Zucchini Chicken Fritters Recipe
Updated Jun 17, 2026
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This easy fritters recipe just might be your new favorite way to serve zucchini! Cheesy Zucchini Chicken Fritters combine ground chicken, mozzarella, parmesan, and zucchini into golden-brown fritters that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Whip them up for a quick weeknight dinner, and enjoy leftovers for lunch!
Easy Zucchini Chicken Fritters For Busy Weeknights
Every summer, I end up with more zucchini than I know what to do with. After making batches of my air fryer zucchini corn fritters and quinoa zucchini fritters, I turn to these zucchini chicken fritters. They’re easy, family-friendly, and a great way to turn a few simple ingredients into a meal.
I love serving them for a quick weeknight dinner or even as an appetizer, but they’re also perfect for meal prep because the leftovers reheat really well. And, if you need a gluten-free version, swap the flour for almond flour, and you’re good to go.
Recipe Ingrdients
- Zucchini: You’ll need one large zucchini to make one batch of fritters. Grate the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater.
- Chicken: Have ready 1 pound ground chicken.
- Eggs: One whole egg to bring the fritter batter together.
- Flour: You can use all-purpose flour, almond flour , or coconut flour.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese: Shredded mozzarella adds a buttery, cheesy flavor, and the Parmesan contributes loads of salty, umami flavor.
- Green Onions: Thinly slice up two green onions.
- Lemon Juice: A tablespoon of fresh lemon juice adds clean crispness to the fritter mixture.
- Garlic and Onion Powder: You’ll need half a teaspoon of each.
- Paprika: This spice brings depth of flavor and gorgeous color.
- Frying Oil: You’ll need avocado oil or vegetable oil to fry the patties. I don’t recommend using olive oil, as it has a lower heat tolerance. Canola oil is fine to use.
How to Make Cheesy Zucchini Chicken Fritters
- Salt the zucchini and drain. Place the grated zucchini in a colander,and toss it with half a teaspoon of salt. Let the salted zucchini stand for about 10 minutes, and then scoop handfuls of it into a clean paper towel. Wring the zucchini between paper towels until most of the moisture is gone.
- Make the mixture. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, grated zucchini, egg, flour, mozzarella, parmesan, green onions, parsley, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together well to combine.
- Shape the fritters. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan set over medium heat. Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, scoop out a portion of the mixture and transfer it to the pan. Slightly flatten it to make a patty. Repeat until the pan is full, but not crowded. If you like, you can also form them into a patty with your hands, and then add to the pan.
- Fry them. Let the fritters cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until golden brown. When done, remove them from the pan and garnish with onions and parsley.
- Enjoy! Serve the zucchini chicken fritters with your favorite condiments or dip.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Drain the zucchini. Raw zucchini holds a lot of water, so the key to this recipe is drying out the zucchini well before you start frying.
- Test the heated oil. Whenever you fry a pancake, fritter, latke, or what-have-you, it’s important to get the oil hot enough to immediately start cooking the food as soon as it hits the pan. Just take a single strand of zucchini and dip it in the hot oil. It should immediately bubble vigorously. If it doesn’t, wait a minute and try again.
- Squash options: Yellow squash is interchangeable with zucchini. Also, if you don’t want to use chicken, you can substitute ground pork, cooked and crumbled sausage, sautéed onions, or whatever you like!
- Variations: If you’ve never made fritters before, think of them as savory or sweet patties made with fruits or vegetables. In addition to these zucchini chicken fritters, you can also make corn fritters, squash fritters, broccoli fritters, and even sweet apple fritters throughout the year.
Why are my fritters soggy?
Don’t crowd the pan. Fry the fritters in batches, leaving a little space between each one. If the pan is overcrowded, the temperature of the oil drops and the fritters will steam instead of fry, making them softer and less crispy.
Drain them properly. To keep the fritters crispy, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate or a wire rack as they come out of the oil. Avoid stacking them or letting them sit directly on a plate, as they’ll trap steam and absorb excess oil, leaving them soggy instead of golden and crisp.
Serving Suggestions
- Main Course: With a side of garlic bread and my easy oven roasted vegetables, these amazing fritters make a wonderful light dinner or lunch.
- Sandwiches: Place a fritter or two on your favorite sandwich bun, round, or cloud bread with a dollop of mayonnaise.
- With dips and sauces: Chicken fritters make an awesome appetizer or snack, especially with your favorite dip or sauce. Think marinara, honey mustard, ranch, aioli, yogurt, barbecue – the sky’s the limit!
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Zucchini Chicken Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup coconut flour, almond flour, or all purpose flour
- 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, green and white parts
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- sliced green onions, for garnish, optional
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the zucchini. Place the grated zucchini in a colander and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let it stand for 10 minutes; then, wring the zucchini dry with kitchen towels.
- Make the fritters mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the shredded zucchini, egg, flour, mozzarella, parmesan, green onions, parsley, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well until completely combined.
- Cook. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan set over medium heat. Using an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, scoop out the chicken mixture and transfer it to the pan, then slightly flatten to make a patty. You can also form them into a patty with your hands and then add them to the pan. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Add more oil, if needed, and cook the fritters in batches – do not crowd the pan.
- Serve. Remove the cooked fritters from the pan and transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Then garnish them with onions and parsley, and serve with your favorite condiments or dips, such as ketchup, yogurt, mayonnaise, sriracha, or aioli.
Notes
- This recipe serves 4 as a meal, but can serve 6 to 8 if served as an appetizer.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To store, place leftover fritters in a zip-top bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- I like to include a paper towel to help absorb excess moisture.
- To reheat, you can bake the fritters at 350°F, or re-fry them briefly, just until heated through and crispy.
- To freeze, pop them into freezer bags, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing, and mark with the date, and freeze for 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
so so delicious and packed with flavor!!
Thank you so much! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Love your recipes! If air frying any suggestions and time? Thanks.
Thank YOU!! 🙏♥️
To cook them in the air fryer, set your air fryer to 360°F and cook the fritters for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. To help them hold their shape and not fall apart, pop them in the freezer for at least 5 minutes before cooking.
This recipe sounds so great. I can’t wait to try it.
I usually have ground turkey in my freezer. Can I substitute turkey for the chicken? Can these also be baked or air fried, at what temp and for how long?
Hi!
Yes, you can absolutely use ground turkey instead of chicken—it’s a great substitute. For air frying, set your air fryer to 360°F and cook them for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. To help them hold their shape and not fall apart, I recommend placing them in the freezer for at least 5 minutes before cooking.
I haven’t baked them in the oven myself because they do tend to fall apart, but you can give it a try! Just make sure to freeze them for a few minutes before baking, and then bake at 425°F for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let me know how it turns out—I’d love to hear about it. ☺️
How long would you bake these in the oven?
Is the ground chicken cooked before adding it to the shredded zucchini mixture and before cooking?
Hi!
No, it’s not pre-cooked. You want to use raw ground chicken to make the patties, and those will cook in the pan.
Hi Katrina… I bought everything to make the turkey fritters. They were out of ground chicken so I’m doing the chicken breast grouted. I can’t wait to make them and see how they taste. It sounds wonderful the recipe I’m going to make a deal, yogurt dip, and a ranch dressing dip to go with them. Wish me luck. !!!!!!!
Thank you for the recipe.
Thank YOU! I’m sure they’ll turn out amazing. The yogurt dip and ranch dressing will be a perfect pairing. Good luck, and enjoy every bite! I’m so glad you’re giving the recipe a try—hope it’s a big hit! 😊
So easy, delicious and full of protein! I made them gluten-free and used almond flour! They are also great reheated, or even room temperature! Can’t wait to make them again!
How much zucchini is used/recommended per batch/recipe? I let my zucchini get as big as possible and then peel and shred, usually getting 8-12 cups
Had all the ingredients available to make this recipe today. Very tasty. Have frozen the fritters to use at a later date.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂