Is peanut oil good for frying chicken? That’s a great question to ask yourself, especially if you already have peanut oil sitting in your pantry ready to be used. Well, we’ve got the answer for you!
We will also address several other questions in this guide, like whether or not it’s healthy to fry chicken in peanut oil, the temperature to cook chicken at in peanut oil and how to actually fry the bird using peanut oil.
After you’ve read through the entirety of this blog, you should have a new outlook on using peanut oil to fry chicken. So if you’re ready to get started, continue to the next section.
Can You Fry Chicken In Peanut Oil?
When you fry anything, there are three main criteria points that you need to satisfy. First, you need to ensure that the oil that you choose does not absorb the flavour of the food that’s cooking in it, which would transfer to the next thing that is placed in the oil.
Next, you need an oil with a high smoke point. Frying chicken requires a high temperature and if you have an oil with a low smoke point, it can burn and become rancid.
Also, it’s important to know what flavour of oil you want. Some oils will come with a certain taste, and some will be neutral. Typically with frying chicken, you want the actual taste of the chicken to shine, as well as the breading and seasoning. So, you’ll want to choose a flavourless oil.
With all that being said, frying chicken in peanut oil is a good option because it satisfies these needs. Peanut oil has a high smoke peanut, typically around 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than enough for frying chicken. You can use peanut oil several times before it starts going bad, and it won’t transfer taste like other oils do.
Now, some peanut oils have a nutty taste, but you can also find refined peanut oils that are neutral. Make sure you check the brand that you’re buying to ensure you get a tasteless oil. Unless, of course, you want a nutty taste.
Is It Healthy To Fry Chicken In Peanut Oil?
Just like virtually all cooking oils, there are pros and cons to using them. Refined peanut oil is regarded as a relatively healthy oil to use due to its limited ingredients and amount of healthy fats and vitamins that make it up.
There is a high dose of vitamin E as well, which is a great thing. If you’re allergic to peanuts, you won’t have to worry if you use refined peanut oil as its manufacturing process eliminates the peanuts’ ability to spark up a reaction.
Peanut oil is composed of roughly 50% monounsaturated fat, 32% polyunsaturated fat and 17% saturated fat. Both monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are known as “healthy fats,” and they make up the large majority of the oil’s fat composition.
It’s important to note that peanut oil has omega-6 in it, which has been linked to some issues like inflammation and obesity.
Is Frying Chicken In Peanut Oil A Good Option?
As we have revealed, peanut oil is a good option to consider if you have a craving for fried chicken. Peanut oil has a high smoke point, good reusability and is relatively inexpensive. Remember, if you find arachis oil or groundnut oil at the grocery store, it’s the same as peanut oil.
Now, of course, there are other oil alternatives out there as well. For example, canola oil is something that you can consider since it has a neutral taste as well as a high composition of healthy fats. It typically has a smoke point of around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not as high as peanut oil but can also do the job.
Sunflower oil boasts a burning point of roughly 475 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing peanut oil in that category. You also won’t find much of a taste with sunflower oil either.
Another oil that has been gaining in popularity for frying is coconut oil, due to its 450-degree smoke point and virtual tasteless make-up. It also halts flavour transferring, which is a must for effective frying.
Can You Deep Fry Chicken Wings In Peanut Oil?
Now, to get specific, you may be wondering if deep frying chicken wings in peanut oil is a valid option. And we’re happy to tell you that yes, it is! Whether you’re cooking for party of people, or you’re just celebrating “Wings Wednesday,” peanut oil will help you fry your wings to perfection.
And you don’t just have to stop at deep frying wings. You can use peanut oil to fry a plethora of different chicken versions, including popcorn chicken and chicken strips.
What Temperature Should You Use For Cooking Chicken In Peanut Oil?
It’s important to know what temperature you should fry chicken at to avoid overcooking or undercooking your chicken, leading to a disappointing dinner. To ensure things go well in the kitchen, you’ll want to heat your peanut oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and keep it there as much as you can.
There are things you can do to make sure the heat doesn’t fluctuate much, like not cooking too many pieces of chicken at the same time and allowing the oil to sit for a bit after each batch to allow it to get back to a proper temperature.
It’s normal for oil to go up and down in temperature, however, so if you keep the peanut oil beetween 300 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit, all is good.
Exactly How To Use Peanut Oil For Frying Chicken
It’s all well and good knowing that you can use peanut oil to fry chicken, but you may also be wondering how to actually use it. If you have a craving for fried chicken, follow these steps below to produce a mouth-watering delight:
- Choose the part of the chicken: Typically, going with the thighs and drumsticks is a good option. Choose the kind of chicken you want to fry and then proceed to step two.
- Prepare your chicken: After you choose the chicken you want to fry, then you need to prepare it, mixing it with sauces or whatever your heart desires.
- Pour oil in a skillet: Once your chicken is ready to be fried, grab your bottle of refined peanut oil and pour it into a large skillet so that the entire bottom is covered with around an inch of oil.
- Heat the oil: Once the oil is in the skillet, turn on the heat and warm the oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place chicken in oil: Now that your peanut oil is heated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, you’re ready to begin frying your chicken. Grab a piece of chicken with a pair of tongs and place the chicken into the peanut oil. Repeat this step so that your skillet has a few pieces of chicken cooking in it. Remember, don’t overcrowd the skillet.
- Allow the chicken to cook: Chicken should fry in peanut oil for around 15 minutes, depending on how big the chicken pieces are. Ensure you flip the chicken with your tongs every so often to ensure all sides of the chicken have been fried.
- Check to see if your chicken is cooked: Eating undercooked chicken is an inadviseable thing, so it’s best practice to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your fried chicken. It should be cooked to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t forget to check the heat of your peanut oil as well, making sure its in between 300 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the chicken from the oil: After you’ve determined your chicken has been successfully fried, use your tongs to remove it from the oil and place it onto a plate with paper towl on it.
- Let it rest then chow down: You don’t want to burn yourself, so let the chicken rest on the plate for around 10 minutes. After you do so, it’s time to eat. Enjoy!
What Is The Healthiest Oil To Use For Frying Chicken?
At the end of the day, the healthiest oil to use for frying chicken will come down to your needs. Peanut oil has a long list of pros and cons from a health perspective. There are several health-related benefits that have been linked to peanut oil, including alleviating constipation and joint pain, as well as balancing blood sugar levels. On the other end, however, it’s also been linked to ailments like obesity and heart disease.
Canola oil is a great substitute to consider for frying chicken due to its high amount of omega-3 relative to peanut oil. You’ll also be guaranteed to have a tasteless oil, which is good for frying.
Conclusion
So, are you excited to use your peanut oil? Chicken can be fried with a variety of different vegetable-based cooking oils, and peanut oil is one of them. Just make sure you follow the steps above about using peanut oil correcly to fry your chicken. But most importantly, enjoy your meal!
Want to learn more? Click here to learn the pros and cons of using peanut oil and here for how to use peanut oil for frying turky. You can also find all our peanut-related product guides here.
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