Crispy Chicken and Zucchini in Air Fryer with Avocado Sauce: easy, quick, and perfect for summer.
Here’s how it came to be.
After a scorching hot day, I thought of making a simple toast for dinner. But my daughter intervened: just back from her summer session, she had invited some old friends over and prepared my much-desired toast for lunch.
At 6:30 PM, a surprise: they’re staying for dinner too! I opened the fridge and found my salvation: fresh zucchini, chicken, cherry tomatoes, a ripe avocado, and a jar of Greek yogurt.
Turning on the oven or stove? Impossible with that heat. So I chose the air fryer: perfect for making chicken and zucchini golden and crispy without excess oil and without constant monitoring.
I sliced the zucchini thinly with the mandolin to make them extra crispy, cooked the chicken, added the cherry tomatoes, and completed the dish with a creamy and fresh avocado sauce, made by blending half an avocado with Greek yogurt.
The result? A healthy, light, flavorful dish, ready in minutes. So much so that my daughter has already asked me to make it again. I’m sure it will also become your go-to quick, light, and irresistible dinner recipe.
Let’s get to it and prepare this recipe for crispy chicken and zucchini in the air fryer with avocado sauce. Oh, so good!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stove, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 352.21 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 19.86 (g) of which sugars 13.18 (g)
- Proteins 32.64 (g)
- Fat 17.51 (g) of which saturated 1.35 (g)of which unsaturated 6.11 (g)
- Fibers 6.46 (g)
- Sodium 388.89 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 485 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients: Crispy Chicken and Zucchini in Air Fryer with Avocado Sauce. Calories per serving 306
- 21.2 oz zucchini (4 medium zucchini)
- 1.1 lbs skinless chicken thighs, raw (cut into pieces)
- 1.1 lbs cherry tomatoes (sweet and ripe)
- 1 avocado (half diced, half for the sauce)
- 4.2 oz 0% fat Greek yogurt (for the creamy avocado sauce)
- to taste herbs (a sprinkle on the chicken)
- to taste salt (reduced sodium)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 0.34 oz lemon juice (or lemon – a tablespoon)
Useful tools for preparing crispy chicken and zucchini in air fryer with avocado sauce
To make this recipe quickly and easily, I recommend having at your disposal:
- 1 Air Fryer Haier Serie 5, 9 in 1
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Hand Blender
- 1 Small Bowl
- 2 Containers
- 2 Skewers
- 1 Mandolin
Steps: step-by-step procedure
Crispy Chicken and Zucchini in Air Fryer with Avocado Sauce: easy, quick, and light.
Wash the zucchini, dry them, and cut them into thin slices lengthwise (about 3-4 mm). For a crispy texture, just insert them onto two skewers so they remain spaced out and cook evenly. Add just a drizzle of oil.
Place the zucchini slices in the air fryer basket. I put them in a container to avoid dirtying the fryer.
Cook at 375°F for about 15 minutes, flipping them halfway, until they become golden and crispy.
Cut the chicken breast into uniform pieces, season with herbs.
Place in a container and cook in the air fryer at 375°F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway until they are well browned.
Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the cooked chicken and zucchini, mixing gently.
In a container, blend half an avocado with Greek yogurt using a hand blender until you get a smooth and velvety cream. If you like, add a bit of lemon and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
I then prepared and placed directly into bowls the cherry tomatoes, a few slices of avocado, zucchini, and chicken. Add the fresh avocado sauce in a small bowl as a dip.
Crispy Chicken and Zucchini in Air Fryer with Avocado Sauce: nutritional values.
The dinner-saving recipe, perfect for summer, definitely worth trying!
Advice
💡 Tip: For a more curated presentation, use a large plate and arrange chicken, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes in a circle, with the avocado sauce in the center as a dip.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I cook chicken and zucchini in a pan?
Yes. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan, cook the chicken pieces for 7-8 minutes on medium-high heat until golden, then add the zucchini slices and cook for another 5-6 minutes, stirring often. This way you’ll still get a tasty dish, although less crispy than with an air fryer.
Can I make this recipe without an air fryer?
Yes. You can cook chicken and zucchini in a static oven at 390°F for about 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway. The result will be slightly crispy, although the air fryer ensures a more uniform and faster cooking.
How can I make the avocado sauce even tastier?
You can enrich it with a pinch of garlic powder or fresh cilantro leaves for an exotic and aromatic touch.
Can I prepare chicken and zucchini in advance?
Yes, but the advice is to cook them shortly before serving to keep them crispy. However, you can chop the ingredients in advance and store them in the fridge, so the preparation will be very quick.
Is it possible to make a vegetarian version of this recipe?
Absolutely yes. You can replace the chicken with tofu, tempeh, or legumes like chickpeas or white beans.
Is this recipe nutritionally balanced?
Yes, combining lean proteins, fiber-rich vegetables, and healthy fats, making it a healthy and light dish. For a complete and balanced meal, you can pair it with a source of complex carbohydrates like whole grain bread, rice, or quinoa.
