Chicken Salad Pepper Cups :: Allergen Free Options

This is actually one of my summer “go-to” dinner options – no cooking, simple, light, and quick.

But I have been making these pepper cups here and there over the winter months this year because they make really simple, cost effective lunches. Colorful peppers with chicken salad, a few apple slices, and some crispy nuts. Happy kiddos!

We are a gluten free house, and to be honest…gluten free bread is expensive. I have become pretty creative in the bread substitute department since my gluten free bread making skills have been a complete failure! (I am not giving up on making GF bread though – and you will be the first to know if I succeed one of these days!)

The chicken salad part is very kid friendly in taste (and even super delicious right off the spoon!), and you can feel good about getting some brain building friendly fats from avocado and whole sour cream in them! If you have dairy allergies in the house, using all avocados for the creaminess works fantastic, and is actually how I originally made up the recipe. We had some dairy free friends over for a lunch playdate, and this chicken salad was born!

If your summer garden becomes abundant in zucchinis, cucumbers, or tomatoes, they also serve as great “boats”, “cups”, or replacement breads!

Tips:

• For little one’s mouths around ages 1-2 just puree through – even add a few pepper pieces. My girls could chew a pepper by about 2 ½ if that helps to reference. Molars are helpful to have in! When they were smaller I either helped them just eat the puree with a spoon or they two fisted it!
• HERE is how you can get some easy, fast cooked chicken into the fridge so meals like this come together quick!
• No bell peppers around? Use cucumber boats or take cucumber rounds and make “sandwiches”! Zucchinis work this way too! Or scoop it up onto a tomato round!
• Play around with the seasoning to taste. You may even just leave out the all purpose season for some little ones. Add some homemade taco season for a change up in flavor too!
• I’m thinking these would pack up fun in a school lunch box! Maybe in a small container with a lid, or plastic wrapped!
• The lemon juice helps the avocado from browning so don’t leave it out!
  
  So keep me posted if you try it and how the kids like it!