Fried Chicken - Good or Bad?

Diet and Nutrition
1

I know fried chicken (or basically anything with the “fried” modifier in front) has gotten a sort of bad rap from all the junk fast food joints that try to enhance it’s flavor, but what about home cooked chicken fried in olive oil?

After stopping to actually look at the caloric/macro content of chicken fried in olive oil, on the surface, it actually seems pretty healthy, unless there are some adverse effects that go on during the frying process that I don’t know about. Can someone reassure or enlighten me?

2

At the very least take the skin off. That is the most unhealthy fat. Other then that frying in olive oil would be better then the buying it at K Fried Chicken. Baked with the skin off is how I prefer it and on rare occasion I will fry it in olive oil.

D

3

I think it’s a matter of a crappy carb source (flour) being needed. Though I’ve experimented with a very small amount of whole wheat flour and it doesn’t come out too bad. Anyway, mixing fat with a fair amount of high GI carbs or vice versa is never a good idea. Also, extra virgin olive oil is not good for frying.

4

Well, some people will worry about frying in general.

However, I’m more worried about your choice of oils for frying. I don’t think olive oil is good at dealing with high temperatures.

Now, if you used coconut oil, I’d certainly eat some fried chicken!

5

Well guys, I don’t see the point to nitpick on a few extra calories or a few notches up in the HI GI section if you only eat it say, once a week…? And the skin may be bad and contain saturated fat, but if that’s pretty much the only source of saturated fat you get the whole day or maybe even the whole week, is it still that big of a deal?

6

[quote]vroom wrote:
Well, some people will worry about frying in general.

However, I’m more worried about your choice of oils for frying. I don’t think olive oil is good at dealing with high temperatures.

Now, if you used coconut oil, I’d certainly eat some fried chicken![/quote]

So should I use Coconut oil instead? I’ve read that Olive Oil isn’t that great at high temperatures, but I cook the meal slowly, slightly above med heat.

7

True, olive oil isn’t great for frying at high temps, but if you just add a little bit of good old fashion butter you’ll be fine. The added saturated fats in the butter will add stability to the oil and raise the smoke/flash point. Not to mention it adds great flavor and some omega-3’s.

8

[quote]Velz wrote:
Well guys, I don’t see the point to nitpick on a few extra calories or a few notches up in the HI GI section if you only eat it say, once a week…? And the skin may be bad and contain saturated fat, but if that’s pretty much the only source of saturated fat you get the whole day or maybe even the whole week, is it still that big of a deal?[/quote]

I suppose you are right. I just got into the habit of always taking the skin off a long time ago.

D

9

I’ve never had a problem frying in olive oil. Depending on it’s quality, level of oxidation, and free fatty acid content, it can have a smoke point above 400F. From my experience, the best frying temperatures range between 325-375F.

I wouldn’t use extra virgin olive oil for frying simply because it’s more pricey and has great flavor that’s better suited to salads than cooking. But a basic olive oil is a great choice for frying.

10

That’s actually a pretty interesting question.

On the one hand – what makes “real” (i.e., bad for you) fried chicken taste so good is the crunchy coating – which usually consists of the skin augmented with flour or batter, and seasoning. Also, most nutritionists will say that bad things happen to oil when you get it above a certain temp – so you should avoid all things fried. And you really can’t get that great tasting coat without higher heat.

But if you “fry” say chicken breast, with no skin, and no flour or batter, in olive oil, and not too hot – how bad is that? I’d say its not nearly as bad as “real” fried chicken – but then it doesn’t taste nearly as good either. Basically, what you are describing is really a saute (frying with a small amount of fat).

IMO, I’d say the “harm” is negligible – if you keep the amount of oil small, and you stay at medium heat.

BTW – I’m not trying to set off anyone’s ‘gaydar’ – but my wife got me something like this oil spritzer 2 years ago – and its great for coating a pan with minimal oil. Also good for spraying salads, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/EuroSupreme-Pump-Olive-Oil-Mister/dp/B0002OUCA2/sr=8-4/qid=1158250581/ref=pd_bbs_4/102-2036980-9928952?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food

[quote]Velz wrote:
I know fried chicken (or basically anything with the “fried” modifier in front) has gotten a sort of bad rap from all the junk fast food joints that try to enhance it’s flavor, but what about home cooked chicken fried in olive oil?

After stopping to actually look at the caloric/macro content of chicken fried in olive oil, on the surface, it actually seems pretty healthy, unless there are some adverse effects that go on during the frying process that I don’t know about. Can someone reassure or enlighten me?[/quote]

11

if youre going to take the skin off, whats the point of eating fried chicken? I mean to me, all forms of cooked chicken differ in only how the skin is prepared.

I even microwave my chicken sometimes because it all tastes the same to me.

12

[quote]Defender wrote:
I’ve never had a problem frying in olive oil. Depending on it’s quality, level of oxidation, and free fatty acid content, it can have a smoke point above 400F. From my experience, the best frying temperatures range between 325-375F.

I wouldn’t use extra virgin olive oil for frying simply because it’s more pricey and has great flavor that’s better suited to salads than cooking. But a basic olive oil is a great choice for frying.[/quote]

Yeah it’s expensive. I may use a cheaper olive oil instead.

13

[quote]fatGuy wrote:
That’s actually a pretty interesting question.

On the one hand – what makes “real” (i.e., bad for you) fried chicken taste so good is the crunchy coating – which usually consists of the skin augmented with flour or batter, and seasoning. Also, most nutritionists will say that bad things happen to oil when you get it above a certain temp – so you should avoid all things fried. And you really can’t get that great tasting coat without higher heat.

But if you “fry” say chicken breast, with no skin, and no flour or batter, in olive oil, and not too hot – how bad is that? I’d say its not nearly as bad as “real” fried chicken – but then it doesn’t taste nearly as good either. Basically, what you are describing is really a saute (frying with a small amount of fat).

IMO, I’d say the “harm” is negligible – if you keep the amount of oil small, and you stay at medium heat.

BTW – I’m not trying to set off anyone’s ‘gaydar’ – but my wife got me something like this oil spritzer 2 years ago – and its great for coating a pan with minimal oil. Also good for spraying salads, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/EuroSupreme-Pump-Olive-Oil-Mister/dp/B0002OUCA2/sr=8-4/qid=1158250581/ref=pd_bbs_4/102-2036980-9928952?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food

Velz wrote:
I know fried chicken (or basically anything with the “fried” modifier in front) has gotten a sort of bad rap from all the junk fast food joints that try to enhance it’s flavor, but what about home cooked chicken fried in olive oil?

After stopping to actually look at the caloric/macro content of chicken fried in olive oil, on the surface, it actually seems pretty healthy, unless there are some adverse effects that go on during the frying process that I don’t know about. Can someone reassure or enlighten me?

[/quote]

I know the flour and breading is bad, but keep in mind, I’d only eat these kind of meals once a week or every 2 weeks at most. I fry in medium temperature and I use just enough oil to make sure there are no dry spots in the pan. In such moderation, is this harmful? The very next day I woke up and didn’t feel/look any puffier or fatter. In fact, everyday I get a little leaner, and the very next morning it seemed to be no exception.

14

[quote]Velz wrote:

I know the flour and breading is bad, but keep in mind, I’d only eat these kind of meals once a week or every 2 weeks at most. I fry in medium temperature and I use just enough oil to make sure there are no dry spots in the pan. In such moderation, is this harmful? The very next day I woke up and didn’t feel/look any puffier or fatter. In fact, everyday I get a little leaner, and the very next morning it seemed to be no exception.[/quote]

Dude, just eat the damn chicken. No, fried chicken once a week won’t kill you, especially if you are in shape and lift weights on a regular basis. We have too many damn food nazis on this board. If your entire diet was made up of fried foods, then you would be asking for problems.

Wait, are you going to drink milk with that…because that will kill you. As will any foods that aren’t raw oats and dry chicken breasts.

15

[quote]fatGuy wrote:
BTW – I’m not trying to set off anyone’s ‘gaydar’ – but my wife got me something like this oil spritzer 2 years ago – and its great for coating a pan with minimal oil. Also good for spraying salads, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/EuroSupreme-Pump-Olive-Oil-Mister/dp/B0002OUCA2/sr=8-4/qid=1158250581/ref=pd_bbs_4/102-2036980-9928952?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food
[/quote]

Why would a useful cooking utensil set off anybody’s radar…?

On another note, how often are you people eating fried chicken? When I lived in England as a student I would visit KFC once a month at the most. Now that I’m living in the US…well, I still haven’t gone to KFC (mostly cos the wife doesn’t like it). What I’m saying is, if I hardly ever eat fried chicken when I do, I’ll go to KFC and not worry about anything. I think one shady meal out of the 180 you might have a month is not going to make a difference.

Plus, you know the Colonel isn’t going to tell you the secret formula he uses for his chicken, so yours will never be as good :slight_smile:

16

[quote]consumer wrote:
if youre going to take the skin off, whats the point of eating fried chicken? I mean to me, all forms of cooked chicken differ in only how the skin is prepared.

I even microwave my chicken sometimes because it all tastes the same to me.[/quote]

I either brine or marinate my chicken to give the meat itself a better flavor. It’s just too bland otherwise.

17

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Velz wrote:

I know the flour and breading is bad, but keep in mind, I’d only eat these kind of meals once a week or every 2 weeks at most. I fry in medium temperature and I use just enough oil to make sure there are no dry spots in the pan. In such moderation, is this harmful? The very next day I woke up and didn’t feel/look any puffier or fatter. In fact, everyday I get a little leaner, and the very next morning it seemed to be no exception.

Dude, just eat the damn chicken. No, fried chicken once a week won’t kill you, especially if you are in shape and lift weights on a regular basis. We have too many damn food nazis on this board. If your entire diet was made up of fried foods, then you would be asking for problems.

Wait, are you going to drink milk with that…because that will kill you. As will any foods that aren’t raw oats and dry chicken breasts.[/quote]

LOL I know. I did in fact just “eat the damn chicken” and “who gives a fuck”'ed my diet for that one day. Once a week I’ll just say screw it and just eat something I like (nothing fast food though, all home cooked and still with health in mind). Last week I ate a whole pot pasta, chicken, and shrimp covered in tomato sauce. This week though I had a craving for fried chicken, so I’m just inquiring now for the sake of future reference as to whether or not I should avoid fried chicken or not. I don’t know why, but fast food joints like KFC and shit got it in my head that fried chicken is just as harmful as burgers and fries.

18

[quote]Miserere wrote:
fatGuy wrote:
BTW – I’m not trying to set off anyone’s ‘gaydar’ – but my wife got me something like this oil spritzer 2 years ago – and its great for coating a pan with minimal oil. Also good for spraying salads, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/EuroSupreme-Pump-Olive-Oil-Mister/dp/B0002OUCA2/sr=8-4/qid=1158250581/ref=pd_bbs_4/102-2036980-9928952?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food

Why would a useful cooking utensil set off anybody’s radar…?

On another note, how often are you people eating fried chicken? When I lived in England as a student I would visit KFC once a month at the most. Now that I’m living in the US…well, I still haven’t gone to KFC (mostly cos the wife doesn’t like it). What I’m saying is, if I hardly ever eat fried chicken when I do, I’ll go to KFC and not worry about anything. I think one shady meal out of the 180 you might have a month is not going to make a difference.

Plus, you know the Colonel isn’t going to tell you the secret formula he uses for his chicken, so yours will never be as good :-)[/quote]

I know his secret recipe, and I don’t want anything to do with it. Steroids and animal cruelty.

19

I cook my chicken like this from time to time.I’ll put just a little olive oil in a pan,cut my chicken breast into thin strips and have at it.Sometimes I’ll roll it in whole wheat flour and sometimes I’ll just cover it with BBQ seasoning and pepper.Pile some veggies on a plate with the chicken and go to town.

I really don’t think it hurts anything at all and is a thousand times better for satisfying a “fried” urge than KFC.

20

All that matters is that

Fried Chicken = delicious