Chicken Zucchini Poppers (Paleo & Whole30 Approved!)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy
Chicken Zucchini Poppers – My MOST POPULAR RECIPE EVER! These chicken zucchini meatballs are squeaky clean, but not short on flavor! Gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole30 friendly!
Have you heard of Whole30? I first heard about it a few years ago when the book It Starts With Food came out. In essence, Whole30 is a chance to reset your body by eating squeaky clean for 30 days, giving you a chance to see if you have any latent food sensitivities, break any unhealthy patterns you may have, clear up any food-related inflammation and start fresh.
Well, it’s making a comeback. Several great bloggers are in the middle of theirs, so I’ve seen a huge resurgence of healthy recipes floating about the web. We aren’t on a Whole30, but we eat pretty darn clean most of the time. I’ve loved the huge variety of inspiration out there lately! These Chicken Zucchini Poppers are delicious, and while they may be squeaky clean, they don’t skimp on flavor.
First off: Michael H-A-T-E-S zucchini. Hates the texture, doesn’t like the flavor. BUT he loves these. Really loves them. Enough that he always asks when we can make them again. If you’re a zucchini hater, you should still give these a try! Grated, you don’t really get much of the squash texture, and they keep the meatballs nice and tender and juicy. So if you’re a zucchini hater, don’t hesitate to give these a try!
We LOVE them. They’d make great game-day food for something lighter or a great addition to a buffet table. We love them for dinner with some veggies and a little dish of guacamole or Citrus Avocado Sauce for dipping and some sweet potatoes or salad and fruit on the side. Not a guacamole fan? No problem. They’d be great with salsa or paleo ranch. If you’re not gluten free, they’d be awesome in a pita. (p.s. anyone have a good GF pita recipe?
The Best Dipping Sauces For Chicken Zucchini Poppers:
TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST CHICKEN ZUCCHINI POPPERS:
DON’T SKIP THIS STEP! Squeezing the liquid out of your zucchini is *really* important here. Why? Well, zucchini has a lot of moisture (which is one of the reason these poppers are so great), but if you don’t squeeze out some of that liquid, your meatballs/poppers will have a harder time sticking together and if you pan-fry them, you run the risk of them scorching and falling apart.
PAN-FRYING VS. BAKING. My favorite way to make these is to pan-fry them. I’m not using a ton of oil here–just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. I use my cast-iron skillet for a really nice browning effect and keep the heat on the low end. That will allow the poppers to brown while still allowing enough time for the centers to cook. Baking is *really* convenient and fast, so I do that plenty as well. Do whichever works for you!
TRY ONE OF THESE VARIATIONS! This recipe is an awesome base recipe. Over the years, people have made it with pork, beef, turkey…even venison! Use your favorite. I also list the cumin here as optional. It gives these a tex-mex flavor that’s great with salsa, ranch, and guacamole. BUT. You can also easily swap the flavors by switching the cilantro for basil to give these a Mediterranean vibe. They’re great with my favorite pasta sauce and noodles, or you can use parsley or dill for other flavor combinations!
CAN’T FIND GROUND CHICKEN? TRY THIS! I get ground chicken breast at Sprouts, but when it’s not in stock, I make my own by buying boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs) and pulsing them in a food processor until it’s ground and no large pieces remain. It’s one extra step, but it works great!
LOVE THESE CHICKEN POPPERS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…
- Citrus Avocado Sauce (Paleo, Whole30)
- Buffalo Chicken Burgers (Paleo, Whole30)
- Healthy Beef & Broccoli (Paleo, Whole30)
- Paleo Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (Paleo, Whole30)
- Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew (Paleo, Whole30)
- The Perfect Paleo Meatballs (Paleo, Whole30)
- Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Paleo, Whole30)
Chicken Zucchini Poppers
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 servings 1x
Description
My MOST POPULAR RECIPE EVER! These chicken meatballs are squeaky clean, but not short on flavor! Gluten free, Paleo, and Whole30 friendly!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken breast (raw)
- 2 c. grated zucchini (leave peel on and squeeze out some of the liquid with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel)
- 2–3 green onions, sliced
- 3–4 Tbsp cilantro, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3/4 tsp cumin (optional)
- Optional (if pan-frying): avocado oil, for cooking (or coconut oil, or ghee)
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together chicken, zucchini, green onion, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin (if using). Mixture will be quite wet. Scoop meatballs with a small scoop or heaped tablespoon and gently smooth with your hands. I can usually get around 20-24 poppers. You may be able to get more or less, depending on how large you size them.
To cook on the stovetop:
Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Cook 4-5 at a time for about 5-6 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown and the centers are cooked through.
To bake:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a bit of olive or avocado oil onto a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. If desired, place under the broiler for an additional 2-3 minutes or until browned on top.
Serve with guacamole, salsa, or your favorite dip.
Notes
CHICKEN: If you can’t find ground chicken breast, you can grind your own. Simply weight out 1 lb. chicken breast and pulse it in your food processor to “grind” until no large pieces remain. You can also easily substitute ground chicken thighs, ground turkey, ground pork, etc. Use what you like and what you can find!
ZUCCHINI: Don’t be tempted to skip drying out your zucchini a bit with a paper/kitchen towel. Zucchini has a lot of moisture, and if you don’t squeeze it out beforehand, your meatballs may stick more to the pan if you’re pan-frying and have a bit more trouble holding together during baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: main dish, appetizer, chicken
- Method: stovetop, oven
- Cuisine: American
Ooolala These sound very tempting in all the varieties you describe! (That small bowl of guacamole is calling my name…)
Just made these and they’re amazing!!! Taking them to a family party tomorrow and I KNOW they’ll be a hit! I tripled the recipe and everything turned out just fine! Made a whole bunch obviously:-) Any suggestions on freezing for the future??
Sure! I freeze them fully cooked. After they’ve cooked and cooled, I freeze them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat until they’re pretty solid, then transfer them to an airtight bag or glass container. That way, I can pull out exactly how many I want/need in the future (rather than them freezing in one giant clump!) So glad you enjoyed them!
Hi Emily! I was wondering if you had suggestions on reheating? Thank you!
Lauren – They microwave well, but my favorite is to toss them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes!
I like to reheat any leftovers in the oven. I put leftovers in cold and let them heat up with the oven, normally my food is hot by the time the oven has heated up to 375* and of not I give it a few more minutes. Frozen foods I thaw overnight first.
Great suggestions! Thanks!
Hi Emily,
You say this feeds 4 to 5, but how many pieces does it actually make. I am going to take them to a party of 15people that will all be bringing appetizers to share?
Thanks
Karen
Karen – Depending on how big you make them, you can get around 20-24 per recipe. You may want to make a double batch for your party!
My wife and I made these, only with our own guacamole recipe I’ve been using for years. Also we cooked whole grain brown rice(organic) and tossed the guacamole into the rice and served it cold as a side dish with the poppers. Dipped the poppers into the guacamole and my wife ate guacamole for the first time in here life and actually liked it! Yum, Thanks!
WOW that sounds amazing! I’ll have to try that sometime! Thanks for the suggestion!
Yum! I even have ground chicken in my freezer…I am adding this to my menu this week with the sweet potato not fries.
Just wanted to say…so good! Made these tonight and really liked them – only one of my kids ate them but hey the others may come around at some point 🙂 I think next time I may try and Italian variation with marinara sauce.
Oh Cynthia, thank you for the feedback! Sorry they weren’t a hit all around, but I’m glad you liked them!
What is the carb count?
Liv – You can check the nutrition facts by clicking on the “recipe magic nutrition info” button right above the recipe. Hope that helps!
I don’t see the nutrition info when I click the link?
Jocelyn – I’m sorry you’re having trouble! I’m clicking it here on my desktop and it’s working for me…
Does the nutrition facts apply to only 1 meatball or how many are in 1 serving?
It’s per serving 🙂
These sound so good Emily. I’ll have to see if I can get the rank and file to eat them. Lol.
I always make my regular (turkey) meatballs with a ton of shredded zucchini and carrot in them and use oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs. They turn out fabulous. The kids love them and it’s nice to know that there is something good in there for them. I’m looking forward to giving these a try and seeing how it goes. I’m thinking of putting them in a sandwich with some marinara like a chicken parmesan sandwich.
Do you have a recipe for your meatballs?
Love these ideas!
This is a great recipe for turkey burgers (which you can form into meatballs if you like) with zucchini & carrots: http://skinnyms.com/turkey-veggie-burger/
I made these last night – (I did omit the cilantro because I am not a fan), but while I was cooking them (and the noodles for spaghetti- cause that was the direction i was headed) They smelled Asian-y to me -soooo I threw some carrots, and more zucchini in the pan tossed it all with teriyaki sauce and some cooked ramen noodles, and oh my gosh- newest quick healthy dinner plan.
Thanks for the versatile recipe-so excited to try other versions…
Yum!!! I’ll have to try that!
Just stumbled upon your site!! So excited to see a new blog that follows my proper eating habbits! Also if you are looking for a good GF blog, http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/ is my lifesaver!! She has a book called baked bread and is a lifesaver for me! The ingredients are pricey to start, You use a whey protein isolate which contains some dairy) but once you have them pretty easy to maintain! Homemade bread is awesome! Can’t wait to keep exploring, and make these for dinner tomorrow night!
Emily, these look fabulous. My husband hates any kind of vegetable except green beans. Would love to get him to eat these – will never tell him what’s inside. Any idea about the calories, fat, protein, etc. in this dish?
Marjory – My husband HATES zucchini and loved these. Fingers crossed that your husband does too! As for the nutrition information, click the “recipe magic – get nutrition info” button right above the recipe and you’ll be taken to see it’s estimated nutrition facts. Happy eating!
It says 204 calories per one serving. Is that only one popper per serving? If not, do you know how many would equal a serving?
Brandi – The recipe nutrition facts were calculated based on 5 servings. The number of poppers per serving will depend on how many you make. If you made 25 poppers, there would be 5 poppers per serving. If you made 20, you’d have 4 per serving. Does that make sense?
My husband hates turkey and he ate these. I did the recipe as written except for the ground turkey substitution. My nephew doesn’t love veggies, but he really liked these. I’m thinking of putting a paleo crust and calling it a nugget. It’s yummy and moist with no mystery ingredients. Thanks for the recipe.
Em, these poppers are incredible!!!! They have so much flavor!!! Love love love!!!!
So glad you liked them! I LOVE them!
These look SO yummy! Wondering if these can be frozen for reheating?? Hoping I can make ahead for easy lunches…
Erin – I haven’t tried freezing them, but I don’t know why they wouldn’t freeze well. Most meatball recipes I’ve tried do great in the freezer. If you do freeze them, please let me know how they work for you!
I shall try it today and let you know… Looks so good, by the way!
These are AWESOME and so easy to make……thanks for recipe…..I will be making them again and again
I remixed this recipe, I used ground turkey instead of chicken. Substituted cucumbers for jalapeños added feta cheese to the mix and pan fried small meat balls in olive oil until browned. Oh my goodness was it delicious paired with some tortellini’s and pasta sauce.
yum recipe and easy to make, thanks for your post
Do you put A chicken breast in food processor and. Ground it?. Can’t find ground chicken breast. Or will ground turkey roll work?
Cindy – I buy pre-ground chicken breast, but when I can’t find it, I just put a chicken breast in my food processor. Try not to puree it too much. You want there to still be some texture. If it’s too smooth, your meatballs might be too wet. If you prefer, you can use ground turkey. I just find ground turkey to have a stronger flavor.
Great thanks really do not like ground turkey. So course ground or fine chicken?
Cindy – I like mine pretty fine. Just be careful not to puree it so long that it becomes a paste, if that makes sense. Best of luck!
These look delicious, but I will have to substitute the chicken with something vegetarian. My question is why does it say 21 day diet?
Micki – That diet isn’t associated with my blog. This recipe was featured on the 21 Day Sugar Detox’s Pinterest page, so that’s probably where that came from. Hope that helps!
May I ask what the nutritional value is?
Laura – Sure! Just click on the “Recipe Magic – Get Nutritional Info” button right before the text of the recipe. Hope that helps!
Just made these and they’re almost gone! So yummy 🙂 I also love that the nutritional info is provided but wanted to ask …how many poppers would you consider a “serving”? I used a cookie scooper and was able to get 33 meatballs. Thanks!
Great! I’m so glad you liked them. I made slightly bigger meatballs (I get between 20-25 each time), so for me, I divide that among 4-5 people. Each person gets 4-5 meatballs. My husband is a bigger eater than me and the kids, so it depends on what you like. The whole recipe is designed to feed 4-5 people, so I’d just divide the meatballs (6-8 meatballs per person). Hope that helps!
It does not give you a calorie content where could we find that?
Kristi – If you click on the pink and grey “Magic get Nutrition Info” button right above the recipe, you’ll see the nutrition content. Several people have also imported the recipe into MyFitnessPal. Hope that helps!
Can you bake these instead of frying???
Karen – I have no problem cooking them in olive oil or avocado oil, but if you prefer baking them, I’m sure you could. I don’t have a time or temperature for you, since I’ve never baked them. If you do try baking them, I’d love to know what you think!
We tried both baking & in the pan. From the first batch, my husband felt the pan ones had more flavor.
I liked the slight char from the baked ones, but felt 400° a bit too much or the time too long—and I only baked for 20 min… then tried the broil on low for maybe a minute. It was too much.
Finished the bowl by cooking in the pan. By the last batch, my husband said they tasted the very best of all of them—he could taste all the flavors.
Yummy. We used guacamole and salsa and ate all of it between the two of us. Yes, we are stuffed. ?
Recipe completed as written with the 3/4 tsp of cumin.
You are right! I can’t imagine anyone recognizing the zuchini—it is not noticeable at all.
Trying to put five stars, but something is not “taking.”
Here ya go!
?????
SunnySky – THANK YOU for such a thorough and thoughtful review! I’m so glad you enjoyed them and found a method you liked best. Happy New Year!
Hi, wondering if you have nutrition with no oil? I know some bloggers can easily change the nutritional info by changing an ingrediant. I’m wondering if baking with Pam, no oil would drastically drop the fat count.
Heather – I’m sorry, I don’t. You can try any of the free online nutrition estimators (I like My Fitness Pal) to get a good estimate without the oil. Best of luck!
I used a muffin tin and baked them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. They came out perfect, not dry at all. I recommend using a little cooking spray on the bottom of each tin to keep them from sticking. I actually prefer the baked version to the fried one but they were both good! I added a little chopped mushrooms to mine because I like mushrooms.
Lovely! I’m so glad you shared this. I have a mini muffin tin and had thought about trying them this way. Thank you so much for the feedback!