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Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Skins

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You won’t miss the carbs in these low-carb zucchini skins loaded with buffalo chicken and cheese made in the air fryer!

You won’t miss the carbs in these low-carb zucchini skins loaded with buffalo chicken and cheese made in the air fryer!
Buffalo Chicken Air Fryer Zucchini Skins

I’m a sucker for everything buffalo sauce, and these Air Fryer Zucchini Skins hit the spot! I top zucchini slices with spicy, creamy buffalo chicken and blue cheese and finish them off with a drizzle of blue cheese dressing and scallions. For a version with potatoes, try my Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins, and for more healthy buffalo chicken appetizers, try my Buffalo Chicken Dip, Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls, and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Skins

I have a variation of these buffalo zucchini boats in my air fryer cookbook that I love, which inspired this recipe. They are a great way to get more veggies in your day! They also make an excellent low-carb appetizer, side dish, or afternoon snack and can easily scale up or down. If you want to make the chicken ahead, you can refrigerate it for up to four days.

Is zucchini good for a low-carb diet?

Zucchini is a delicious, low-carb vegetable that can take the place of many higher-carb foods like pasta. I love to switch up classic recipes by using zucchini to get a nutrient boost and reduce the carb count. Some of my favorites are these Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats and Zucchini Pork Dumplings.

Zucchini is a great source of many vitamins and minerals, including C, B6, and manganese and is also high in fiber and low in calories.

How to Make Buffalo Zucchini Skins

To get started, mix the chicken with cream cheese and hot sauce and slice your zucchini. Scoop out the pulp, and then season the zucchini with salt, garlic powder, and paprika.

Cook the zucchini in the air fryer for eight minutes and then spoon in the chicken and top with blue cheese. Cook a couple more minutes until the cheese melts. To serve, drizzle with blue cheese dressing and sprinkle with scallions.

VARIATIONS AND TIPS

  • If you don’t have an air fryer, bake the loaded zucchini skins in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 min. Then add the chicken and bake for four more minutes.
  • If you don’t like blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese, try them with mozzarella or cheddar cheese.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Skins

More Buffalo Chicken Recipes:

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Skins

5 from 13 votes
1
Cals:80
Protein:9.5
Carbs:3.5
Fat:3
You won’t miss the carbs in these low-carb zucchini skins loaded with buffalo chicken and cheese made in the air fryer!
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
You won’t miss the carbs in these low-carb zucchini skins loaded with buffalo chicken and cheese made in the air fryer!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 pieces
Serving Size: 1 skin

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 large zucchini, about 9 ounces each
  • olive oil spray
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Buffalo Chicken Stuffing:

  • 7 ounce shredded skinless chicken breasts, from rotiserie chicken or make in slow cooker
  • 1 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup Franks hot sauce, plus more for drizzling on top
  • 4 teaspoons crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
  • 1/4 cup light Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Instructions

  • Combine the cream cheese and hot sauce together in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the chicken.
  • Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; then cut in half to give you 8 pieces. Scoop out the pulp on each piece, leaving a 1/4-inch shell on all sides (save pulp for another use).
    how to make zucchini skins
  • Place zucchini skins on a work surface. Spray both sides with olive oil then season both sides with salt, then cut side with garlic powder and paprika.
  • Cook 350F in batches for 8 minutes, until tender-crisp. Place 3-4 tablespoons buffalo chicken inside each skin and top with 1/2 teaspoon cheese, dividing equally. Cook until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes longer. Serve right away each drizzled with 1/2 tablespoon blue cheese dressing topped with scallions for garnish. Serve hot.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 skin, Calories: 80 kcal, Carbohydrates: 3.5 g, Protein: 9.5 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 25.5 mg, Sodium: 452.5 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 2 g

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26 comments on “Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Skins”

  1. Delicious! So easy! I’m not a blue cheese fan so I substituted the blue cheese crumples with just a little shredded cheddar cheese and topped with ranch. I’ll be making these again!

  2. Oh my! These were fantastic! Easy, fast, economical and outrageously delicious! 
    When chicken goes on sale, I cook up a bunch in the crockpot, use some and freeze leftovers in 8 ounce bags.
    Made recipe as directed except for 1/2 pound chicken and about  a pound and a half of zucchini. 
    What an ideal recipe for summer gardeners with an excess of zucchini on hand!

  3. Can you please clarify what “1 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened” means? Is that 1.3 ounces, or one ounce – a third less fat than regular cream cheese (like whatever light cream cheese is available)? 

    Sorry – I’m Canadian and don’t use the imperial system or have a vast selection of cream cheeses :/   

    1. Hi Rona! Sorry for any confusion- it is one ounce of “1/3 less fat cream cheese” (so yes, a lighter cream cheese). Hope that clears it up! 🙂

  4. Looks amazing! My husband really doesn’t like cream cheese, could I substitute the cream cheese for cottage cheese or greek yogurt? Would that change the points much? Thank you!

    1. Avatar photo
      Andrea Ruminski

      I think you could do cottage cheese, but I just made this and I don’t think there is enough cream cheese (in relation to the chicken and Franks) to really be noticed. You might be able to omit it altogether.

  5. This tasted great! My husband is doing the cooking for a few months, and it was perfect for a more novice cook, few ingredients, fast, and easy. He made and used the ST blue cheese salad dressing, always a favorite at our house. 

  6. I am always in love with your squash recipes like this, but my family hates squash. Thoughts on an alternative?

  7. This was delicious. I wasn’t sure my family would like the combination of zucchini and buffalo chicken, but everyone loved it. Very clever recipe. I made a second batch for lunches this week and used Siracha instead of Frank’s hot sauce. Wonderful.

  8. Avatar photo
    Dennis Fleming

    These are the bomb. So delicious, I made a pig of myself, again! I cooked a double batch and grabbed a glass of Guinness about 20 degrees below room temperature and chowed down. Your website has brought more wonderful foods into my house than anything else. During the pandemic, that is especially important. Thank you.

    1. Tasty and hit the spot for wanting something Buffalo chicken. Used rotisserie chicken and only half a zucchini for a quick ww meal for one. Will use leftover chicken mix for snacking with carrots and cucumber. 
      Thanks for the recipe 

  9. This recipe sounds delicious! Can anyone suggest uses for the pulp of the zucchini? Normally I use it sliced but to hull out a half zucchini, I imagine it will not be in the best shape when I remove the middle.

    1. Or you can make zucchini fritters…I did a search for ‘used for zucchini pulp’, saw fritters mentioned and then looked for healthy airfryer fritter recipes! Think I’m gonna try both this and the fritters!