If you love potato chips and never can figure out what to do the abundance of zucchini in the summer, this recipe is for you! Crispy easy Air Fryer Zucchini Chips are simple to make in 15 minutes! They satisfy that crispy texture craving just like potato chips without all the calories!
This easy fried zucchini chips recipe uses just a few simple ingredients for a healthier alternative to chip cravings. No breading and no deep frying is needed.
We've seasoned with some salt, pepper and garlic powder but they can seasoned in lots of different ways.
Love to dip your chips? Go for it! Try them with our Roasted Tomato Marinara sauce, skinny Tzatziki dipping sauce or skinny Blue Cheese dressing. They are great for a skinny charcuterie board to add a little bit of crunch too. Perfect for a school snack too! With just a few simple steps you can whip up this healthy snack any time.
Try our Air Fryer Apple Chips and Air Fryer Kale Chips too!
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What makes this skinny?
Most air fryer zucchini chips recipes use flour or breading. Though that makes crispy breaded chips using an air fryer instead of deep frying, that still too many calories for our liking. The beauty of an air fryer is being able to get the texture of potato chips without deep frying OR panko breadcrumbs which is what we did.
These skinny Air Fryer Zucchini Chips use olive oil spray and seasonings for crispy crunchy chips. We include a delicious variation of sprinkling with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a special treat too.
Air fryers work like a convection oven. Meaning they circulate hot air around the food to cook it and crisp the outside without large amounts of oil as with deep frying.
This delicious snack is 0 WW Personal Points too!
Recipe Ingredients Notes
Zucchini. Choose one medium zucchini. It should be 2-3 inches in diameter (it will still work if it's smaller you'll just cook it for less time). Choose a zucchini that is dark green, firm and without blemishes (if using a hybrid variety it should still be firm and unblemished).
Olive oil spray. You'll spritz the zucchini slices with the oil spray before cooking.
Seasonings. Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder give these zucchini chips are great flavor.
How to make Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
STEP 1. Prepare the zucchini
Rinse and pat dry the fresh zucchini. Using a mandoline slicer, slice the zucchini into ⅛-inch thick rounds (photo 1). Place on a layer of paper towel with another layer on top and press down to release any excess moisture.
STEP 2. Preheat
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
STEP 3. Season and cook
Place the zucchini slices into a mixing bowl and spritz lightly with olive oil spray (just enough to allow the seasoning to coat; do not over spray). Add the seasonings and toss to coat (photo 2 - note they can be placed on a baking sheet and seasoned as shown here too).
Place slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer with space in between (you'll need to cook in batches) (photo 3). Cook for 8-10 minutes turning the slices over halfway through. They slices should be golden brown and no darker. NOTE: if adding Parmesan cheese sprinkle a little on each chip after flipping them.
STEP 4. Cool
Remove the cooked chips from the air fryer (photo 4) and place on a cooling rack to crisp up and cool (photo 5 - place directly on cooling rack, no parchment paper required).
Variations
Parmesan Zucchini Chips. To add some great flavor sprinkle on some home grated nutty Parmesan cheese on the zucchini chips after you flip them over. The cheese sill melt and also add a crispness along with a pop of flavor.
Change up the seasonings. You can really season these any way you'd season potato chips. Everything bagel seasoning, Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin, a bit of smoked salt.
Expert Tips
Use a mandoline slicer. This allows all slices to be the exact thickness which will let them cook in the same amount of time. It's very difficult to cut slices evenly with a kitchen knife. A mandolin slicer will cut ⅛-inch slices in seconds.
All air fryers cook differently. Each type, brand and size of your air fryer will cook slightly differently. This recipe was developed using a Cosori 5.8 quart Air Fryer which is a larger and more powerful air fryer. Monitor during cooking and adjust as needed to cook properly in your air fryer.
Adjust the time if needed. If you are using a zucchini that is smaller in diameter or slices that are not all the same size, monitor them during cooking and remove from the air fryer before they become too dark or burn.
Be sure to cut ⅛-inch thick slices. Both the thickness of the sliced zucchini and the diameter (along with your air fryer power) determine the cooking time for the air fryer zucchini chips. Thicker slices will both take longer and will not crisp in the same way. And really thin slices will cook too quickly risking burning before they are done.
How to Store
After the chips have cooled on the wire rack and are crisp place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Recipe
Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini 2-3 inches in diameter
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the fresh zucchini. Using a mandoline slicer, slice the zucchini into ⅛-inch thick rounds. Place on a layer of paper towel with another layer on top and press down to release any excess moisture.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Place the zucchini slices into a mixing bowl and spritz lightly with olive oil spray (just enough to allow the seasoning to coat; do not over spray). Add the salt, black pepper and garlic powder and toss to coat. Note: they slices can be placed on a baking sheet and seasoned individually too.
- Place zucchini slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer with space in between (you'll need to cook in batches). Cook for 8-10 minutes turning the slices over halfway through. They slices should be golden brown and no darker. NOTE: if adding Parmesan cheese sprinkle a little on each chip after flipping them.
- Remove the cooked chips from the air fryer using tongs and place on a cooling rack to crisp up and cool.
Tayler says
My garden is overflowing with zucchini, so this recipe is perfect for me! So crispy and amazing!
Qashang says
These chips are the perfect way to satisfy by midnight cravings. And the addition of Parmesan cheese on top is my fave part 😉
Cara says
Totally delicious - also air fryer is the way to go. Turned out so much better than the ones I used to make in my oven!
MJ says
This is my new favorite way to use up all of our summer zucchini! So crispy!
Geoff T says
Seriously- best snack ever!! I’m making more tonight!
Dana says
Finally got to make veggie chips in my air fryer and they did not disappoint! So good. Definitely going to make these again. Such a great way to get your greens.