Preparing the Chicken:

1. Start with the marinade: In a bowl, mix 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Add your chicken breasts (or thighs) and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial for marinating chicken for air frying, ensuring it’s juicy and flavorful.

2. Mix your dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp paprika, and 1 tsp garlic powder. This mix is your crispy chicken coating.

3. Coat the chicken: After marinating, take each piece of chicken and dredge it in the flour mixture. Make sure it’s well-coated for that perfect crispy coating.

4. Preheat your air fryer: Set your air fryer to 400°F. This cooking temperature is ideal for chicken, ensuring it cooks through evenly.

5. Cook the chicken: Place the coated chicken in the air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd. Spray a light coat of oil on top. Cook for 10 minutes, flip with kitchen tongs, then spray lightly again and cook for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to check.

Making the Waffles:

6. Mix the batter: If you’re going from scratch, whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp sugar in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix 1 3/4 cups milk, 1/3 cup oil, and 2 eggs. Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth. This is your homemade waffle batter.

7. Preheat your waffle iron: Follow your waffle iron instructions for the best results. Generally, setting it to a medium-high setting works well for golden, crispy waffles.

8. Cook the waffles: Pour enough batter to just cover the waffle iron grid. Close the lid and cook until the waffle is golden and crisp. This usually takes about 5 minutes but can vary.

9. Serve immediately: Waffles are best enjoyed fresh. If you’re waiting on chicken, keep waffles warm in a low oven.