Making these zucchini chips in the air fryer gives you that crispy coating without the mess and calories of frying. And by making them in an air fryer they are ready in less than 30 minutes, giving you the ultimate weekday side dish!
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Have you gotten an air fryer yet? If not, I'd highly recommend it. You don't need to invest in a really expensive one as there are many options out there. I've used the Phillips Air Fryer, which is definitely nice if you have a large family or are going to use it at least once a week but if you only want to use it occasionally, check out the link at the end of the post for the Dash model that I use.
By using an air fryer you can easily make these zucchini chips as a side for any weeknight meal. These make a great way to use up summer zucchini from your garden or the farmer's market!
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe uses a few simple ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- Fresh zucchini: Ideally it would come from your garden if you happen to be growing it but if not, try to pick medium-sized zucchini so they cook through.
- Panko bread crumbs: These are the best option when breading just about anything.
- Parmesan cheese: I like to use freshly grated for this recipe.
- Egg whites: When breading anything I typically prefer to use liquid egg whites, as they are easier to measure out and slightly thinner than actual egg whites.
- Spices: garlic salt
- Pantry staples: All-purpose flour, olive oil
Making air fryer zucchini chips
Deep-fried zucchini chips are fantastic! But, as with all things fried, they aren't very healthy. Enter the air fryer to help solve that problem.
The beauty of an air fryer is that most recipes only require a few simple steps. Generally some breading or coating, and then pop it in the air fryer and cook.
Slice the zucchini: Though you don't need to use a mandoline for this, do try to keep the slices uniform in thickness so they cook at about the same rate. For this recipe, they should be about ¼ to ½ inches thick.
Bread the zucchini: Start by dipping the zucchini in flour, then egg white, then the bread crumb mixture. Be sure to coat well with breadcrumbs so you end up with a nice crisp outside when they are done cooking.
Add to the air fryer in batches: How many batches you need will depend on the size of your air fryer but plan on time for at least 2-3, maybe more if you are using a small air fryer.
Make the dipping sauce: While the zucchini is in the air fryer, the last step is to make the dipping sauce. You can sub a different sauce if you prefer, or go without sauce, but this happens to be a slight variation on my favorite veggie dipping sauce so I highly recommend giving it a try!
Meal prep tip: You can make the dipping sauce a day or two ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions
Zucchini chips make a great side dish for just about any main course. They also make a great snack or appetizer.
For the main meal, I'd pair them with this Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Burger, these Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp or these Open-Faced Grilled Steak Sandwiches.
More side dishes
If you are looking for some other interesting side dishes, try these Roasted Carrots with Ricotta and Honey or this Tuscan White Bean Salad.
things you might want for this recipe
Dash Air Fryer - I like this compact air fryer because it doesn't take up a lot of pantry space yet still lets give you enough room to air fry two servings of most dishes. The basket is really non-stick so clean up is very easy.
Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Ingredients
For the zucchini chips:
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup egg whites
- 2 cups sliced zucchini
For the dipping sauce:
- ¼ cup creme fraiche
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Make the breading. Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan, olive oil and garlic salt in a shallow bowl.
- Bread the zucchini. Start by dipping a slice of zucchini in flour. Shake off any excess, then dip in egg white, and then the bread crumb mixture. Be sure to coat well with breadcrumbs so you end up with a nice crisp outside when they are done cooking. Repeat until all the zucchini rounds are coated.
- Air fry in batches. Add the breaded zucchini to the air fryer in a single layer. Cook at 400°F for 7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove zucchini chips from the air fryer and repeat until all of the rounds are cooked.
- Make the dipping sauce. Mix the creme fraiche, honey, pepper and cumin in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- I generally air fry the first batch of zucchini before I start breading the second batch.
- You can bread them all at once and place them on a wire rack until you are ready to cook them.
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