I tend to always have zucchini in my fridge. I never write grocery lists (it would be wiser if I did, I usually come home with only baking ingredients and veggies) but zucchini is something I always buy without thinking.
Typically I grill or roast it and though Kyle and I usually eat different dinners, we both like zucchini as a side dish.
But I wanted to do something a little different this time. I had seen zucchini chips before. You bake the zucchini slices with a bread crumb and Parmesan cheese crust… how could that be bad? And right now I do have a big chunk of Parmesan cheese I am trying to use, given to us at Christmas by Kyle’s sister who lives in Italy!.
These zucchini chips are best served warm, when they are crunchy and smell of Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese.
Baked Zucchini Chips
3 Zucchinis, rinsed
1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Dried Parsley
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
2 Egg Whites
preheat oven to 450 degrees
1. Slice zucchini as thinly and uniform as possible (this is when having a mandolin comes handy).
2. Place on a paper towel for at least 10 minutes to let excess moisture drain. Mix together all the dry ingredients. In a bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy.
3. Place the zucchini in the egg mixture, then coat in the bread crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet and when the baking sheet is full, bake for 5 minutes. Pull out the baking sheet and flip over the zucchini chips. Return to the oven for another 7 minutes.
4. Serve warm with fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional).
This was a great snack that satisfied my salty-crunchy tooth! The chips are low in fat and I didn’t feel guilty eating them! I did the same procedure to a yellow squash and it worked out well. I will say that I prefer them hot, when they have a nice crunch. As they cool they get a bit softer, but that’s okay. Just pop them back in the oven the next day, and they are crispy. I plan on making these again, see… not everything has to be deep fried!
