Fried chicken is one of the most well-known dishes in the United States. Since the early 1800s, it’s been served in restaurants and households across the country. However, the dish is said to have originated in Scotland or West Africa. The crispy and seasoned skin and the juiciness inside the meal are achieved by deep frying the chicken in hot oil.
Best oil for frying chicken to buy today
What is the finest chicken-frying oil? An oil with a high smoke point is the ideal choice for frying chicken. Avocado, vegetable, or peanut oil are recommended. However, sunflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, and oil blends can also be used.
BetterBody Foods Pure Avocado Oil
When you cook using avocado oil, the flavor of the avocado will pass to the chicken.
This oil’s high smoke point (500°F) makes it ideal for deep frying and pan-frying. It’s also organically refined, which means it hasn’t been refined with harsh chemicals. Instead, the refining procedure is entirely mechanical.
This oil is gluten-free, non-GMO, and has a pleasant taste. It may be used not only for frying but also for salad dressings and sauteeing. Because of its high smoke point, this is a relatively healthy choice for frying chicken.
Avocado oil contains about 50% monounsaturated fats. This is why avocado oil is so good for frying since it’s more stable. Monounsaturated fats are “stable” because they do not react with oxygen when heated. It is, however, rather costly.
Planters Peanut Oil
This brand only utilizes 100% pure peanut oil. Peanut oil has a high enough smoke point to fry chicken without burning it, and it will flavor anything with a subtle nutty flavor. In addition, this peanut oil has no trans fats, no additives, and has a smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to fry chicken to perfection.
Peanut oil is inexpensive, and despite its nutty flavor when pan-frying, flavor transfer from one component to the next is limited when deep frying.
Happy Belly Vegetable Oil
People who enjoy deep-fried chicken frequently use this vegetable oil. A deep fryer’s temperature will most likely be about 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This is 75 degrees below the smoke point of this oil, which is 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
It has a neutral flavor and is manufactured from soybeans. Therefore, it won’t give your fried chicken any unpleasant flavors or overtones. Cooking with this oil at a high temperature ensures that your chicken is crispy rather than greasy. The chicken won’t absorb any oil if the temperature is too high.
This soybean-based oil has a mild taste and is low in fat, making it ideal for deep frying. It isn’t very nutritious, but neither is fried chicken. In comparison to other oils, vegetable oil is also quite inexpensive.
Mazola Pure Corn Oil
This corn oil works nicely in stir-fries and deep-frying. Its widespread availability, high smoke point, and low cost make it a popular option. In addition, this oil is cholesterol-free and has 0 grams of fat per serving. It also has no additives other than corn oil.
Corn oil does not have a neutral taste. It has a mellow flavor that some people compare to slightly sweet butter, which makes it ideal for fried chicken. Corn oil isn’t a healthy cooking medium, but fried chicken isn’t a nutritious food either. It shouldn’t be an issue if you only eat it as a treat once in a while. Salad, vinaigrettes, and even baking may all benefit from this corn oil.
Native Harvest Sunflower Oil
Another wonderful alternative for individuals seeking a neutral-tasting oil is Native Harvest sunflower oil. Sunflower oil from Native Harvest is expeller pressed. This indicates that no chemical solvents are employed in oil production.
This oil production technique also yields a greater oleic content in sunflower oil, which is an added benefit over solvent-extracted sunflower oil. In addition, this sunflower oil is healthier than normal sunflower oil due to the manufacturing procedure.
Sunflower oil has essentially little taste, one of its key advantages. Thus, sunflower oil is an excellent alternative for frying chicken if you want to enjoy the crispy skin and juicy chicken. In addition, sunflower oil’s high smoke point is another marketing factor.
Chosen Foods Organic Blend Oil
This Chosen Foods Organic Blend oil is what you need if you’re looking for a unique oil for frying chicken. Safflower oil, organic avocado oil, and organic coconut oil are used to make this oil blend. Because all three have high smoke points, they’re perfect for frying chicken.
Including avocado and safflower oils balances the coconut oil’s stronger flavor, resulting in a gentler combination. It has no GMOs or artificial preservatives. This oil is ideal for high-temperature cooking. Because the smoke points of safflower oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil are 510°F, 520°F, and 450°F, respectively, you may crank up the heat on this combined oil.
Factors to consider when using the best oil for frying chicken
It is at its finest when fried chicken is golden and crispy on the exterior and soft and juicy on the inside. If you can’t seem to attain this result, you’re probably frying your chicken in improper oil.
Here are a few things to consider when using the best oil for frying chicken.
Smoke point
When the oil reaches this temperature, it begins to smoke. You’ll need a high smoke point because you’ll fry the chicken at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If the smoke point of our oil is too low, it will burn before reaching the proper temperature for cooking your chicken.
Your chicken will taste scorched rather than cooked as a result of this. Not quite what you had in mind for supper when you requested fried chicken.
Transfer of flavor
Flavor transfer occurs when tastes from fried foods remain in the oil and then transfer to the next batch of food you’re cooking, altering the flavor. For example, when picking an oil for deep frying chicken, look for one that resists flavor transfer, so your chicken doesn’t taste like fried fish or mozzarella sticks.
Some oils are flavorless, while others have a distinct taste. This varies by oil type; some are infused with other components such as citrus or chili. Mostly, you’ll want to cook chicken in neutral-flavored oil.
Oil flavor
Because some types of oil have a strong flavor, using them for frying might alter the flavor of your dish. When frying chicken, neutral-tasting oil is best since you want the flavor of the chicken and the seasoning in the breading to shine through.
Best oils for frying chicken to use
Lard
- Smoke point: 370°F
Lard is a typical frying medium in the South, similar to vegetable shortening. Lard is a fantastic choice for frying chicken since it gives it an exceptional taste and a crispy exterior.
Peanut oil
- Smoke point: 450°F
Peanut oil is one of the most cost-effective oils. It’s also a high smoke point, so it’s perfect for frying chicken. Peanut oil also minimizes flavor transfer, which is ideal for restaurants that provide a variety of fried meals.
Canola oil
- Smoke point: 400°F
Canola oil is ideal for frying chicken because of its high smoke point and neutral taste. It also contains significant quantities of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making it healthier than other alternatives.
Coconut oil
- Smoke point: 450°F
Coconut oil has more lauric acid and good fats than other oils, making it a better alternative for deep frying. The oil is also odorless and flavorless, preventing taste transfer and protecting the flavor of your chicken.
Vegetable shortening
- Smoke point: 360°F
If you want fried chicken as your ancestors did, it is ideal for frying it in shortening. This solid fat melts as it warms, and it’s a popular oil alternative in the South for frying chicken.
Vegetable oil
- Smoke point: 400-450°F
Vegetable oil may be used for a variety of purposes. It works well with various frying methods and dishes, including breaded chicken, fries, and more. It also has a very neutral flavor, allowing the flavor of the cuisine you’re preparing to show through.
Corn oil
- Smoke point: 450°F
Corn oil is a kind of vegetable oil that, like most other vegetable oils, has a high smoke point. Therefore, it may be used to deep-fry or shallow-fry in a skillet. Furthermore, because maize oil has a neutral flavor, it does not lend flavor to meals like olive oil.
Avocado oil
- Smoke point: 482-520°F
One of the best oils for frying chicken is avocado oil. Avocado oil comes in two varieties: extra-virgin and refined. Unrefined oil retains the greatest natural taste, giving it a deep green hue and a fatty, buttery flavor.
Avocado oil that has been refined is ideal for frying chicken. Because it was deodorized or bleached, the flavor is more delicate than its counterpart. This oil has a pleasantly nutty flavor that absorbs well into chicken and leaves a lovely aftertaste. Avocado oil, on the other hand, is fairly costly.
Soybean oil
- Smoke point: 453°F
Soybean oil has a smoke point of 453 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, you may deep fry your chicken thighs, wings, and other items in this oil without fear of noxious smoke.
Furthermore, it is one of the most versatile oils since it works well in practically all recipes. Unrefined soybean oil, like other oils, has a greater feature of green-beany taste. The refined one has a pale hue and is uninteresting.
Sunflower oil
- Smoke point: 475-520°F
You’ve undoubtedly tasted sunflower oil in vinaigrettes but aren’t aware of it. It’s used in this dressing to boost the taste without overpowering the other components. The oil has a pleasantly nutty, buttery flavor with a small trace of earthy bitterness that requires heightened sensitivity. Many bakers use chicken in baked items instead of deep-frying it.
When frying chicken, this oil may reach 520 degrees Fahrenheit (smoke points vary from 475 to 520 degrees Fahrenheit); as a result, you will only taste crispy skin and juicy chicken. This Healthy Harvest Production Non-GMO Sunflower Oil is something I’ve used and would suggest to you. It has a neutral flavor that won’t alter the taste of the fried chicken.
The temperature of the oil for frying chicken
When the frying chicken, the temperature of your oil is crucial because if it’s too cold, your chicken will be greasy, and if it’s too hot, you’ll get a burnt exterior with a raw inside. Fry, your chicken between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit, with the oil temperature never falling below 325 degrees. Check the interior temperature to ensure that it has reached 165 degrees.
Frying chicken tips
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
You should not fry a full chicken since it takes a long time to cook; thus, cutting it is a better option. You have the option of buying pre-cut chicken or separating it yourself. First, chop each breast chicken into 2-3 smaller pieces.
This ensures that the breasts, thighs, and legs are cooked simultaneously. Before breading the chicken, soak out any extra moisture. After frying, pat the chicken with a paper towel to ensure it is crispy.
Remove the meat from the freezer.
Allow 30 minutes for the chicken to cool since cold meat lowers the temperature of the oil and can cause the chicken to cook unevenly. The chicken should be cooked at the proper temperature.
To monitor the temperature of the oil, you can buy a cooking thermometer. Many experts agree that the ideal temperature for frying chicken is 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit, which results in juicy but crispy chicken. Start frying the chicken on high heat and gradually reduce the heat to reach an ideal outcome.
Prepare the chicken ahead of time.
You may marinate your chicken in a variety of ways. Some people like buttermilk, while others prefer brine. I like to soak my chicken in buttermilk. Whatever option you pick, the chicken must be soaked in the fridge for 24 hours. Patience is the key to a great meal.
Season to taste with salt and pepper
When marinating chicken, don’t keep the spices. They’re going to take the fried chicken to a whole new level. To bread chicken, whisk together milk and spicy sauce or Sriracha. However, if you don’t want to taste salty chicken, don’t add too much.
Final thoughts
The oil you use can make or break your fried chicken meal. Thus, you must use the correct type and a good brand. Check out the oils we’ve enumerated here, and we hope you find the best one for you and your family.
Last update on 2023-04-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
