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Air Fryer Zucchini Chips {Freezer Friendly!}

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Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

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A guilt-free snack made with my favorite summer garden vegetable: ZUCCHINI! These delightful little zucchini chips are breaded with cornstarch, egg, seasoned Panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and cooked until golden brown and delicious in the air fryer!

No hot oil or pan-frying needed!

The best part about this recipe is that you can make a large batch of these chips and freeze them for later.

How to make zucchini chips in the Air Fryer

Makes 20-24 Chips

How To Make Air Fryer Zucchini

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized zucchini 7-8″
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1/2 cup of cornstarch
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups of seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese (not the stuff in the plastic jar)

Instructions

To prep the zucchini, trim off the ends and slice into 1/4″ slices.

Add the zucchini slices to a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt.

In a single layer, lay the salted zucchini on a cooling rack and set over a sheet pan. Allow the slices to drain for 30 minutes.

While the zucchini drains, make the breading station.

Place the cornstarch into a large Ziploc bag and set it aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until well mixed. Set that mixture aside as well.

In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine the Panko breadcrumbs and the olive oil. Toss until the crumbs are well coated.

Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese to the Panko. Mix until well combined.

After the zucchini has drained, place the zucchini on a double layer of paper towels and add another double layer of paper towels to the top of the zucchini slices. Press out as much remaining water as possible and pat the zucchini chips dry.

Pat Zucchini Dry Before Breading

Add the zucchini chips to the cornstarch and toss until well coated.

Next, working in batches, dip the zucchini slices into the egg wash and coat completely. Then move them to the Panko breadcrumb mixture.

Make sure to sprinkle and press the breadcrumbs onto the zucchini slices until well coated. Don’t worry if some of the outer green edges still show through the breading, just ensure the middle of the zucchini is well breaded.

Set the finished zucchini chips aside while you repeat the above process and all the sliced zucchini is breaded.

Final breaded zucchini

Air Frying The Zucchini:

Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 390º and spray the tops of your zucchini chips with olive oil cooking spray.

To air fry the zucchini chips, spray the basket of the air fryer with olive oil cooking spray and add the zucchini in a single layer. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

Place Zucchini in a single layer in the air fryer

Air Fry for 6-8 minutes until the zucchini chips are well browned and crispy. You may need to flip the zucchini in the last two minutes of cooking.

Once all the zucchini chips are “fried”, serve immediately with your favorite marinara or ranch dressing.

WHAT IS AIR FRYING?

Air frying is not really “frying”, but rather it’s a fast and efficient way of baking using convection cooking.

Basically, the air fryer uses hot air to mimic the way hot oil would cook food if you were deep-frying. The air fryer uses a fan to circulate the heat from the heating element, which cooks the food on all sides, top to bottom.

If you want even more info about air fryers, I found a great article from Good Housekeeping that goes into a little more depth about air frying. The article provides some really helpful tips too!

Do I need to peel the zucchini for this recipe?

Nope!

The skin is very thin and cooks right along with the middle of the zucchini. It will not be detectable with the breading.

Ways to serve these Zucchini Chips

Served Zucchini Chips

The best way to eat these zucchini chips is straight out of the air fryer with some marinara sauce and an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese. They make a great party appetizer or crispy side dish at dinner time.

Here are some other super easy (and totally delicious) serving suggestions to consider:

  • You can use these air fryer zucchini chips in any recipe that calls for fried eggplant.
  • Top your zucchini with sauce and cheese and serve with pasta for easy air fryer zucchini parmesan
  • You can toss your air fried zucchini (gently) in buffalo sauce for a meatless version buffalo nuggets.
  • Change up the breading by adding taco seasoning or ranch seasoning for extra flavor.
  • Add zucchini chips to a salad for extra crunch and an extra dose of veggies!

Can I Freeze These Zucchini chips?

How to make breaded zucchini in the air fryer

Yes!

If you have a bushel of zucchini growing in your garden, then freezing a batch or two of these zucchini chips are a great way of preserving the summer harvest!

All you need to do is follow the prepping, draining, and breading instructions above. However, instead of popping the breaded zucchini chips in the air fryer, you’re going to put them in the freezer instead.

I like to lay the breaded zucchini chips out on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet while they freeze. You can line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set them on that too.

Once your zucchini chips have frozen completely (takes a few hours), move them to a freezer-safe bag and store them until you’re ready to air fry!

When you’re ready to cook the zucchini chips in the air fryer, preheat the fryer for 5 minutes at 390º, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, and add the chips! Give the zucchini a little spritz of the cooking spray too before frying.

You don’t need to thaw the chips first, and they take cook about 7 or 8 minutes at 390º to get golden brown and crispy. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Zucchini Chips in the air fryer

  • Don’t skip the draining process for the zucchini. By pressing and salting out the excess moisture, this allows the breading to stick to the zucchini and doesn’t give you soggy chips!
  • Use olive oil and finely grated cheese in the breading. This not only adds great flavor, but it helps to brown the crust really well.
  • Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for your breading. Don’t use the stuff in the jar with the green lid. You need the cheese to melt and brown, which not only adds flavor, but helps the breading stick to the zucchini.
  • Make sure to add the zucchini in a single layer in the air fryer. This will allow proper air circulation around each chip, ensuring a nice crispy coating.
  • Choose a zucchini that’s not overgrown. Since we’re not removing the seeds for this recipe, a large zucchini would be too watery and too bitter. Stick with the little guys for this recipe.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Air Fryer Nachos

Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

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Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips {Freezer Friendly!}

Yield: 20-24
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes

Crispy, golden brown and delicious breaded zucchini chips in the air fryer! It's a tasty guilt free snack, perfect as an appetizer or side dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized zucchini (about 7-8")
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1/2 cup of cornstarch
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups of seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese (not the stuff in the plastic jar)

Instructions

  1. To prep the zucchini, trim off the ends and slice into 1/4" slices.
  2. Add the zucchini slices to a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt.
  3. In a single layer, lay the salted zucchini on a cooling rack and set over a sheet pan. Allow the slices to drain for 30 minutes.
  4. While the zucchini drains, place the cornstarch into a large Ziploc bag and set it aside. 
  5. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until well mixed. Set that mixture aside as well.
  6. In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine the Panko breadcrumbs and the olive oil. Toss until the crumbs are well coated.
  7. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese to the Panko. Mix until well combined.
  8. After the zucchini has drained, place the zucchini on a double layer of paper towels and add another double layer of paper towels to the top of the zucchini slices. Press out as much remaining water as possible and pat the zucchini chips dry.
  9. Add the zucchini chips to the cornstarch and toss until well coated. 
  10. Next, working in batches, dip the zucchini slices into the egg wash and coat completely. Then move them to the Panko breadcrumb mixture.
  11. Make sure to sprinkle and press the breadcrumbs onto the zucchini slices until well coated. Don't worry if some of the outer green edges still show through the breading, just ensure the middle of the zucchini is well breaded.
  12. Repeat the above process until all the sliced zucchini is breaded. 

Air Frying The Zucchini:

  1. Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 390º and spray the tops of your zucchini chips with olive oil cooking spray.
  2. Spray the basket of the air fryer with olive oil cooking spray and add the zucchini in a single layer. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
  3. Air Fry for 6-8 minutes until the zucchini chips are well browned and crispy. You may need to flip the zucchini in the last two minutes of cooking.
  4. Once all the zucchini chips are "fried", serve immediately with your favorite marinara or ranch dressing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 245mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

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2 Comments

  1. I think you just convinced me to get an air fryer! My husband has been hinting for months but I didn’t get it. But looking at how crispy and yummy your recipe looks – I think I need one 🙂

  2. I found this recipe good, but it took adjustments in quantities. There seems to be a disconnect among quantities – 3 eggs and 2 cups of Panko for one medium zucchini seemed overkill. I adjusted those quantities down. (Panko was much closer than eggs.) Also, the nutrition information was a mismatch. 20-24 chips with the ingredient quantities listed is more than 80 calories and 1 serving. If the “1” for serving size meant 1 slice, then 80 calories is way too many. I would recommend this recipe, but only after a review and clarification of quantities and servings.

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