fried chicken Archives

The Best Vortex Fried Chicken Recipes

I absolutely love making fried chicken on my charcoal grill using the Vortex insert. With no or little oil, I can make chicken that seems like it was deep-fried. The flavors are amazing. The crunchy skin is amazing. Fried chicken on the Vortex is even better than deep-fried!

Kentucky Kernel ‘Fried’ Chicken using the Vortex

Perfectly juicy, crunchy skin, crazy good fried chicken flavor without all of the oil.

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Alabama White Sauce Fried Chicken using the Vortex

The tangy Alabama white BBQ sauce is different. If you've never had it, I highly recommend it. It's great on any chicken, fried, grilled, roasted, you name it.

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Cajun-Brined Fried Chicken using the Vortex

I almost always use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs when I make this Cajun-brined fried chicken or any other ‘fried’ chicken using the Vortex. The dark meat has the most flavor and always cooks up tender and juicy.

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Bloody Mary Buffalo Chicken using the Vortex

The fried chicken mix recipe can be used for any chicken, it doesn’t have to be Bloody Mary flavored. The coating adheres perfectly and gives you that perfect crispy crust. For me, my go-to chicken on the Vortex is bone-in, skin-on thighs. They are the juiciest and have the most flavor.

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Buttery Garlic Fried Chicken using the Vortex

If you’re craving garlic flavor, you’ve come to the right place. My buttery garlic fried chicken made using the Vortex brings the garlic punch and then some. And crunchy skin? Craving that too? Got you covered there, too.

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Amish Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Amish fried chicken has that great down-home, grandma-made-it flavor. It's all about the seasoning… and well, a little bit of butter too.

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Cajun Injected Chicken using the Vortex

I cook a lot, and I do mean a lot, of chicken using my Vortex. Wings and thighs are my favorite and I’ve cooked them countless delicious ways. But I’d never injected my chicken until now.

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Chicken Fingers using the Vortex

Just as easy as wings or fried chicken, these fingers came out tender and super tasty.

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Dip-Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This dip-fried chicken is unbelievably moist, tender, and delicious. I’ve said it a thousand times: nothing beats ‘fried’ chicken made using the Vortex. Nothing.

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Easy Cajun Fried Chicken using the Vortex

After trying literally 100s of recipes, this easy Cajun fried chicken one is our go-to, easy technique. The end result is incredible.

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Easy Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Absolutely delicious, crunchy, moist fried chicken with about as little fuss and mess as possible. And no oil.

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Fried Chicken with Gravy using the Vortex

This right here is amazingly great chicken, and all without deep-frying.

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Granny’s Secret Fried Chicken using the Vortex

I keep having to pinch myself when I make ‘fried’ chicken on my charcoal grill using the Vortex. Am I dreaming? I’m really eating deep-fried chicken, right? But it’s not.

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Hidden Valley Ranch Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This Hidden Valley Ranch fried chicken is crazy tender, unbelievable moist. And the skin? Well, let’s just say I leave it for last because it’s almost like dessert. A true treat.

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Honey Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This time, for a change, I drizzled the fried chicken with a bit of honey. Honey fried chicken using the Vortex was crazy good.

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Hot Stuff Chicken using the Vortex

Whenever I cook chicken on my Vortex I always give it a quick, light brushing of oil just at the end.

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Krispy Country Chicken using the Vortex

The easiest mix in the world, giving you nicely crunchy, juicy, flavorful chicken in less than an hour with no oil used for frying.

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Korean Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This Korean fried chicken using the Vortex was right up my alley. As always with the Vortex, the chicken is cooked perfectly. Tender and juicy and delicious.

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Louisiana Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This is seriously crispy chicken. Seasoned perfectly. Moist and tender meat. Make extra because you’ll need it. And don’t expect any leftovers either.

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Nashville Hot Chicken using the Vortex

Wow, oh wow, was this ever absolutely great chicken. Lightly crunchy, and a little spicy, it was a dish to remember.

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Orange Chicken using the Vortex

No, it’s not an illusion. It’s not Photoshopped. And I’m not fibbing. This crunchy, moist, tender, delicious chicken was not deep-fried. It was made on a charcoal grill using the Vortex.

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Proper Pub Fried Chicken using the Vortex

The seasonings give every single bite the most fantastic flavor. Tender, moist. And crunchy skin? Oh yes.

Check out this recipe

Southern Fried Chicken using the Vortex

I use this southern fried chicken recipe the most, sometimes adding a sauce at the end, but often not,. It’s got that perfect crunch, whether you use skin-on or skinless chicken.

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Spicy BBQ Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This spicy BBQ fried chicken using the Vortex is my go-to recipe. I can then add whatever I want at the end. This time I added a spicy BBQ sauce and a drizzle of Ranch dressing. There were no leftovers.

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Spicy Buttermilk Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This. Right. Here. Absolutely divine ‘fried’ chicken, hot off my charcoal grill. Yes, grill.

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Spicy Honey Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Oh. My. Goodness. This spicy honey fried chicken is off-the-charts fantastic. Crispy crunchy skin. Juicy, moist, tender chicken.

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Spicy Hot Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This version brings a bit of heat. Just the right amount. And oh, so tender, juicy meat.

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Sweet Tea Fried Chicken using the Vortex

This is my first time marinating chicken in tea, and it definitely won't be my last.

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Sylvia’s Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Just fire up, coat the chicken, place it on the grill and come back in 45 minutes or so to grab some delicious chicken. You’d swear it was fried in oil it’s so good. Crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. Perfect.

Check out this recipe

Genuine Medium BBQ Vortex GIFT PACK for wsm Kettle 22 26.75 Big Green Egg kamado – 3 PC

Krispy Country Chicken using the Vortex

There are two choices when it comes to making ‘fried’ chicken using a Vortex. You can make your own batter from scratch or you can use a mix from the store. I’ve done both time and time again and have never ever been disappointed. This time I picked up a box of Fry Krisp Krispy Country chicken mix. It’s the easiest mix in the world, giving you nicely crunchy, juicy, flavorful chicken in less than an hour with no oil used for frying. This Krispy Country Chicken using the Vortex was amazing.

Amazingly Good

When I make Krispy Country Chicken using the Vortex I like to brush my chicken with just a bit of oil just before I pull it off the grill. It gives the chicken a bit more crunch and coats any leftover batter that might be hanging around. It’s completely optional, but I always do it. This really tastes like fried chicken.

Also try my easy Cajun fried chicken using the Vortex.

VORTEX (IN)DIRECT HEAT for Charcoal Grills, Medium Size – For Weber Kettle 22 26.75 WSM Smokey Mountain XL Kamado XL Big Green Egg

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5 from 1 vote

Krispy Country Chicken using the Vortex

The easiest mix in the world, giving you nicely crunchy, juicy, flavorful chicken in less than an hour with no oil used for frying.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword fried chicken, Vortex

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 249kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Vortex BBQ

Ingredients

4 chicken pieces I prefer bone-in, skin on thighs but any cuts will do
Fry Krisp Krispy Country chicken mix
Vegetable oil

Instructions

Fire up your grill with the Vortex BBQ. Let the coals get good and hot.
Prepare chicken per package instructions.
Transfer chicken to your grill grate around the Vortex and cook until done, about 45 minutes.
Lightly brush the chicken with oil the last 5 minutes of cooking to get a crispier skin.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Genuine Medium BBQ Vortex GIFT PACK for wsm Kettle 22 26.75 Big Green Egg kamado – 3 PC

Copycat Church’s Fried Chicken Using the Vortex

I could make (and eat) ‘fried’ chicken using my Vortex BBQ all day long. It has never let me down. It has never been anything but easy. This copycat of Church’s fried chicken using the Vortex was no exception. Incredibly crunchy skin. Unbelievably moist and flavorful meat. And as easy as coating it, grilling it, eating it. Done.

Easy. And Fantastic.

There are no tricks or special handshakes that you need to know to get fried chicken right using the Vortex. And although a lot of sites say to rotate the lid every 15 minutes while cooking, I’ve not found that it makes a difference. I don’t over-crowd my grill and I make sure I have a super-hot fire. If you’ve found that rotating the lid is a requirement, let me know but so far, I’ve not had anything but success just keeping the lid right where it is. I also do not flip my chicken while it is cooking. Doing so will result in ‘batter loss’, a bad thing. Just keep it right where it is.

VORTEX (IN)DIRECT HEAT for Charcoal Grills, Medium Size – For Weber Kettle 22 26.75 WSM Smokey Mountain XL Kamado XL Big Green Egg

Also try my insanely-awesome proper pub fried chicken, another fantastic recipe for deliciously crispy tasty chicken cooked using the Vortex. You can also use off-the-shelf fried chicken coating to make spectacular chicken on the Vortex. Check out my Kentucky Kernel chicken too!

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3.67 from 3 votes

Copycat Church’s Fried Chicken Using the Vortex

This copycat of Church’s fried chicken was no exception. Incredibly crunchy skin. Unbelievably moist and flavorful meat. And as easy as coating it, grilling it, eating it. Done.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword fried chicken, Vortex

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 373kcal

Author Inspired by a recipe from Just A Pinch

Equipment

Vortex BBQ

Ingredients

8 pieces chicken I prefer bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

For the dry mixture

1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
½ cup cornstarch
3 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup Bisquick
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope onion soup mix

For the wet mixture

2 eggs
¼ cup cold water

For a crispier coating

Vegetable oil

Instructions

Fire up your grill with the Vortex BBQ. Let the coals get good and hot.
Combine all of the dry mixture ingredients in a pie plate.
In another pie plate, whisk together the eggs and water.
Working in batches, dip the chicken into the wet mixture, then into the dry mixture.
One more time, dip the chicken into the wet mixture and then the dry mixture.
Transfer chicken to your grill grate around the Vortex and cook until done, about 45 minutes.
Lightly brush the chicken with oil the last 5 minutes of cooking to get a crispier skin.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Genuine Medium BBQ Vortex GIFT PACK for wsm Kettle 22 26.75 Big Green Egg kamado – 3 PC

Proper Pub Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Tom Kerridge is a Michelin-starred pub chef in England. Yes, pub chef. That’s why I knew that his recipe for proper pub fried chicken using the Vortex would be something special, something incredible. And, oh me, was it ever.

Just Amazing Chicken. Amazing.

The seasonings give every single bite the most fantastic flavor. Tender, moist. And crunchy skin? Oh yes. You could deep fry it, but I cooked this chicken over charcoal using the Vortex and no oil. Yep, no oil (except for like a tablespoon to help crispup the skin at the very end).

I have to admit something. I made a change to Chef Kerridge’s original recipe when I made this proper pub fried chicken using the Vortex. Please don’t hate me, but I added hot sauce to the buttermilk brine. I could not help myself. I ALWAYS add hot sauce to my buttermilk when using it for chicken. Not a whole lot, just a little bit to add a slight kick and offset the sourness. You don’t have to do it, and you don’t have to tell anyone if you do.

Also try my copycat of Church’s fried chicken, also made using the Vortex.

VORTEX (IN)DIRECT HEAT for Charcoal Grills, Medium Size – For Weber Kettle 22 26.75 WSM Smokey Mountain XL Kamado XL Big Green Egg

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5 from 1 vote

Proper Pub Fried Chicken using the Vortex

The seasonings give every single bite the most fantastic flavor. Tender, moist. And crunchy skin? Oh yes.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword fried chicken, Vortex

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 45

Total Time 12 45

Servings servings

Calories 259kcal

Author Inspired by a recipe from Chef Tom Kerridge

Equipment

Vortex BBQ

Ingredients

8 pieces chicken I prefer bone-in, skin-in thighs
2 ¼ cups buttermilk or more
hot sauce to taste (optional)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons paprika
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
vegetable oil for brushing

Instructions

Place chicken into a large resealable container.
Add enough buttermilk to cover the chicken. Add hot sauce, if using.
Seal and shake gently to coat the chicken and combine the hot sauce. Refrigerate overnight.
Fire up your Vortex. Fill completely with coals. You’ll need at least a 22″ charcoal grill.
Combine all dry ingredients and pour into a pie pan or alternatively, place in a large resealable bag.
Working in batches, remove chicken from the buttermilk. Shake off excess and roll in the coating. Alternatively, add the chicken to the bag, seal and shake to coat.
Place chicken around the edges of your grill. Cover and cook 30-45 minutes or until the chicken has reached 160 F as measured in several locations.
Lightly brush the chicken with the oil and cook another 5 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 F as measured in several locations.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Genuine Medium BBQ Vortex GIFT PACK for wsm Kettle 22 26.75 Big Green Egg kamado – 3 PC

Easy Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

There’s definitely no wrong way to make ‘fried’ chicken on your charcoal grill using the Vortex. I absolutely love it. For a long time I’ve been making my chicken using batter made from scratch. This time I decided to try an off-the-shelf batter mix usually meant for actual deep frying in oil. The result? Absolutely delicious, crunchy, moist fried chicken with about as little fuss and mess as possible. And no oil.

Any Store-Bought Mix Will Do

Any good fried chicken batter mix will work. It’s called easy crispy fried chicken using the Vortex for a reason. Just dip and put onto the grill. I prefer to use split bone-in chicken breasts or thighs. I recommend bone-in chicken because it will have more flavor and won’t dry out as easily as boneless.

Going Boneless?

You can use boneless chicken but you might have to adjust the cook time. When I do need boneless ‘fried’ chicken I still cook it bone-on then remove the meat from the bone when done. If you prefer to make your own batter from scratch, try my super easy Vortex fried chicken recipe. For something a bit more fru-fru, make my spicy BBQ fried chicken. You’ll quickly see why fried chicken on the Vortex is fantastic!

VORTEX (IN)DIRECT HEAT for Charcoal Grills, Medium Size – For Weber Kettle 22 26.75 WSM Smokey Mountain XL Kamado XL Big Green Egg

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5 from 1 vote

Easy Crispy Fried Chicken using the Vortex

Absolutely delicious, crunchy, moist fried chicken with about as little fuss and mess as possible. And no oil.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword fried chicken, Vortex

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 332kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Vortex BBQ

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken pieces bone-in, I prefer thighs
1 9 ounce Louisiana Fish Fry Product's Seasoned Crispy Chicken Fry batter mix

Instructions

Fire up your charcoal grill with the Vortex insert. Get the coals good and hot.
In a large bowl combine 5 tablespoons of the batter mix with 1/4 cup of cold water.
Place the remaining batter mix in a shallow pie pan.
Working piece-by-piece, dredge the chicken in the wet batter mix. Shake off any excess then roll the chicken in the dry batter mix.
Transfer chicken to the grill, placing along the edges.
Cover and cook for 45 minutes, rotating the lid 90 degrees every 15 minutes.
Check for doneness (165 F as measured in the thickest pieces of chicken), remove and serve.

Notes

I’ve found that rotating the lid isn’t very necessary, specially on smaller grills. You can experiment by not rotating and checking the chicken after 30 minutes. If the pieces are cooking evenly you can skip rotating the lid.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Genuine Medium BBQ Vortex GIFT PACK for wsm Kettle 22 26.75 Big Green Egg kamado – 3 PC

Fried Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I had some fried chicken leftover in the fridge. I’m completely ok with chowing down on cold leftover chicken. But I’m even more ok with chopping it up and using it in fried chicken salad sandwiches. It’s the perfect way to use up leftovers, and the perfect sandwich for a picnic.

This Is One Great Chicken Salad

This is an incredible version of chicken salad. I love the buttermilk in the mayonnaise. The mustard adds a bit of kick. But all the flavors in the sauce mixture do not overpower the chicken. You can still tell that there’s fried chicken in there. It’s a great twist.

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Blue Plate Real Mayonnaise, Homestyle Mayo For Chicken Salad to Deviled Eggs, 30 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

Don’t have leftover fried chicken on hand? Any cooked chicken will do just fine in this salad. Want a spicier chicken salad? Try my spicy chicken salad sandwiches or my fried chicken breast sandwiches. And one of my all-time favorites, Big Daddy’s Kick’n chicken salad is a must-make too!

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Fried Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, chicken salad, deep-fried, sandwich

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 675kcal

Author Based on a recipe Damaris Phillips

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup Creole mustard or substitute Dijon
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups leftover cold fried chicken diced
¼ cup parsley chopped
3 stalks celery diced
3 green onions sliced
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 croissants split (warmed if desired)

Instructions

Whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, Italian seasoning, cayenne and lemon in a large bowl.
Add in the chicken, parsley, celery and green onions. Stir gently to combine and coat with the dressing ingredients.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Serve chicken salad on croissants.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Pyrex 3 Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set, Includes 1-Cup, 2-Cup, and 4-Cup Tempered Glass Liquid Measuring Cups, Dishwasher, Freezer, Microwave, and Preheated Oven Safe, Essential Kitchen Tools

Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale

Fried Chicken Breast Sandwich

I was watching an old Food Network show the other day. Bobby Flay was visiting this great little place in Nashville, Tennessee, that was famous for Nashville-style fried chicken. I drooled through the entire episode. The fried chicken looked fantastic. Done right, in cast iron over gas and made it Nashville-style by adding a bunch of cayenne pepper. You just knew it was good (and perhaps painful for some). I decided to take the same approach to a sandwich and make a fried chicken breast sandwich.

Make It Hot

I fried up a couple of coated chicken breasts. By themselves they were absolutely outstanding. Crunchy outside, moist and flavorful inside. I made one Nashville-style and realized I had made the perfect fried chicken breast sandwich. Seriously kicked up chicken on a bun with cooling lettuce, tomato and mayo.

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just the two of us, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size for both of us. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money.

I get out my big deep fryer when it’s time to fry a large batch of food. It comes to temperature quickly and it maintains that temperature perfectly. It has a built-in oil filter and storage unit so I can re-use the oil several times.

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel

Can’t take the heat? Tone it down or just make it ‘normal’, but you won’t be disappointed either way.

Also try my fried chicken salad sandwiches.

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Fried Chicken Breast Sandwich

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, deep-fried, sandwich

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 20

Total Time 3 20

Servings

Calories 630kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts boneless skinless, halved horizontally
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt plus 4 teaspoons
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot sauce
4 cups all-purpose flour
vegetable oil for frying

To make it Nashville-Style Hot

6 tablespoons cayenne pepper or less, depends on how hot you want it
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika

For the sandwiches

8 buns
mayonnaise
tomato sliced then
green leaf lettuce
dill pickle chips

Instructions

Toss the chicken breasts with black pepper and 2 tablespoons of the salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce together in a large bowl.
Whisk the flour and remaining 4 teaspoons of salt in another large bowl.
Heat 2″ of oil to 325 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
Working in batches, dredge chicken in flour.
Shake off excess then dip into the buttermilk mixture.
Shake off excess then dip again into the flour mixture.
Shake off excess then fry until golden brown on both sides, 10-12 minutes.
Transfer to a rack or paper towel-lined plate to cool.

To make it Nashville-Style Hot

Whisk cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a medium bowl.
Carefully whisk in 1 cup of the deep fryer oil.
Brush mixture onto both sides of the cooked chicken breasts.

For the sandwiches

Slather buns with mayo. Add tomatoes, chicken, lettuce, and pickles.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Presto Fry Daddy 4-Cup Electric Deep Fryer, Aluminum

T-fal Ultimate EZ Clean Stainless Steel Deep Fryer with Basket 3.5 Liter Oil and 2.6 Pound Food Capacity 1700 Watts Oil Filtration, Temp Control, Digital Timer, Dishwasher Safe Parts Stainless Steel