For the Chicken Marinade: Combine 4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2 cups buttermilk, 1/4 cup pickle juice, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp hot sauce, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours.
For the Seasoned Flour: Combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup corn starch, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tbsp onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl (minus the oil) and set aside.
To Cook the Chicken: Once the chicken has marinated, dredge the chicken thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture. Fry in vegetable oil heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 8-9 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain the cooked chicken on a wire rack.
For the Honey Bourbon Maple Syrup: Combine 1/3 cup honey bourbon, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, and 1/4 cup honey in a medium-sized pot on medium heat. Reduce until thickened, about 20 minutes. Optionally, if a thicker syrup is desired, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tsp cold water and whisk it into the reducing syrup.
For the Waffle Batter: In one bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (1 3/4 cup flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda). In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients (1/2 cup melted butter, 1 3/4 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract). Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a batter is formed.
To Cook the Waffles: Cook the waffles using a lightly greased waffle iron, using approximately 1/3 cup of batter for each waffle. Repeat with the remaining batter until all waffles are cooked.
To Serve: Serve the crispy fried chicken on top of the freshly cooked waffles. Drizzle generously with the honey bourbon maple syrup.
