Baking chicken butter, coconut oil, margarine or olive oil

Ceeceeann
Ceeceeann Posts: 25 Member
edited November 14 in Food and Nutrition
What's the best way to bake chicken in the oven well, I should the healthiest way? Olive oil? Coconut oil? Butter? Margarine? Something else? How much do you guys and gals use, tablespoon? I'm realizing calorie wise it adds up 100 plus and then tons of fat too. Leaning towards coconut oil.

Replies

  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    Use natural fats that withstand high temperature. Go with butter or coconut oil. Don't use man made Frankenstein fats like margarine.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    Ceeceeann wrote: »
    What's the best way to bake chicken in the oven well, I should the healthiest way? Olive oil? Coconut oil? Butter? Margarine? Something else? How much do you guys and gals use, tablespoon? I'm realizing calorie wise it adds up 100 plus and then tons of fat too. Leaning towards coconut oil.

    If I am just baking a chicken breast I might spray the dish with a bit of cooking spray and add spices, a bit of water to the dish and cover with foil. You don't have to coat your chicken in a lot of oil to bake it. Like this-> http://www.livestrong.com/article/461394-how-to-bake-a-plain-chicken-breast/

    Log whatever you choose to use.

    This. I don't use oil when baking chicken.
  • ajrossa
    ajrossa Posts: 24 Member
    They had a series in the UK where doctors / nutritionists etc. investigated which fat to use for frying.
    Because of the smoke point of fats and oils, they found that coconut oil is best for frying.
    They strongly recommend not to use oils for frying but for salads etc.
    Heating up vegetable oils leads to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses including cancer, heart disease etc.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    To be honest, I wouldn't use any of those...I'd just put a bit of water in the bottom of the roaster, maybe a bit of wine....garlic, peppers, celery and onion....salt and pepper....

    The chicken will produce so much yummy juice, you really don't need the oils.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    Ceeceeann wrote: »
    What's the best way to bake chicken in the oven well, I should the healthiest way? Olive oil? Coconut oil? Butter? Margarine? Something else? How much do you guys and gals use, tablespoon? I'm realizing calorie wise it adds up 100 plus and then tons of fat too. Leaning towards coconut oil.

    If I am just baking a chicken breast I might spray the dish with a bit of cooking spray and add spices, a bit of water to the dish and cover with foil. You don't have to coat your chicken in a lot of oil to bake it. Like this-> http://www.livestrong.com/article/461394-how-to-bake-a-plain-chicken-breast/

    Log whatever you choose to use.

    This. I don't use oil when baking chicken.

    I thought I'd been doing everything wrong for a second there?! OP - why are you thinking you need to use oil to BAKE chicken?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    Ceeceeann wrote: »
    What's the best way to bake chicken in the oven well, I should the healthiest way? Olive oil? Coconut oil? Butter? Margarine? Something else? How much do you guys and gals use, tablespoon? I'm realizing calorie wise it adds up 100 plus and then tons of fat too. Leaning towards coconut oil.

    If I am just baking a chicken breast I might spray the dish with a bit of cooking spray and add spices, a bit of water to the dish and cover with foil. You don't have to coat your chicken in a lot of oil to bake it. Like this-> http://www.livestrong.com/article/461394-how-to-bake-a-plain-chicken-breast/

    Log whatever you choose to use.

    This. I don't use oil when baking chicken.

    Me either. Sometimes a marinade, though. Wrapping in foil with some veg is a good way to do it too (great for fish also).

    Of course, when you just roast it plain with bones and skin it's especially tasty!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    ajrossa wrote: »
    They had a series in the UK where doctors / nutritionists etc. investigated which fat to use for frying.
    Because of the smoke point of fats and oils, they found that coconut oil is best for frying.
    They strongly recommend not to use oils for frying but for salads etc.
    Heating up vegetable oils leads to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses including cancer, heart disease etc.

    Most cooking is not as high heat as frying, though.

    Those results seem questionable, since virgin coconut oil (the stuff that some claim is good for you) has a low smoke point, pretty similar to olive oil and a lot lower than many oils. The only coconut oil with a somewhat higher smoke point (although again not higher than some other vegetable oils) is the really processed kind that's supposed to be bad for you.

    (I don't worry about it since I never fry anything, and so olive oil works unless I want something else for taste. For baking/roasting chicken no oil is needed IMO.)

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/12/24/ask-well-is-coconut-oil-a-healthy-fat/?_r=0

    http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/cooking-fats-101-whats-a-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter.html
  • Ceeceeann
    Ceeceeann Posts: 25 Member
    Thanks everyone. I just always have used oil figured the chicken would be dry. But good to know. I'll not use oil in the future. Thanks for all the suggestions'
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    A few tips for moist roasts.

    Give it a coating to seal moisture inside. I do this with my roast beef by cooking at 500 degrees for ten minutes before reducing to 200 degrees to finish it off.

    A breaded coating does the same for chicken. Dredge in flour, an egg-milk mixture, and finally in bread crumbs. Season as you please.

    Fish is particularly delicate. When I learned it cooks a lot faster, I would cook just long enough for it to flake. I sometimes cook fish in parchment with a little oil (yay!) and herbs.

    Don't overcook.
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    If you are baking chicken why would you add fat to it? The best way to get succulent chicken is to use a "cooking bag" or wrap it in foil as they keep the moisture in.

    That part
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited December 2016
    In my opinion, the most succulent roast chicken is done with a dry brine. No fat but salted and left to dry out in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

    http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-thanksgiving.html
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Are you talking about doing this?

    kellers-roast-chicken.jpg

    If so, you don't need anything...

    The only time I've baked a chicken breast is with skin on and I don't add any additional oil...
  • Skyblueyellow
    Skyblueyellow Posts: 225 Member
    Make it how you like it. Most of the time I don't add any oils to it but I do have one way I make it that my kids love where I brush melted butter on and sprinkle with paprika and cook for a short time at high heat and it is really delicious and succulent.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Depends on your definition of healthy.

    You can certainly bake chicken with nothing on it (add a little cayenne pepper to help speed up the metabolism). I used to do that when I was on a strict body building style diet.

    Now I'm more LCHF/keot/wholefoods/etc......and I ate a few servings of chicken legs and thighs this week with the skin on that was baked in an organic olive oil and a spice rub. Tasted fantastic. Oh, and I've dropped like 3 pounds the past few days too.....
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