I have a soft spot for silly holiday food — especially anything that makes people grin before they even take a bite. These deviled egg chicks were born in my kitchen one Easter when a pile of peeled eggs, a basket of carrots and a mischievous toddler led me to try dressing them like little chicks. They were the talk of that table, and every year I get asked to make them again.
I love how simple ingredients become so festive with a tiny bit of shape and color — the bright orange of a carrot beak, glossy olive eyes and a puff of green herb for a nest. In my kitchen the sound of chopping and kids’ laughter is as important as seasoning; this recipe lets you involve little helpers without losing control of the final look.
For hosts who want pretty food with minimal fuss, these chicks check every box: they’re familiar in flavor, fast to assemble, and playful enough to serve as a centerpiece. Read on and I’ll walk you through what I do to get the filling silky-smooth, how I style the platter, and quick tricks to get kids happily involved.
Deviled Egg Chicks
Ingredients
Method
- Peel 12 hard-boiled eggs. With a sharp knife, slice off a very thin layer from the base of the egg - this will give it a flat surface to stand on a platter. Cut off a generous top third of the egg.
- Squeeze around the egg base gently to loosen the yolk and it should pop right out. Keep the lids paired with their bases.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine 12 cooked yolks and mash well with a fork. Add 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tsp dijon, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/8 tsp salt, or season to taste. Mash everything together until smooth.
- Transfer mixture to ziploc or pastry bag and pipe generously into egg bases. Place top 1/3 back over the base and press down slightly to adhere.
- For the eyes, poke through an olive with a plastic straw several times then gently squeeze down the straw and the little circles of olives will pop right out.
- For the beaks, thinly slice a few rings of carrot and cut each ring into sixths. Insert 2 olive spots for eyes and 2 carrot wedges for the beak. Set chicks on a platter and garnish with fresh parsley or dill.
