Chicken Run Veggie Tray (Printable Version)

A vibrant platter of fresh vegetables paired with creamy ranch-flavored hummus for dipping.

# 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Wash all vegetables thoroughly under cold running water. Cut carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers into uniform sticks or strips. Arrange on a large serving platter in playful shapes resembling chickens or decorative patterns, using black olives to create eyes or accent details as desired.
02 - Combine drained chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, dried chives, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, gradually adding cold water one tablespoon at a time until achieving desired dipping consistency.
03 - Transfer prepared hummus to a serving bowl and position in the center of the vegetable platter arrangement.
04 - Present immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Kids actually want to eat vegetables when they're arranged like characters from their favorite movie.
  • The ranch hummus tastes homemade and herbaceous, not like a packet, and it takes less than five minutes to blend.
  • Zero cooking means you can throw it together while the oven handles dinner, or prep it completely in advance.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the chickpeas—the canning liquid will make your hummus taste metallic and thin instead of creamy and clean.
  • Add water gradually while blending; you can always add more, but you can't take it back, and thick hummus can be thinned but thin hummus feels like failure.
03 -
  • Use a really sharp knife for the vegetables—clean cuts stay crisp longer than ones made with a dull blade that crushes rather than slices.
  • Tahini can vary in thickness between brands, so start with a little less water than you think you need and adjust upward for your perfect consistency.
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