Kids’ Sesame Chicken Dumplings + Snack Apple “Nachos” with PB Chocolate Sauce

Does planning, cooking, and packing kids’ lunches + snacks feel like a part-time job? Well, this 15-minute lunch (+ 20-minute snack) is the perfect make-ahead time-saver: a kid-approved dumpling platter with dipping sauce and charred edamame, complete with carrot sticks and juicy pineapple! But wait—it’ll be snacktime before you know it! Whip up a plate of apple “nachos” drizzled with a yogurt and peanut butter-chocolate sauce duo, all sprinkled with chocolate chips. Yup, we’re thinking outside the lunchbox (so you don’t have to!). This recipe is designed to provide lunch and snack components for multiple days. For each lunch and snack meal, 3 servings and 6 servings are provided for a 2 person and 4 person box respectively. Nutrition information under the Nutrition Values section below is for the lunch portion. The following nutrition information is for 1 serving of the snack meal: Calories: 370, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 45mg, Carbohydrates: 49g, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 39g, Protein: 4g. Download the nutrition labels to see final nutrition information for both lunch and snack components.

Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 servings 4 servings
  • 9 oz carrots
  • 1 sesame ginger chicken gyoza
  • 4 oz edamame
  • 12 oz pineapple
  • 1 apple
  • 1 granny smith apple
  • 1.15 oz peanut butter
  • 4 tsp honey
  • 3 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • salt
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 18 oz carrots
  • 2 sesame ginger chicken gyozas
  • 8 oz edamame
  • 24 oz pineapple
  • 2 apples
  • 2 granny smith apples
  • 2.3 oz peanut butter
  • 8 tsp honey
  • 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  • 4 tbsp yogurt
  • salt
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

  1. • Wash and dry produce.
    • Trim, peel, and cut carrots into sticks
    (like fries; ours were 3 inches long and
    1⁄3 inch thick).
  2. • Place dumplings in a large microwave-safe bowl (be sure to set dumpling sauce
    aside; you’ll use it in the next step). Cover
    dumplings with a damp paper towel;
    cover bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave
    until dumplings are steamed and
    warmed through, 2-3 minutes.
    • STOVETOP: Heat a large drizzle of oil in
    a large, preferably nonstick, pan over
    medium-high heat. Add dumplings,
    flat sides down, and cook for 1 minute.
    (For 6 servings, you may need to work
    in batches.) Carefully add 1⁄3 cup
    water; cover and cook until water has
    evaporated and bottoms are crispy,
    4-5 minutes.
  3. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pan over
    medium-high heat. Add edamame and
    cook, stirring occasionally, until golden
    brown and lightly charred in spots,
    4-6 minutes.
    • Stir in dumpling sauce. Cook until sauce
    has mostly reduced, about 30 seconds.
  4. • To serve: Divide dumplings and
    edamame between plates and serve
    with carrots and pineapple.
    • To stash: Let dumplings and edamame
    cool completely. Refrigerate dumplings,
    edamame, carrots, and pineapple in
    separate containers and pack as desired.
  5. • Halve, core, and thinly slice apples. TIP:
    If you have a lemon on hand, toss sliced
    apples with 1 TBSP lemon juice to
    prevent apples from browning!
    • Place peanut butter, honey, half the
    chocolate chips, and 1 TBSP butter
    (2 TBSP for 6 servings) in a medium
    microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic
    wrap. Microwave until peanut butter is
    softened and chocolate chips are melted,
    30-45 seconds. Add a pinch of salt. Whisk
    until smooth and combined.
    • In a small bowl, combine yogurt and
    1 tsp water (1½ tsp for 6).
  6. • Fan out apple slices on a large
    parchment-lined plate (it’s OK if they
    overlap!). Drizzle with as much peanut
    butter chocolate sauce and yogurt
    as you like. (TIP: It’s normal for the
    chocolate sauce to harden slightly as it
    cools.) Sprinkle remaining chocolate
    chips over top.
    • Storage suggestion: Wrap plate with
    apple “nachos” tightly with plastic wrap.
    Refrigerate until ready to serve!
    Chicken Dumplings are fully cooked when internal temperature
    reaches 165°.