Chicken Run Veggie Tray (View Print Version)

Colorful fresh veggies arranged with a creamy ranch hummus dip for a fun and healthy snack.

# 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 - 1–2 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 - 2–4 tablespoons cold water, as needed

# Method:

01 - Rinse all vegetables thoroughly under cold water. Cut carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers into uniform sticks or strips. Leave cherry tomatoes and snap peas whole. Arrange on a large serving platter in decorative patterns or playful chicken shapes using olives as eyes or embellishments.
02 - Add drained chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic to a food processor. Pulse until combined, then add onion powder, dill, parsley, chives, salt, and black pepper. Blend on high speed for 2–3 minutes until mixture reaches a smooth consistency.
03 - With the food processor running, gradually add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the hummus reaches a creamy, dippable texture. Stop processing and taste, adjusting seasonings as desired.
04 - Transfer ranch hummus into a serving bowl and position in the center of the vegetable platter. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's so easy that even young kids can help arrange the vegetables, turning snack prep into a creative activity instead of a chore.
  • The ranch hummus tastes like a creamy secret sauce that somehow makes everyone, even veggie skeptics, actually want to dip those fresh vegetables.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the chickpeas thoroughly—it sounds fussy, but it makes the hummus less gritty and noticeably creamier.
  • Add your cold water slowly in the food processor; it's way easier to thin out hummus than to thicken it back up if you get too enthusiastic.
03 -
  • Pat all cut vegetables completely dry before arranging; even small amounts of moisture will eventually make your platter look tired.
  • Use a large shallow platter rather than something deep—it makes everything look more abundant and gives people easy access to every vegetable without reaching across the arrangement.
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