Can the oil be reused after frying the chicken?

The facts are the facts; Baked chicken may be great, but there’s nothing like crispy, golden fried chicken.

The extra work and mess is always worth it, but what do you do with your leftover frying oil?

Can the oil be reused after frying the chicken?

You can usually reuse the oil after frying the chicken, or anything. Be sure to strain the oil to remove any food debris once it cools down, then store it properly. Under the right circumstances, you can reuse the oil up to 8-10 times. 

Frying chicken is often tricky, sometimes difficult, but always delicious. The real issue most home cooks face is the cost of oil (especially if you’ve used peanut oil). Don’t worry, there are a few ways to get the most out of your oil.

Read on for tips and tricks to extend the life of your oil, as well as other helpful information, such as knowing when it’s gone bad and how to dispose of it properly.

Reuse the oil after frying the chicken

Crispy and delicious, golden fried chicken is an American classic, a staple in every region of the country.

The recipe may vary from region to region, but the pleasure of biting into a juicy, tender piece of chicken with its crispy skin is the same everywhere.

These days, most of us tend to order fried chicken in restaurants, not only to avoid some of the work and cleanup, but especially so we don’t spend money on oil just to throw it away.

It takes a significant amount of oil to fry a piece of chicken, and depending on the oil you use, it could cost you some serious money.

But here’s the good news: the oil can be reused multiple times after frying. You just have to know a few things about the process.

Planning ahead for oil preservation after frying gives you several opportunities to take steps that will help you get the most out of your oil.

Choosing the right oil and controlling the temperature during the cooking phase is a good starting point.

You can then clean and strain the oil before storing it safely, allowing you to reuse it multiple times.

As a general rule, the oil used to fry battered items will usually last 3-4 uses. Oil used for non-battered items can be reused 8-10 times, sometimes more.

How long can you keep oil after frying chicken?

How long you can continue to use your frying oil can be measured in two ways, either by the actual amount of time the used oil will last, or by the number of times you can reuse the oil.

As we’ve said before, what you fry and how you fry it will play a big role in determining the life of the oil used. The type of oil is also important, as is the process you use to clean and store it.

If stored properly, and not reused at all after initial frying, used oil can last 1-2 months. Whatever you do, it will eventually go bad.

Over time, the oil breaks down and becomes rancid. This process is accelerated by the frequency of use.

Every time you heat oil and use it to fry something, or even just for a cooking method other than frying, the chemical composition of the oil is altered.

Over time, it will cease to be useful and will have to be thrown away. Later we will talk about the correct way to dispose of the oil.

What to do with the oil after frying the chicken?

The most effective way to conserve oil after frying chicken is to follow these steps.

First, remove any large food particles from the oil. It’s best to do it while the oil is still hot so that those elements don’t continue to break down in the oil. Be careful.

Next, after letting the oil cool slightly (but not quite), you’ll want to strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer. The finer, the better.

This will remove any remaining food particles, especially any bits of dough that may have broken off during the cooking process.

We recommend that you strain the oil while it is still hot, because once the oil cools, the fats solidify and it becomes more viscous, so it is more likely that some food particles will not be removed by the strainer.

As the oil may still be too hot for its final storage container, we recommend keeping an old aluminum can nearby. Aluminum is easy to clean and won’t be affected by hot oil; in fact, it will help it cool faster.

In fact, we recommend having several aluminum cans: a larger one for the casting process and more for the removal process.

Once the strained oil has cooled, you can move on to the next step, which is transferring it to a storage container. We recommend that you use a well-made plastic container with a tight-fitting lid (more details below).

How many times can you reuse frying oil?

If you’ve taken the proper steps to properly clean and store your used oil, you can expect to use it at least another 3-4 times if you’re frying things that are battered or covered.

If you fry things without batter, you can get up to 10 more uses out of your oil.

Just because you used the oil to fry chicken the first time doesn’t mean you have to use it to fry chicken every time.

You may not want to fry a lighter fish in the oil due to conflicting flavors, but otherwise you can use this oil for anything that involves oil. To learn about the best oils for fish, we have another article waiting for you.

Even if it’s only a matter of taking a tablespoon of the oil to stir-fry, oil that has been fried with chicken will retain some flavor from the spices and meat it was cooked with. This subtle flavor will carry over to the dish you cook with it.

Try to remember that you have stored oil when it comes time to cook, especially if you use a small amount. In that case, the taste of the oil will not matter at all.

How should you store used frying oil?

To make used oil last longer, you will need to store it in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dark place.

Heat and light will continue to break down the oil, and the air can allow moisture in, making your oil go rancid more quickly.

Our recommendation is to use a transparent, plastic or glass container, and store it in the refrigerator. The colder the better, but don’t freeze the oil, as it won’t freeze properly and may degrade faster when you take it out of the freezer.

However, you can freeze fresh vegetable oil .

What other factors can extend the useful life of used oil?

In addition to using proper cleaning, straining, and storage methods, you can also extend the life of your oil by choosing the best oils for frying chicken and by controlling the temperature when frying.

Oils with higher flash points (the temperature at which they will start to smoke and eventually burn) are best for frying. The best oils for frying are usually soybean, peanut, and vegetable.

Even if you use oils with high flash points, you must take into account the temperature that the oil reaches.

It’s not just about conserving the oil; it also has to do with the safety and, more importantly, the quality of the food you are preparing.

The best way to check the temperature of the oil is to use an oil thermometer that is designed for it and often comes with a clip that allows it to be attached to the edge of the pan in which you are cooking. There are also digital options.

The best temperature for frying is between 300-375°F.

How do you know that the frying oil has gone bad?

This is the easiest part of the whole process. For starters, you’ll notice that the oil has changed color or even separated. If you’re still not sure, rest assured that the smell will be an instant indicator.

If your used oil has any kind of smelly aroma, it’s time to throw it away. Trust us, you will know. This is where the other aluminum cans come into play.

How do you dispose of used frying oil?

Some people throw the oil in the garden. We do not recommend it for several reasons. In some cases it is illegal, but more often it will destroy grass or other plants in the area it comes into contact with.

It may even start to smell and could attract unwanted wildlife. It is also not recommended to pour it down the drain, even if hot water runs or boiling water is poured afterwards.

Depending on how old your pipes are, this could become a major plumbing problem once the oil cools and thickens.

The best way to dispose of used oil is to put it in an old aluminum can or other container that you don’t mind throwing away.

Put it in the freezer to harden up a bit, then place the container in a small trash bag or disposable plastic bag from a store. You can even use pet waste bags.

Depending on where you live, you can also use the most environmentally friendly oil disposal method and take it to a place that specializes in disposing, or even recycling, used oil.