Crispy Oven Fried Zucchini Chips

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You’ll love how easy these Crispy Oven Fried Zucchini Chips are to make. Thinly sliced zucchini chips are lightly breaded with Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs and baked to golden brown perfection!

Oven fried zucchini chips on a tray with a bowl of marinara.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you these baked zucchini chips are identical to the fried version (who would I be fooling?!). We all know baked versions are always a bit different than when they’re fried.

But! What I can say is that these oven fried zucchini chips are light and crispy and absolutely delicious without the mess of deep-frying. They’re also a healthier alternative thanks to minimal oil.

Trust me, you will love these!

What You’ll Love!

The panko bread crumb mixture provides plenty of flavor and crispiness without having to deep fry
They make a great side dish or appetizer
You can even make them ahead of time and freeze them. Make a big batch and always have them on hand!

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Zucchini – Summer zucchini is perfect for breading. Both green and yellow zucchini will work. You could also use yellow squash for this recipe.

Panko Bread Crumbs – Because we are baking these instead of frying them, the bread crumbs need to be larger and lighter in texture to achieve that ultimate crispiness. Panko bread crumbs are perfect for this.

Parmesan – I suggest using freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano. For the best flavor, avoid the powdered parmesan in a can. It’s so worth grating it yourself.

All-Purpose Flour – Coating the zucchini in flour first gives the eggs something to hold onto which makes it easier for the panko mixture to stick.

Basil, Oregano, Garlic Powder, Salt, and Pepper – This is the seasoning blend. Feel free to switch up the herbs and spices you use to change the flavor based on your likes. If you like a little spice, I suggest adding 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne to the flour.

Step By Step Instructions

Note: Full list of ingredients, their amounts, and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil. Then, place a wire rack inside each one and lightly coat them with oil.

Step 2:

Four part grid showing the flour, egg wash, and seasoned panko bread crumbs for breading zucchini chips.

In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour and salt.

Then, in a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs.

Finally, in a third shallow bowl, mix the panko crumbs, freshly grated parmesan cheese, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Step 3:

Four part grid showing zucchini chips being coated in flour, then egg, then seasoned panko breading.

First, coat the zucchini slices in the flour and tap to remove any excess.

Then, place them in the egg mixture and coat well. Shake off excess egg.

Finally, coat them with the panko breading mixture. Be sure to press the bread crumbs onto the zucchini to help it stick.

Step 4:

Breaded zucchini chips on a rack inside of a baking sheet.

Place the zucchini chips in a single layer on the wire rack-lined baking sheets. Lightly drizzle with the olive oil.

Step 5:

Bake for 12 minutes then flip them over. Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Top with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. Marinara, ranch dressing, and garlic aioli are all great options!

A hand dipping an oven fried zucchini chip into a bowl of marinara.

Tips & Tricks

Cut the zucchini fairly thin, about 1/8 of an inch thick. This will keep them from making the breading soggy as they release their juices
- You may find that a mandoline is helpful for getting thin even slices. Otherwise, a sharp chef’s knife will do the trick
Make sure that the oven is fully heated before putting the zucchini in. A hot oven is the key to getting a great crunch
Try dipping the zucchini chips in this Sriracha Aioli

Storage & Reheating

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the zucchini on a rack inside a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until warmed through.

You could also reheat these in an air fryer by preheating the air fryer to 390 degrees then placing the zucchini in an even layer in the basket and cooking for 3 to 5 minutes.

Freezing Instructions

After breading the zucchini and placing them in an even layer on baking racks, place the baking sheets in the freezer. Once the zucchini has frozen, about 2 hours, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag.

When you’re ready to eat them, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Once the oven is preheated, lay the still frozen zucchini chips out onto a wire rack on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, flip and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

These can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Oven fried zucchini chips on a platter with a cup of marinara sauce.

Recipe FAQs

Can I cut the zucchini into other shapes?

Sure! You could cut them into zucchini sticks or into long planks. Any shape you like really.

Should I salt the zucchini before breading them to pull the water out?

You can. I know some recipes suggest doing that to keep the breading from getting soggy but I haven’t experienced soggy breading when not doing it so to me it’s just an added step.

But it certainly won’t hurt to do that. Just salt the sliced zucchini and place them on paper towels or a lint-free towel to absorb the moisture for about 10 minutes before breading them.

Can I make these ahead of time?

If you want to make them in advance, I suggest freezing them. Then just bake from frozen following the instructions.

If you bread the zucchini and then try to keep them in the fridge, the salt will start to pull the water out of the zucchini and may make the breading soggy.