How unhealthy are fried chicken and chips?

November 23, 2025 •

3 min read

Observational studies have found a strong link between frequent consumption of fried foods and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This raises serious concerns about how unhealthy are fried chicken and chips when consumed regularly.

Quick Summary

This article explores the significant health risks associated with regular consumption of fried chicken and chips, highlighting their high calorie, fat, and sodium content. It details the potential long-term effects on cardiovascular health, weight, and overall well-being, while also presenting healthier cooking alternatives and dietary swaps.

Key Points

High Calories and Unhealthy Fats: Deep-frying causes chicken and chips to absorb a high amount of oil, leading to a significant increase in calories and unhealthy fats, including potential trans fats from reused oil.
Increased Risk of Heart Disease: The high levels of saturated and trans fats can raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol, promoting plaque buildup in arteries and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Link to Weight Gain and Obesity: The high calorie density of fried foods contributes to a caloric surplus, which can lead to weight gain and obesity, a major risk factor for numerous chronic diseases.
Contributes to Type 2 Diabetes: Regular consumption of fried foods is associated with increased insulin resistance, which raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Presence of Harmful Compounds: High-temperature frying can produce harmful chemicals like acrylamide in starchy foods, which are considered potential carcinogens.
Healthier Alternatives Are Plentiful: Healthier cooking methods like air-frying, oven-baking, or grilling can produce similar flavors and textures with far fewer health risks, and dietary swaps for ingredients exist.

The nutritional pitfalls of fried chicken and chips

Fried chicken and chips, while a popular meal, pose significant nutritional challenges, primarily due to the deep-frying process. This method saturates the food with oil, drastically increasing calories and fat content compared to other cooking methods. Understanding these components is crucial for making healthier dietary decisions.

The calorie and fat overload

Deep-frying causes food to absorb a substantial amount of oil, leading to a dramatic increase in calories. For instance, chips can contain over twice the calories of a baked potato due to absorbed oil. Fried chicken is also significantly higher in calories and fat than grilled or baked versions. A single serving can easily exceed half of the daily recommended intake for fat and calories.

The problem with unhealthy fats

Frying often involves unhealthy fats high in omega-6 fatty acids, and repeated heating can create trans fats. These fats negatively impact heart health by increasing LDL ('bad') cholesterol and decreasing HDL ('good') cholesterol, contributing to arterial plaque buildup and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Health consequences of regular consumption

Regularly eating fried chicken and chips is linked to several serious health issues due to their high calorie, fat, and sodium content.

List of health risks:

Cardiovascular Disease: High unhealthy fat intake leads to atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Obesity and Weight Gain: The high calorie density easily leads to consuming excess calories, promoting weight gain and obesity, a risk factor for many other health problems.
Type 2 Diabetes: Frequent consumption of fried foods is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes due to contributions to insulin resistance.
Digestive Issues: Greasy foods can slow digestion, causing bloating and indigestion.
High Blood Pressure: High sodium levels often found in fried foods can lead to high blood pressure.
Inflammation: Fried foods can promote chronic inflammation in the body through compounds like AGEs.
Harmful Compounds: High-temperature frying can produce potential carcinogens like acrylamide in starchy foods.

Healthier alternatives and preparation methods

Enjoying similar tastes and textures to fried chicken and chips is possible with healthier preparation methods and ingredients.

Comparison: Fried vs. Alternative Cooking Methods


Feature	Deep-Fried Chicken & Chips	Air-Fried or Oven-Baked Chicken & Chips
Calories	Very High	Significantly Lower
Total Fat	High, including unhealthy trans fats from reused oil	Much Lower; uses minimal oil
Saturated Fat	High	Lower; depends on chicken and oil choice
Trans Fats	Potential for significant levels, especially in restaurant versions	Minimal to none
Sodium	Often Very High	Controlled; can be adjusted at home
Acrylamide	Potential for higher levels in chips cooked at high temps	Reduced risk
Nutritional Value	Lowered due to nutrient destruction during frying	Better preserved nutrients

Healthier cooking methods

Air Frying: Uses hot air circulation for crispiness with much less oil.
Oven Frying/Baking: Baking at high temperatures can crisp food with minimal oil.
Grilling: Avoids extra oil and adds flavor.

Better dietary swaps

For Chicken: Choose baked, grilled, or air-fried breast, removing skin to reduce fat.
For Chips: Opt for oven-baked potato or sweet potato wedges, or other root vegetables.
For the Meal: Add a side salad or steamed vegetables for increased nutrient intake.

Conclusion

Regular consumption of fried chicken and chips is linked to significant health risks, including heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The frying process adds unhealthy fats, calories, and sodium, and can create harmful compounds. Healthier cooking methods like air-frying or baking and making ingredient swaps allow for a more nutritious version of this meal without long-term health compromises. While moderation is important, prioritizing non-fried options is key for a truly healthy lifestyle.

More information on the dangers of consuming excessive fat and salt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Deep-frying involves submerging food in hot oil, which is absorbed by the food. Since fat has more than twice the calories per gram compared to carbohydrates and protein, this absorption significantly increases the overall caloric content of the meal.

Fried foods often contain high levels of saturated fats from cooking oils and can develop trans fats, particularly when oil is reused multiple times. Trans fats are especially harmful, as they raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol.

Yes, it can. The high sodium content from salts and seasonings in many fried dishes can contribute to high blood pressure. A diet rich in fried food is also linked to an increased risk of hypertension.

Yes. When starchy foods like potatoes are fried at high temperatures, a chemical called acrylamide can form, which is considered a potential carcinogen. Reheating oil can also produce other harmful compounds.

Opt for baked, grilled, or air-fried chicken and homemade potato wedges or sweet potato fries cooked in the oven or air fryer. These methods use significantly less oil and result in a healthier meal.

While an occasional indulgence is unlikely to cause significant harm, regular, habitual consumption poses a definite health risk. Health experts recommend treating deep-fried food as a rare treat.

The high calorie and fat content in fried foods promote weight gain and can lead to insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells don't respond effectively to insulin. This can lead to high blood sugar and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.