Reusing Oil For Chicken & Fish - Everything You Need To Know

If you are deep frying food and want to fry chicken and shrimp, you might be thinking that it could be more economical to just use the same cooking oil to fry both foods.

While you can use the same oil to deep fry chicken and fish, you must clean the oil first, and never fry the fish before the chicken, as this will ruin the chicken taste and make it smell like fish!

We've composed a small guide below that will cover more about how to reuse oil from frying foods, the best way to clean your oil and the right type of oil to use for this cooking.

Which Type Of Oil Should I Use For Frying Chicken & Shrimp? 

If you want to deep fry chicken and fish in a short period of time, using the same oil will be more simple, but to minimise taste transfer and smell transfer between the two foods, it's best to use an odourless oil such as peanut oil. 

Peanut oil is best for deep frying fish and chicken as it has a neutral taste so is perfect for reusing as it absorbs less flavour, however, you must not bring the oil past the smoking point otherwise it can lead to a bad taste.

It should always be stored in the refrigerator after using to extend its lifespan and be reused a maximum of 3-10 times before it goes bad.

How To Use The Same Oil For Frying Chicken & Fish

To use the same oil after frying chicken and shrimp you must fry the chicken first then clean the oil and fry the fish, this is because fish has a more pungent taste, even in neutral oil and will leave your chicken tastin like fish. 

If you have fried your fish like shrimp before frying your chicken then you need to either use fresh oil for frying the chicken and discard the oil or you can refrigerate to use when you are next frying fish.

Reusing Oil After Frying Chicken

Re-using oil after frying chicken is economical and easy, we have listed a few notable tips below however to make sure you still get the best results from your oil. 

• Use a filter to cleanse the oil after use. 
• Mark your reused oil in a separate container from the fresh and store it in the fridge. 
• Do not use poultry oil for frying chips and onion rings. 
• When the time to discard put in a plastic bag in the bin. 

Reusing Oil After Frying Fish 

To re-use oil after frying fish, is pretty similar to chicken, except we wouldn't recommend using it for any other type of food to avoid taste transfer. 

• Clean the oil after use. 
• Store in an airtight container refrigerated. 
• Only use for fish meals.
• Discard when the oil starts to smell bad. 

How To Clean Oil Properly 

Although you might think re-using oil is simple, you do have to clean it if you want the best quality oil for frying your next food, otherwise, you will be left with food debris from the previous food that you fried (imagine fried fish with chicken pieces on it).

Cleaning oil through a filter like a coffee filter can take hours, so there is a simpler method that you can try below to save you time and produce the best quality re-usable oil. 

• Step one - Take a cup of the frying oil that you want to reuse. 
• Step two - Mix 1/4 cup of water and a tablespoon of corn-starch together then add into the cool/warm oil. 
• Step three - Heat on a low heat and keep stirring with a spatula for around 10-15 minutes till it starts to solidify. 
• Step four - Then filter through a fine-mesh strainer and refrigerate, the oil can then be used up to 3 times. 
• Step five - Do not worry if your oil now has a cloudy appearance, this is just from the cornflour and will disappear once you start cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions About Frying Shrimp & Chicken In The Same Oil

How many times can I re-use oil? 

Oil can be used anything from 3 times to 10, it all comes down to personal judgement, you can always conduct a sniff test to see if anything is unusual about the oil.

Can I reuse olive oil in cooking? 

Olive oil out of all oils is not recommended for reusing as it has a low smoking point and will not give the best results.

How do I store my oil? 

To store your oil properly you must make sure it has cooled entirely then place it into an airtight container.

What can I use to filter my oil through?

You can simply strain your oil through a cheesecloth or use our cleaning method above with cornflour. 

Final Words

To conclude, you can fry chicken and shrimp in the same oil as long as you start with the chicken first and clean the oil to avoid frying the fish with chicken debris. Always use peanut oil as it is neutral so will have less taste transfer between foods. 

Never use fish oil for frying chicken, this can lead to your chicken smelling like fish, instead refrigerate and only use for frying fish again.