These are what I consider to be the absolute best recipes for the Vortex BBQ. This isn’t just a random roundup — this is years of testing, tweaking, and eating a whole lot of chicken here at Life’s A Tomato. After literally hundreds of cooks on my kettle, these recipes are the ones my family and I keep coming back to.
I love firing up a charcoal grill using a Vortex. For anyone who hasn’t used one yet, the Vortex is that simple cone-shaped stainless steel insert that sits in the middle of your charcoal grill. You pile a full chimney of screaming hot coals right in the center, put the grate on, and it transforms your regular Weber kettle into a high-heat convection oven. We’re talking 500-600+ degrees of indirect, circulating heat that cooks from every angle at once.
And I know I’m always in for a great treat! Because what comes off that grill really shouldn’t be possible.
It Starts With Chicken
I’m talking about chicken with perfectly golden-brown, crunchy skin that crackles when you bite into it. I’m talking about meat that is unbelievably tender, moist, and juicy — so juicy you need extra napkins. And the flavors are amazing. It tastes like it came straight out of a deep fryer. In fact, the first time I served it, everyone swore it WAS deep-fried. That’s the magic of the Vortex.
The best part? There’s no or very little oil. No messy pot of oil on the stove, no greasy splatters all over the kitchen, no gallons of oil to figure out how to dispose of afterward. It’s all of the reward of fried chicken with none of the hassle.
Over time I’ve learned my favorites. My go-to will always be bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. The dark meat just has more flavor, it always cooks up tender, and it’s very forgiving. I coat them in my seasoned flour mix, arrange them in a circle around the outside of the grill — not directly over the Vortex — close the lid, and come back in about 40-45 minutes. No flipping required.
Below are my all-time favorite ways to do it, from Kentucky Kernel and Alabama White Sauce to Cajun-brined, Nashville Hot, and Korean Fried Chicken. If you love fried chicken, you’re going to love the Vortex.
The List
1
Kentucky Kernel ‘Fried’ Chicken using the Vortex
Perfectly juicy, crunchy skin, crazy good fried chicken flavor without all of the oil.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Well, there isn’t one. Fried chicken on the Vortex isn’t smoke and mirrors and magic and what-not. I mean it’s really really easy. You can prepare the chicken any way you want. Any traditional (or non-traditional) fried chicken recipe will work just fine. And it really is just as easy as battering up the chicken and putting it on the crazy-hot grill. Then you go away for 45 minutes, though the time might vary depending on how large your chicken cuts are, wind, temperatures, solar activity, etc. You come back to perfectly cooked chicken that you’ll swear was deep-fried in oil.
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 recipe 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.
You won’t believe this chicken isn’t hot out of a deep-fryer when you take that first bite. You get that same taste and crunch sensation. With a little added smokiness. It’s really like fried chicken elevated. And making fried chicken this way is so crazy easy. Without all that oil. The deep-fryer. Or the cleanup. It’s an all-around winning situation!
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. This copycat recipe for Church’s fried chicken using the Vortex is easy, and there’s no reason to make it complicated!
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!
Church’s Fried Chicken Using the Vortex (Copycat Recipe)
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.
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. This is some of most fantastically-flavored chicken I’ve ever had.
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 crisp up 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.
Well, there isn’t one. Fried chicken on the Vortex isn’t smoke and mirrors and magic and what-not. I mean it’s really really easy. You can prepare the chicken any way you want. Any traditional (or non-traditional) fried chicken recipe will work just fine. And it really is just as easy as battering up the chicken and putting it on the crazy-hot grill. Then you go away for 45 minutes, though the time might vary depending on how large your chicken cuts are, wind, temperatures, solar activity, etc. You come back to perfectly cooked chicken that you’ll swear was deep-fried in oil.
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.
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. This really is easy crispy fried chicken using the Vortex!
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!
Well, there isn’t one. Fried chicken on the Vortex isn’t smoke and mirrors and magic and what-not. I mean it’s really really easy. You can prepare the chicken any way you want. Any traditional (or non-traditional) fried chicken recipe will work just fine. And it really is just as easy as battering up the chicken and putting it on the crazy-hot grill. Then you go away for 45 minutes, though the time might vary depending on how large your chicken cuts are, wind, temperatures, solar activity, etc. You come back to perfectly cooked chicken that you’ll swear was deep-fried in oil.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
