Can you cook chicken with olive oil?
You are a fried chicken lover and want it frequently, but your body’s fat and cholesterol don’t support it.
Table of Contents
You need not worried because we have a solution to use low-fat oils like extra virgin olive oil for frying chicken.
Go through the article, and you will be happy after finding the right direction.
| Read: Is Mexican Rice Healthy Or Not?
- Americans love ‘chicken’ which is rich in protein content and is one of the essential diets in the western world.
- It covers nearly half of the food industry in America. Kids, youngsters, and even above 40’s love eating it daily.
- It covers plenty of recipes where it is being used as steamed, grilled, roasted, baked, or fried chicken. Fried chicken is one of the most common dishes loved by people.
- Boiled or steamed chicken is not everyone’s cup of tea. It does not mean we are recommending fried foods, but we are providing a healthy option for those who are non-vegetarian and love fried chicken.
Frying chicken in health-friendly oils may remove extra fat and have healthy ingredients for human health.
Many experts say that fry chicken is not associated with heart disease or mortality.
- There are different options for frying, but the most common question is whether it is possible to fry chicken in canola oil and olive oil.
You can easily use olive oil to fry chicken, beef, mutton, and all food items. But can you fry chicken in olive oil? The question is more complex than it looks.
- Only a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ is not enough. It requires a detailed review covering different questions. Let’s start it.
Olive Oil
- The oil from olives is rich in monounsaturated fat with low smoke points. It has a slightly fruity flavor and bitter aftertaste.
One serving or one tablespoon of olive oil provides 120 calories and 14g of fat. Out of this, 1.9g comes from saturated fat, 1.4g comes from polyunsaturated fat, and 9.8g comes from monounsaturated fat.
- Olive oil is the best oil as it has many health benefits and it can be reused for frying as it does not degrade and damage fastly as other oils do when heated.
So, do not throw away olive oil if used it once. It can be used several times for deep frying. It is a very stable oil that adds a lot of flavors to your dish.
| Read: How To Store And Ripen Nectarines: 5 Best Easy Ways
Method to fry chicken in olive oil
The method is the same as with other oils. However, we share the process for your convenience:
- Wash and dry chicken thoroughly
- Marinate it with salt, pepper, yogurt, and other seasoning items according to personal choice
- Keep it for one hour or more at room temperature. You can also place it in the refrigerator.
- Take a non-stick pan and pour olive oil
- Allow it to heat at a medium flame
- When the oil is hot, start frying the chicken until its color changes to golden brown
- Take chicken pieces out from the oil and keep them on a plate for two minutes
- Remove extra oil with tissue paper
- Enjoy the health-friendly fried chicken
Best olive oil for frying chicken
- Olive oil is a low smoke point; that’s why it is difficult to use for frying.
Experts have yet to give a definite answer, but all olives oils are recommended.
- Some people go with fruity olive oil, some with pungent oil, and some with extra virgin olive oil.
As olive oil has low smoke points, experts advocate light olive oil with high smoke points to help prevent greasiness in chicken.
| Read: How To Store Wine After Opening It
Time required for frying chicken in olive oil
It will take the same time as other oils do. The bone-in chicken takes extra time as compared to boneless meat.
Generally, drumsticks take 15 minutes, while wings will get ready in ten to twelve minutes.
Frying Indicators
- The best indicator is its color. Some people like dark brownish colors, while others rely on light brown. You can have what you want.
- Another indicator is the internal temperature, which must be 165°F. If you have an instant-read thermometer, check the internal oil temperature.
Is frying chicken in olive oil healthy?
- Yes, olive oil has health benefits. Though many consider it not safe, but olive oil with high smoking points has its benefits.
Other cooking oil like sunflower oil, avocado oil, corn oil, and peanut oil is also used in various chicken recipe but considering the health benefits of olive oil, it is mostly used by chefs in the kitchen.
- Olive oil contains monosaturated fats which are good for the heart, antioxidants that prevent cholesterol, and nutrients that help to fight inflammation.
Benefits of frying chicken in olive oil
- Olive oil is the healthiest fat due to its exceptional capability to lessen the risk of heart disease.
Besides the health benefits of olive oil, it is also environmentally friendly.
- When butter and other vegetable oils are heated, they emit carbon dioxide into the environment, which is harmful to our planet and ecosystem.
Its carbon dioxide emission content is significantly less than other vegetable oils.
- Olive oil is a good source of healthy fats, antioxidants, nutrients, and other similar nutrients.
It strengthens the immune system to fight against multiple diseases. It also provides some additional nutrients and vitamins.
Nutrition details of olive oil
Amount Per Serving! 1 tablespoon (14 grams).
- Cholesterol- 0mg
- Sodium- 0.3mg
- Potassium- 0.1mg
- Carbohydrate- 0g
- Dietary Fiber- 0g
- Sugar-0g
- Protein-0g
- Calories-119
- Calories from Fat-122
- Saturated Fat-1.9g
- Polyunsaturated Fat-1.4g
- Monounsaturated Fat- 9.8g
Why do people avoid olive oil for frying?
- There is a lot of concern about using olive oil in cooking. Many people consider it harmful to health when heated.
It is because of its low smoke point. The oil with a low smoke point produces toxic fumes when heated at high temperatures for a long time.
There are different types of olive oils; some have a low smoke point, while others have fine smoke points.
- Cooking with low-smoke point olive oils will create breathing problems for humans after cooking it at high temperatures.
- Using olive oils with smoke points between 374–405°F is safest from an expert’s point of view.
Taste of chicken fried in olive oil
- Basically, olive oil has a changed flavor that gives a different taste to chicken. Olive oil has a fruity or robust flavor than ordinary vegetable oil.
Some people like it and prefer it, while others do not. However, it is beneficial compared to vegetative oil, so one should use it instead of caring about its taste.
The seasoning with cayenne pepper and marination of chicken in addition to onion powder might be an excellent addition to taste, along with olive oil.
- Crispy chicken made in extra virgin oil is very tasty when served with soy sauce to enhance the neutral flavor.
Takeaway
You might be excited about frying chicken with some other oils.
We make this dream come true after providing a detailed answer to your question:
Can I fry chicken in olive oil?
- Olive oil, full of healthy fat, is a good option for frying chicken because it gives extra crispness and flavor.
Also enriched with monounsaturated fat, olive oil is heart-healthy by lowering the cholesterol level.
- Remember to use high smoke point olive oil and only heat it below its smoke point at high flame.
Your body will enjoy extra-crisped, healthy fried chicken.
USDA & we recommend you use good quality olive oil, like extra virgin olive oil.
Believe it or not, many food scientists recommend frying in olive oil rather than butter or coconut oil.
Note: Any oil that is heated up to the point that it turns smoky (high heat) may produce carcinogenic toxins (cancer-causing elements).