Fried chicken is everyone’s favorite menu all over the world. The juicy inside and crunchy outside make it very popular with everyone. You can fry chicken using various types of cooking oil, sometimes using vegetable oil, coconut oil, or sometimes using olive oil. However, many people still ask and don’t understand properly can I fry chicken in olive oil?
In this simple guide, we’ll look at how to use olive oil to fry chicken. Here we will provide a lot of important information or rather you could say “the secret to frying chicken in olive oil”. We will reveal everything here for you.
Can I Fry Chicken in Olive Oil?
If you want to fry chicken in olive oil, there are several things you need to consider.
You need to know that olive oil has a low smoke point compared to other oils used for frying. The smoke point of a cooking oil refers to the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and emit smoke. If the oil has reached its smoke point, it will produce harmful substances and the fried food will also not taste good. In addition, there will be some nutrients lost from food.
Olive oil is an oil with a very low smoke point, but you can still use olive oil to fry chicken as long as you control the temperature well. While extra virgin olive oil has an even lower smoke point, it is not suitable for use in frying.
But there is refined olive oil or light olive oil that you can use for frying, it has a higher smoke point, meaning it doesn’t break down or break down easily when heated.
The Best Olive Oil for Frying Chicken
Considering that there are several types of olive oil, you can choose a brand of olive oil that is suitable for frying or olive oil with a high fire point so that it does not break down or break down easily.
1. Light Olive Oil:
This is a fairly refined type of olive oil, has a higher smoke point, and is suitable for frying. It can withstand the higher heat of milk without causing smoke so the taste of fried food will also be better and free from harmful substances.
2. Refined Olive Oil:
Just like light olive oil, refined olive oil has gone through an extensive refining process, so the taste is smoother, and the smoke point is higher. This type of oil is very suitable for frying chicken. If you want to fry chicken in olive oil, you can try this type.
The chicken will taste delicious and you will still get the health benefits of olive oil.
3. Blend of Olive Oil and Another High Smoke Point Oil:
If you don’t have olive oil with a high smoke point, you can use olive oil with a low smoke point, but mix it with other oils that have a high smoke point such as coconut oil or canola oil.
This mixture will give you the benefits of olive oil while preventing olive oil from breaking down quickly.
You need to note that extra virgin olive oil is a type of olive oil with a very low smoke point and is not recommended for frying because it quickly reaches its smoke point. Extra virgin olive oil is best used for dressings, dips, or other uses that do not involve heating. You can use extra virgin olive oil to sprinkle on fried chicken that is ready to eat, this will provide health benefits as well as add taste.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Fry Chicken in Olive Oil
Let’s just say we already know which olive oil is suitable for frying chicken and which is not. Now it’s time for us to see how to fry chicken using olive oil. So, if someone asks “Can I fry chicken in olive oil?” Just answer, “Yes you can”, but always control so that the oil doesn’t smoke.
OK, let’s look at the following step-by-step for frying chicken in olive oil.
1. Choose the right cut of chicken:
Do you want to fry bone-in or boneless chicken pieces? Choose the part of the chicken you like, drumsticks, or you will fry tender boneless chicken meat.
2. Prepare the chicken:
Season the chicken of your choice with salt, pepper, and your favorite spices. Chicken that has been seasoned is left aside for a few moments.
3. Heat the olive oil:
Using a deep skillet with a thick bottom, heat the olive oil to 350F or 175C. If you don’t know, you can use a cooking thermometer to ensure the accuracy of the heat.
4. Dredge the chicken:
Coat the chicken with the flour mixture, or with the spices you want. This will help you get a crispy chicken exterior.
5. Fry the chicken:
Put the prepared chicken pieces into the oil carefully and don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry your chicken until the inside of the chicken reaches a temperature of 165F or 74C, and the outside is browned.
6. Drain and rest:
When cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels (to absorb excess oil). Let the chicken rest for a few minutes to ensure the juices are completely distributed.
7. Serve and enjoy:
Serve delicious fried chicken with your favorite sauce. You can try Atomic Wings Wingstop sauce, yangnyeom, or for those of you who like Middle Eastern food, you can try your fried chicken with tahini.
