I recently made ‘fried’ chicken on my Weber Performer grill using the Vortex insert. The chicken came out fantastic, which inspired me to then try making Nashville hot chicken also using the Vortex. Wow, oh wow, was it absolutely great chicken. Lightly crunchy, and a little spicy, it was a dish to remember. This method is definitely a great substitute for the traditional way of making Nashville hot chicken in a deep fryer.
Cooking Time Variations
I used split bone-in chicken breasts when I made this Nashville hot chicken using the Vortex. It’s our preferred cut of chicken, but you can use any cut you like. Just keep in mind that if you mix pieces that are greatly different in size some may be done before others. Smaller pieces can be checked for doneness after the 45 minutes cooking time.
Also check out my recipe for making ‘fried’ chicken using the Vortex. For a more southern twist, try my Buzznbeez southern fried chicken. My Cajun injected chicken, also cooked up perfectly using the Vortex, is another big hit!
Nashville Hot Chicken using the Vortex
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dry brine
- 3 pounds chicken cut into pieces. I used 4 large split bone-in breasts
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
For the dip
- 1 cup milk I used buttermilk Note: If you have pickle juice on hand, use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup pickle juice instead
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
For the dredge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
For the spicy coating
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1-3 tablespoons cayenne pepper I used 2 and found the flavor to be perfect, and not too terribly hot
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For serving
- Dill pickle
- White bread
Instructions
For the dry brine
- Season chicken and place into a baggie or resealable container.
- Seal and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
For the dip
- Whisk together the milk, eggs and hot sauce in a pie pan or shallow bowl.
For the dredge
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a pie pan or shallow bowl.
For cooking
- Fire up your grill with the Vortex insert full of charcoal.
- Let the coals get good and ashed over.
- Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the flour. Shake off excess.
- Dip chicken into the milk mixture. Shake off excess.
- Return the chicken to the flour and dredge again. Shake off excess.
- Transfer chicken to the grill, placing it along the edges of the grill.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Rotate the lid 90 degrees and cook another 15 minutes.
- Brush the chicken with the spicy coating. Rotate the lid 90 degrees and cook another 15 minutes
- Brush the chicken with the spicy coating. Rotate the lid 90 degrees and cook another 15 minutes
- Check for doneness. Remove when done and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.
For the spicy coating
- Heat the oil in a small saute pan.
- Whisk in the remaining ingredients.
- Keep warm until ready to use.
For serving
- Serve garnished with dill pickle and white bread slices, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
