How to Make Zucchini Chips in the Air Fryer
Use that bumper crop for crispy air fryer chips, without any breading.
Renee Comet
Zucchini chips are a great way to use that bumper crop of summer veg, and have a nice alternative to potato chips for game-day dips or after-school snacks. They're easy to pop in the oven, but if you prefer to break out the air fryer, we set out to find the best method for air-fried zucchini chips, using no breading.
We tried several variations of a classic unbreaded zucchini chip preparation, including patting dry the chips, versus not drying them. We also tried tossing them with oil, spraying them with oil, and frying them without any oil. The best version was tossed with a small amount of salt — more than 1/4 teaspoon makes the chips overly salty — then a teaspoon of olive oil. For the crispiest chips, cut the coins into 1/8-inch rounds and do NOT overload the fryer basket — you can only fry them in one layer, or you'll end up with mushy chips.
We also played with the air fryer temperature. 325 degrees F was too low, and didn’t crisp the zucchini into chips. At 375 degrees F, the chips quickly burned. So, we settled on 350 degrees F, which yielded nicely crisped chips. We combined all of the techniques, and ended up with a delicious snack, but if you're making zucchini chips for more than one or two people, the limited yield of the air fryer isn't ideal, so you'd be better off cooking them in your oven instead.
How to Make Zucchini Chips in the Air Fryer
- Heat the air fryer. Set the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Cut the chips. Cut one small zucchini (about 7 oz) into 1/8-inch thick rounds using a Japanese mandolin.
- Use salt to draw out moisture. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Allow the zucchini to sit for 5 minutes for the salt to draw out moisture.
- Dry and toss with olive oil. Pat dry the zucchini rounds, then toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
- Air fry in a single layer. Place the zucchini rounds in the air fryer in a single layer and cook, tossing halfway through, until crispy, about 10 minutes.
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