it does come down to which texture you prefer — fluffy on crispy vs. crispy on crispy. Truth be told, though, if you like chicken and waffles, we're pretty sure you'll like chicken and pancakes.

Now, let's get technical. John Legend's fried chicken recipe is surprisingly easy — it's written so that even the most novice cooks will be able to follow along.

The fried chicken itself has a mild flavor — even with all that Lawry's seasoning in the brine and breading. The breading is pretty tasty (especially when you get an extra spicy bite), but where Legend really wins us over is with his smoked honey butter, which consists of butter, honey, and smoked paprika.

Because the warm, melty butter is added to both the chicken and the pancakes, it really ties the whole dish together with an added layer of sweet and savory flavor. And if that's not what brunch is all about, then we don't know what is.

The pancakes aren't really anything to write home about. They're good — especially doused in honey butter — but the batter was pretty thin and spread a lot on the griddle. Be prepared to babysit your griddle, because if you're in the zone frying chicken, you might burn a couple pancakes along the way. But don't worry, because that honey butter can seriously fix (almost) any mistake you make.

All and all, chicken and pancakes embodies everything we love about chicken and waffles, just with pillowy clouds of sweet batter instead of crispy pockets of batter. We give it one thumb up only because our other hand is holding a drumstick.

Tips for Making Fried Chicken and Pancakes

When you inevitably try this recipe yourself (and you should), you might want to follow some of these tips from Bubby's chef and owner, Ron Silver. They will make your life easier and your brunch taste better.

• Put your pancake batter in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before you start cooking. This will ensure light pancakes.
• Cook your pancakes on low to medium heat. Don't flip them too soon — wait until the edges start to bubble.
• Be sure to marinate your chicken for a few hours before dredging in flour. Legend's recipe includes a four-hour brine, and even if you go off book, make sure not to skip the step entirely.
• If you want extra crispy skin, try a double dredge. After you dredge the chicken, place it in the fridge for 15 minutes to let it set, then dredge it again before frying.

If you've been looking for something new to add to your brunch menu, then this is the perfect option. If you want to get really creative, you can fry up your chicken and serve it alongside waffles, pancakes, and French toast so your brunch guests can have a choose their own savory/sweet fried chicken adventure.