3-Ingredient Air Fryer Zucchini Chips Recipe

Air fryers have given us the unique ability to fry and reheat foods to crispy perfection without the need to install any large, expensive appliances, giving even the smallest apartments the option to have restaurant-quality food right at home. Even pizzas can be properly baked in an air fryer thanks to the convection-style hot air circulation. Best of all, it's all done with little to no oil, meaning that everything is just a little bit lighter. Beyond the fries, nuggets, pizza, and wings, though, you can even transform humble vegetables into something special.

Zucchini is a versatile vegetable that's great for roasting, frying, boiling, and sauteing. When coated in breadcrumbs and cheese, zucchini slices become bite-sized snacks full of vitamins and minerals without compromising any flavor. Way better than french fries or potato chips, these zucchini chips offer a fun, healthy solution to dinnertime sides. This 3-ingredient air fryer zucchini chip recipe, written with developer Michelle McGlinn, is an easy way to make zucchini chips fast, and with only a few ingredients — meaning you can have the healthy, delicious side dish or snack at any time.

These zucchini chips are made with just three ingredients, starting with zucchini. Select a medium-sized zucchini, which will slice into bite-sized pieces. Have some oil, salt, and pepper handy, then grab grated Parmesan and Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs. Plain breadcrumbs also work here, but will add less flavor to the chips.

If your air fryer needs to be preheated, preheat it to 400 F.

Add the sliced zucchini, oil, salt, and pepper to a bowl and toss to coat.

In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

Working in small batches, toss the zucchini into the breadcrumb mixture and press it into the zucchini to adhere.

Arrange the slices flat in the air fryer tray or basket.

Air fry for 8 minutes, turning halfway through.

Serve warm.

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By first tossing the zucchini in oil, you render the slices sticky enough that the breadcrumbs will adhere without great issue. If you notice the breadcrumbs are not sticking well, try adding an extra drizzle of oil to the zucchini and pressing the breadcrumbs firmly into the slices. If that still doesn't work, or you'd like a more complete breading on the chips, there is one secret ingredient you can add to make the chips more fully breaded.

To fully adhere the breadcrumb mixture to the zucchini, you can add eggs to the zucchini before breading. To do this, beat 1 to 2 eggs in a small bowl and arrange it next to the breading mixture. Salt and pepper the zucchini, then dunk into the beaten eggs and dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. The breadcrumbs will fully stick to the zucchini, and when fried, will form a browned crust. Add the breaded zucchini to the air fryer and spray with oil (instead of coating in oil to start), then fry as the recipe directs.

Though air fryers provide plenty of easy kitchen hacks, not everybody has the money or counter space to spare for even one smallish appliance. What the air fryer is great for is quickly heating up with circulating heat, which uniquely crisps foods in a way that usually requires a lot of oil to achieve. Because of this, air fryers have become popular for making meals easier and foods lighter. If you don't have one, though, don't worry: You can make zucchini chips many different ways.

The closest comparison to an air fryer is the oven, which can be used similarly to make zucchini chips. Though it takes longer to preheat and crisp foods, the heat will eventually provide the same result. Simply preheat the oven to 425 F and prepare the zucchini as directed. Add the prepped zucchini slices to a parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until browned and crispy. For a faster option, you can also lightly fry the zucchini chips in a skillet, using a small amount of oil to crisp the pieces to a golden brown.

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