Description
Delicious and healthy Chicken Zucchini Poppers featuring ground chicken mixed with fresh shredded zucchini and flavorful herbs, served with a creamy cilantro dipping sauce. These patties are pan-fried to golden perfection and make a perfect appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Zucchini Poppers
- 1 pound ground chicken (at least 7% fat recommended)
- 1-2 medium zucchini squash (about 1½ cups shredded)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons oil for cooking
Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Make the Cilantro Sauce: Combine cilantro, garlic clove, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, and distilled white vinegar in a food processor and blend until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to thicken and allow the flavors to meld. Alternatively, finely chop the cilantro and mix all ingredients by hand. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare the Zucchini: Grate the zucchini using a cheese grater into small pieces. Place the shredded zucchini on a paper towel, sprinkle with a small pinch of kosher salt, and squeeze to remove excess moisture to prevent sogginess.
- Mix the Patties: In a large bowl, combine the drained zucchini, ground chicken, minced garlic, chopped chives, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Form Patties: Shape the mixture into 3-inch patties, making a total of 6 patties.
- Cook Patties: Heat oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken patties for 4 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. If the patties brown too quickly but are not fully cooked, transfer them to a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 2 minutes to finish cooking.
- Serve: Serve the chicken zucchini poppers warm with the creamy cilantro sauce for dipping or spoon a little sauce on top of each patty.
Notes
- If fresh chives aren’t available, substitute with chopped green onions.
- Ground chicken thighs are preferred for juiciness and flavor, but chicken breast with some fat (around 7%) works well too.
- For a dairy-free, paleo, or Whole30 version of the sauce, omit the cottage cheese and replace it with mayonnaise; reduce vinegar to 1-2 teaspoons to taste.
- To make egg-free mayonnaise, refer to recipes such as Aquafaba Mayo.
- Store cooked poppers in the refrigerator or freeze for longer storage; defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 patty with sauce
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
