The chicken and zucchini sticks are a light, healthy, and tasty idea perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. A new chicken recipe you absolutely need to try! Because chicken can be prepared in so many ways: baked or in a pan, sliced and cooked with lemon or mushrooms, make scallops, roll the chicken slices to prepare delicious roll-ups, blend it to make meatballs and meatloaves. But today we propose a super quick way to use chicken breast. You’ll only need 4 main ingredients and an air fryer or the oven. They are breadcrumb-free and flour-free, so naturally gluten-free, with very low fat because we only use oil to brush the sticks, and they are really delicious, soft, and aromatic.
The preparation is very simple: combine the already cooked chicken with grated zucchini, an egg, and onion in a mixer, and add the spices and herbs you prefer. Blend to obtain a compact and homogeneous mixture. With the help of a spoon, take a portion of the mixture and shape the sticks with your hands, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook them in the air fryer for 12 minutes at 390°F and serve them with a sauce made from yogurt, mustard, and oil.
They are perfect as a dinner saver or for a quick lunch, and they can also be an original idea for an appetizer or a buffet. You just have to try them!
Also discover:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients to prepare Chicken and Zucchini Sticks
- 14 oz chicken breast (already cooked)
- 2 zucchini
- 1 egg
- 1/2 red onion
- spices (such as turmeric, paprika, etc.)
- aromatic herbs
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 3 tbsps Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp mustard
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools to prepare Chicken and Zucchini Sticks
- Mixer
- 1 Air Fryer
Steps to prepare Chicken and Zucchini Sticks
To prepare the chicken and zucchini sticks, first clean the zucchinis and grate them.
Place them in a cloth and squeeze them to remove most of their water.
In the mixer, combine the already cooked chicken breast cut into pieces with the grated zucchini, an egg, sliced red onion, aromatic herbs like oregano, and spices like paprika or curry. Season with salt and pepper.
Blend until a homogeneous and compact mixture is obtained.
Use a spoon to take a portion of the mixture and shape it into elongated sticks with your hands. As they are ready, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or directly in the air fryer basket.
Brush them with olive oil and cook them in the air fryer at 390°F for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce to accompany these sticks by mixing yogurt with mustard and olive oil in a bowl.
Serve the chicken and zucchini sticks with the prepared sauce.
Simo and Cicci’s Advice
You can store these sticks as well as the sauce in the fridge for a couple of days. You can also freeze them.
It’s important to squeeze the zucchini well so that the mixture binds perfectly without having to use breadcrumbs or flour. If the mixture is not compact enough, add a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs to achieve the right consistency.
You can add grated cheeses like Parmesan, Grana, or Pecorino to the mixture.
You can also prepare these sticks using already cooked turkey breast.
For oven cooking, extend the time by another 10 minutes.
You can use leftover chicken or alternatively, you can cook the chicken by boiling or grilling it.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What can I substitute for zucchini?
You can substitute zucchini with grated carrots or grated pumpkin.
Can I skip using the egg?
To skip using the egg, it’s preferable to use raw chicken breast and blend it. However, in this case, you will need to extend the cooking time.
What other sauces can I use to accompany these sticks?
Certainly, the tzatziki sauce is suitable, or you can also use mayonnaise or ketchup.
