As one of the largest fast food chains in the United States, Chick-fil-A goes through a massive amount of cooking oil each year. The average Chick-fil-A restaurant uses 1,250 gallons of peanut oil and 1,000 gallons of canola oil annually to fry up its famous chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and waffle fries.
But have you ever wondered why Chick-fil-A specifically chose peanut oil and canola oil out of all the options available? As it turns out, the science and history behind these two oils reveal that they are the ideal choices for Chick-fil-A‘s cooking methods and flavor goals. Let‘s take a deep dive into the fascinating story of Chick-fil-A‘s frying oils.
The Peanut Oil Difference
Chick-fil-A‘s use of peanut oil is core to the chain‘s identity. Founder S. Truett Cathy selected peanut oil for frying his original chicken sandwich in the early 1960s after extensive experimentation with different oils. He found that peanut oil provided the optimal flavor and allowed him to achieve the perfect crispy texture.
Peanut oil has several unique properties that make it ideal for frying:
- High smoke point of 450°F (232°C)
- Neutral, slightly nutty flavor that doesn‘t overpower food
- Efficient heat transfer and frying ability
- Long fry life – can be reused 8-10 times before being replaced
Expert Perspective
According to Chick-fil-A chef and head of culinary development Stuart Tracy, peanut oil was the clear winner in blind taste tests during recipe development:
"When Truett was testing different oils, peanut oil consistently came out on top in terms of flavor. It has a very light, neutral taste that really lets the flavor of the chicken and seasonings come through. We did extensive consumer taste panels, and over 78% of participants preferred the taste of chicken fried in peanut oil compared to soybean oil."
Tracy explained that the peanut oil‘s efficient heat transfer is also key to achieving the ideal crispy, golden brown exterior on Chick-fil-A‘s breaded chicken items. The chain‘s proprietary pressure fryers create the perfect conditions for the peanut oil to quickly seal in the chicken‘s juices while allowing the batter to cook up shatteringly crisp.
Another major advantage of peanut oil is its exceptionally long fry life. While some lower quality oils break down after just a few uses, Chick-fil-A‘s refined peanut oil maintains its integrity and neutral flavor for 8-10 frying cycles before needing to be replaced. This reduces waste oil and helps the chain maintain consistency.
Careful Sourcing and Processing
To ensure a top-notch product, Chick-fil-A carefully sources its peanut oil from trusted farmers in Georgia and Texas. The specific peanut varieties used are selected for their high oil content and flavor profiles perfectly suited for frying. In total, about 3.2 million pounds of raw peanuts are used each year to make enough peanut oil for Chick-fil-A‘s needs.
Chick-fil-A worked closely with its peanut oil suppliers to develop a special cold-pressed extraction process. Traditional peanut oil processing can use chemical solvents and very high temperatures that degrade some of the natural antioxidants and nutrients.
In contrast, the cold-pressed method is a gentler, more natural process that helps preserve more of the oil‘s inherent antioxidants, vitamin E, and phytosterols. This gives Chick-fil-A‘s peanut oil a longer fry life, more neutral flavor, and slightly better nutritional properties compared to standard refined peanut oils.
The chain has used the same peanut oil supplier since Truett Cathy first started frying his peanut oil chicken in 1969. This long-term relationship has allowed Chick-fil-A to secure a consistent, quality supply through sustainable farming partnerships.
The Canola Oil Choice for Fries
While peanut oil is king for Chick-fil-A‘s chicken, the chain opted to use a different oil for frying its waffle cut potatoes: canola oil. When the waffle fries were introduced in the 1980s, canola oil was chosen after rigorous testing of various options like corn, soybean, and cottonseed oil.
Ideal Fry Qualities
Canola oil was the winner thanks to its exceptional frying performance and good nutrition profile. Like peanut oil, canola oil has a very high smoke point (468°F/242°C), allowing it to get the fries perfectly crisp and golden brown without any burnt or bitter flavors.
However, the main reason Chick-fil-A uses canola oil for fries is its extremely neutral flavor. Canola imparts virtually no taste of its own to the potatoes, allowing the natural earthy sweetness and fluffy interior texture to be the stars.
In comparison, the culinary team found that oils like soybean and corn oil left slight off-flavors that masked the potato taste. Peanut oil‘s nutty notes also competed with the fries‘ flavor. Canola oil‘s pure, clean taste was the perfect complement.
Expeller-Pressed for Purity
All of the canola oil used in Chick-fil-A restaurants is expeller-pressed. This means that it is mechanically extracted using an expeller press, rather than being chemically extracted using solvents like hexane. Expeller-pressing is a more natural, solvent-free processing method that preserves more of the oil‘s nutrients and natural flavor.
Chick-fil-A‘s expeller-pressed canola oil is also non-GMO and undergoes minimal refining to further protect its purity and neutral taste. It has been sourced from the same family-owned company since canola oil was first introduced to the menu in the 1980s.
A Nutritional Boost
In addition to its excellent frying abilities and clean flavor, canola oil provides a nutritional upgrade to Chick-fil-A‘s fries. Canola oil is one of the healthiest oils commonly used for frying, thanks to its beneficial fatty acid composition.
Here‘s how canola oil compares to some other popular frying oils:
| Oil | Saturated Fat | Monounsaturated Fat | Polyunsaturated Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canola | 7% | 64% | 28% |
| Peanut | 18% | 49% | 33% |
| Soybean | 15% | 24% | 61% |
| Corn | 13% | 27% | 54% |
*Percentage of total fat
As you can see, canola oil has the lowest percentage of saturated fat, which has been associated with negative health impacts like increased LDL cholesterol and inflammation when consumed in excess. The majority of the fats in canola oil are heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including a beneficial omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Frying oils high in polyunsaturated fats are not ideal, as these delicate fats are prone to oxidation when exposed to high temperatures. This can create harmful compounds and off-flavors. Peanut oil and canola oil‘s lower polyunsaturated fat content make them more stable for high-heat frying.
So while Chick-fil-A‘s fries are certainly still an indulgence, using canola oil gives them a slight nutritional leg up compared to fries fried in oils like soybean or corn oil. The chain‘s commitment to using expeller-pressed, non-GMO canola oil also minimizes the fries‘ exposure to any additives or chemical residues for the cleanest possible product.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Chick-fil-A‘s use of peanut oil and canola oil all comes down to taste, quality, and performance. Peanut oil has been a staple since day one thanks to its ability to perfectly complement Chick-fil-A‘s chicken recipe and frying technique. And canola oil beats out the other contenders for making the chain‘s iconic waffle fries crispy and flavorful.
The next time you bite into a Chick-fil-A sandwich or waffle fry, you‘ll know that the specific oils used to cook them were meticulously chosen for pure flavor and even a small nutritional boost. Even though Chick-fil-A is a fast food restaurant, this attention to detail and commitment to quality ingredients is a cut above the rest.
