Chicken Run Veggie Tray (Printable version)

Fresh vegetables arranged playfully with a smooth ranch-flavored hummus dip for snacking.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup baby carrots
02 - 1 cup cucumber sticks
03 - 1 cup red bell pepper strips
04 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper strips
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
06 - 1 cup sugar snap peas
07 - 1/2 cup black olives, pitted

→ Ranch Hummus Dip

08 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1/4 cup tahini
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
19 - 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water

# Directions:

01 - Wash all vegetables thoroughly under cool running water. Cut carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers into uniform sticks or strips. Leave cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas whole. Pat dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture.
02 - Arrange prepared vegetables on a large serving platter in decorative patterns, creating playful shapes such as chicken or egg designs. Use black olives strategically as eyes or decorative elements to complete the thematic presentation.
03 - Add chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, dill, parsley, chives, salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Blend until smooth, gradually adding cold water in small increments until achieving a creamy, dippable consistency.
04 - Transfer the prepared hummus to a serving bowl and position it in the center of the vegetable platter. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until service.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero cooking means you can prep this while chatting or listening to music, no stress.
  • Kids actually get excited about eating vegetables when they're arranged like characters from a movie.
  • The hummus tastes homemade and sophisticated but comes together in under five minutes in a food processor.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned chickpeas—that starchy liquid will make your hummus gummy instead of creamy.
  • Cold water matters more than you'd think; room-temperature water will make the hummus separate slightly, so keep it chilled from the start.
03 -
  • Make your hummus slightly thicker than you think you need it, because the vegetables will release a tiny bit of moisture as they sit and naturally thin it out.
  • Keep your vegetables in ice water until the very last moment before plating, which keeps them impossibly crisp and cold.
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