What oil does Chick-fil-A fry in?
Chick-fil-A cooks with 100% refined peanut oil (fried chicken); canola oil in dedicated fryers (waffle fries, hash browns).
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 |
|---|---|
| Grilled Nuggets 12 Ct | 1.2g |
| Egg White Grill | 1.6g |
| Mac & Cheese | 1.6g |
| Grilled Nuggets 8 Ct | 1.7g |
| Chicken Noodle Soup | 2.0g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
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.
Frequently asked
Does Chick-fil-A use beef tallow?
No. Chick-fil-A cooks with 100% refined peanut oil (fried chicken); canola oil in dedicated fryers (waffle fries, hash browns), not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.