What oil does Chick-fil-A fry in?
Chick-fil-A fries in peanut oil.
In detail: 100% refined peanut oil (fried chicken); high-oleic canola oil in dedicated fryers (waffle fries, hash browns).
Source: Chick-fil-A Nutrition & Allergens, read October 22, 2026. Chick-fil-A cooks in 100% refined peanut oil.
Ordering at Chick-fil-A? Build your meal in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
Build my orderChick-fil-A at a glance
| Fry oil (US) | Peanut oil |
| Seed oils | In some items |
| Beef tallow | No |
| Peanut oil | Yes |
| Seed oil grade | B (4.8 g average per item, 138 items) |
| Last checked | October 22, 2026 |
| Is it a seed oil? | Peanut oil: Borderline |
The 5 cleanest things to order at Chick-fil-A
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Egg White Grill | 1.6g |
| Grilled Nuggets 8 Ct | 1.7g |
| Grilled Nuggets 12 Ct | 2.6g |
| Chick-n-Minis 4 Ct | 3.2g |
| 8pc Nuggets (fried) | 3.3g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Watch: Chick-fil-A Uses Two Different Fryer Oils
What it says: Chick-fil-A uses two different fryer oils, and nobody talks about it. The chicken goes in peanut oil. It has since 1964. The founder picked it because it didn't cover up the taste of the chicken. But the waffle fries? Canola oil. In their own separate fryers. The Chicken Sandwich is 5.7 grams of polyunsaturated fat. A large waffle fries is 11.2. The fries are almost double the sandwich. Seed Oil Tracker shows what your spot fries in. It's free.
Build your Chick-fil-A order
Pick your meal, sides, sauces and drink in the app and see your seed oil total before you order. It logs to your day in one tap. Free on iPhone and Android.
Build my orderHow Chick-fil-A has changed its frying oil
Chick-fil-A announced on October 9, 2008 that its entire menu was free of artificial trans fat, after two years of reworking the waffle fries, biscuits, desserts and sauces. The chicken itself was already pressure cooked in peanut oil, and the fries run in their own fryer. Source
Truett Cathy launched the original Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich in 1964 and pressure cooked it in peanut oil because he thought it did not overpower the taste of the chicken. The company still says it has cooked its hand breaded chicken in fully refined peanut oil ever since. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
What oil do other chains like Chick-fil-A use?
- What oil does KFC use? Canola and soybean oil
- What oil does Popeyes use? Beef tallow
- What oil does Raising Cane's use? Canola and soybean oil
- What oil does Wingstop use? Soybean oil (estimated)
- What oil does Zaxby's use? Soybean oil
- What oil does Bojangles use? Soybean and canola oil
- What oil does Church's Texas Chicken use? Soybean oil (estimated)
- What oil does Slim Chickens use? Soybean oil and vegetable oil blend
Why the frying oil matters
Most fast-food chains fry in seed oils like soybean, canola, corn, or a blend of them, which are high in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). A handful still use beef tallow or other stable fats, which are far lower in PUFA. The oil a kitchen fries in is the single biggest driver of how much seed oil ends up on your plate. See the full breakdown on the Chick-fil-A report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.
Frequently asked
What oil does Chick-fil-A fry in?
Chick-fil-A fries in peanut oil. In detail: 100% refined peanut oil (fried chicken); high-oleic canola oil in dedicated fryers (waffle fries, hash browns).
Does Chick-fil-A use seed oils?
Yes, in some items. Our notes: 100% refined peanut oil (fried chicken); high-oleic canola oil in dedicated fryers (waffle fries, hash browns).
Does Chick-fil-A use beef tallow?
No. Chick-fil-A fries in peanut oil, not beef tallow.
Does Chick-fil-A use peanut oil?
Yes. Chick-fil-A fries in peanut oil. If you have a peanut allergy, ask the restaurant directly, because oils and suppliers can vary by location.
What is the lowest seed oil order at Chick-fil-A?
Grilled Nuggets 8 Ct (1.7 g of polyunsaturated fat). Next: Grilled Nuggets 12 Ct (2.6 g) and 8pc Nuggets (fried) (3.3 g).
Which Chick-fil-A item has the most seed oil?
Cobb Salad, at about 29.8 g of polyunsaturated fat as listed.