Description
Chicken Zucchini Poppers are a flavorful and juicy appetizer made with ground chicken, fresh zucchini, and aromatic herbs. Served with a creamy cilantro sauce, these pops are perfect for a light snack or party bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken (at least 7% fat recommended)
- 1-2 medium zucchini squash (about 1½ cups shredded)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons oil for cooking
Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 small garlic clove
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Combine cilantro, garlic clove, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, and distilled white vinegar in a food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to thicken and allow flavors to meld. Alternatively, finely chop cilantro and mix all ingredients by hand, adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare the Zucchini: Grate the zucchini squash using a cheese grater into small pieces. Place on a paper towel, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, and squeeze out the excess moisture. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Mix the Chicken: Add ground chicken, minced garlic, chopped chives, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and a dash of black pepper to the bowl with zucchini. Mix until combined and form the mixture into six 3-inch patties.
- Cook the Poppers: Heat oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken patties for 4 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. If they brown too quickly but are undercooked, finish cooking in a 350°F oven for 2 minutes.
- Serve: Serve warm with the creamy cilantro sauce either as a dipping sauce or spooned over the poppers.
Notes
- If fresh chives are unavailable, substitute with green onion.
- Ground chicken thighs offer more flavor and juiciness than chicken breast but both are suitable; ground chicken with about 7% fat is ideal for taste.
- For a dairy-free, paleo, or Whole30 version of the sauce, omit cottage cheese and increase mayonnaise slightly, reducing vinegar to 1-2 teaspoons to taste; the sauce will be thinner.
- Use egg-free mayonnaise like Aquafaba Mayo to make the sauce egg-free.
- Store poppers in the fridge or freeze for longer storage; thaw before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 patty with sauce
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
