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Chicken Zucchini Poppers

         Prep Time: 20 mins

        Cook Time: 20 mins

        Total Time: 35 mins

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Chicken Zucchini Poppers serve as something light or a great addition to your meals. You can have them with some sweet potatoes or fruits or salad on the side.

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Even if you're not a fan of Zucchini, you should still try this recipe. Once grated, you don’t really get much of the squash texture, and they keep the meatballs nice and tender and juicy. So if you’re a zucchini hater, don’t hesitate to give these a try!

Recipe

INGREDIENTS

450 g ground chicken breast (raw)

2 cups grated zucchini

(leave peel on and squeeze out some of the liquid with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel)

2–3 green onions, sliced

3–4 Tbsp coriander, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 tsp cumin (optional)

Optional (if pan-frying): avocado oil, for cooking (or coconut oil, or ghee)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a large bowl, mix together chicken, zucchini, green onion, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin (if using). Mixture will be quite wet. Scoop meatballs with a small scoop or heaped tablespoon and gently smooth with your hands. I can usually get around 20-24 poppers. You may be able to get more or less, depending on how large you size them.

  • To cook on the stovetop:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Cook 4-5 at a time for about 5-6 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown and the centers are cooked through.

  • To bake:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a bit of olive or avocado oil onto a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. If desired, place under the broiler for an additional 2-3 minutes or until browned on top.

  • Serve with guacamole, salsa, or your favorite dip.

Tips, Tricks and Notes

  • DON’T SKIP THIS STEP! Squeezing the liquid out of your zucchini is *really* important here. Why? Well, zucchini has a lot of moisture (which is one of the reasons these poppers are so great), but if you don’t squeeze out some of that liquid, your meatballs/poppers will have a harder time sticking together and if you pan-fry them, you run the risk of them scorching and falling apart.

  • PAN-FRYING VS. BAKING. My favourite way to make these is to pan-fry them. I’m not using a ton of oil here–just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. I use my cast-iron skillet for a really nice browning effect and keep the heat on the low end. That will allow the poppers to brown while still allowing enough time for the centers to cook. Baking is really convenient and fast, so I do that plenty as well. Do whichever works for you!

  • CHICKEN: If you can’t find ground chicken breast, you can grind your own. Simply weight out 450 grams chicken breast and pulse it in your food processor to “grind” until no large pieces remain. You can also easily substitute ground chicken thighs, ground turkey, etc. Use what you like and what you can find!

  • ZUCCHINI: Don’t be tempted to skip drying out your zucchini a bit with a paper/kitchen towel. Zucchini has a lot of moisture, and if you don’t squeeze it out beforehand, your meatballs may stick more to the pan if you’re pan-frying and have a bit more trouble holding together during baking.

Nutrition Facts

Serves 4 | Serving Size: 5-6 poppers (1/4 recipe) | Calories Per Serving: 203

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% DAILY VALUE
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  1. 13%Total Fat 10.1g

  2. 28%Cholesterol 82.7mg

  3. 28%Sodium 635mg

  4. 0%Total Carbohydrate 1.3g

  5. 1%Dietary Fiber 0.4g

  6. Sugars 0.3g

  7. 52%Protein 25.9g

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