No Fat Dehydrator Zucchini Chips

Dehydrator Zucchini Chips are so tasty that your family will gobble them up. You’ll have a hard time getting them from the dehydrator to the storage bag.

Our family loves chips and dip, especially in the summer when we are having family gatherings and BBQ’s. Have you taken a look at the preservative and fat content of prepacked chips lately? It’s pretty outrageous. So, in an effort to eat a healthier chip we’ve had our dehydrator in full swing, creating a zucchini chip that will stand up to dipping and still taste great. I think we’ve done it!

There are a few things we want to accomplish with this recipe. First, the fat content needs to be low. I mean super low. We are eating a low-fat diet at our house right now and if I can find a way to substitute fat and still have terrific taste, I’m all over it.

Most of the online recipes for zucchini chips call for tossing the zucchini slices in olive oil and then baking them. While I agree that they are 100 times better for you than store bought chips, there is still an amount of fat that can be eliminated. Why waste the few fat grams we have allotted for each day on unnecessary oil? 

The next thing these zucchini chips accomplish is dip-ability.  Thin dehydrator chips taste good, but they won’t hold up to any amount of dipping.

Finally, these zucchini chips are made in the dehydrator so there is no need to heat the kitchen on hot summer days when zucchini is plentiful in the garden. I’m calling it an all around win.

Zucchini Chips Recipe

• 4 medium size zucchini squash, washed
• ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Chili powder (to taste)

As a basic rule, start with the following spice measurements. You’ll know how to adjust it after the first batch. Use 1 tsp for mild, 2 tsp for medium, and 3 tsp for spicy

Directions

Cut the zucchini into equal sized slices. Keep the thickness the same for even drying. We’ve played around with this for several weeks, looking for the zucchini chip that can be used as a dipping chip. The best thickness seems to be the #6 setting on my OXO SteeL Chef’s Mandoline Slicer (Amazon). That translates to ¼ of an inch. You could go thinner so they will dry faster; however, ¼ of an inch is the minimum thickness if you want to be able to use them for picking up sauces and dipping.

I also use the crinkle cut slicing attachment to make ridges in the chips. I think it gives the spices more area to “grab” onto.

To a wide bottomed, non-reactive bowl, add 1/4th of a cup of Apple cider vinegar and the spices. Stir until incorporated. Add a handful of raw chips to the ACV and spices and toss until they are just coated. Break up any pieces that stick together and make sure they are all coated with the spices. The purpose of the ACV is to help the chips be thoroughly coated with the spice. It is such a light coating that you will not be able to paste the vinegar when they are finished.

Arrange the chips on dehydrator trays. They can touch but should not overlap. Dry at 135 degrees for 10-12 hours. I have an old Harvest Right Dehydrator with bottom heat so to get an even dryness I need to re-arrange my trays. After 5 hours move the top trays to the bottom so they are evenly dried.

The finished product is very tasty, serves 4 and has 23 calories per serving. As a matter of fact, I have a hard time getting them from the dehydrator to a storage bag, my family would gobble them all up as they are coming out of the trays.