Braided Chicken Bread
This braided chicken bread is a hearty combination of freshly baked home bread and chicken pie. Despite looking complicated, it’s super easy to make the bread and very impressive for tea-time or parties.
There are two parts to this recipe, the dough, and the chicken filling. We start with the dough first since it needs some time for proofing. Below are the step-by step visual instructions. For full resipe with measurements and ingredients head to the recipe card at the bottom.
- Prepare the dough then cover and let it proof. Make sure to oil the surface of the dough so that it does not dry out.
2. Next prepeare the chicken filling so that it can cool down completely. Make sure it is dry and not runny.
3. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead it 1-2 times more (this get rid of the air bubbles). Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Take one part and roll it out a lightly oiled surface into a oval shape (as shown below).
4. Add the filling in the centre and make cuts on either side.
5. Start overlapping the cuts over the filling. This will create a braided look.
6. In the end it will look like this (shown below).
7. Prepare all the dough like this and place on a baking dish. Brush with egg wash for a beautiful golden color.
8. Once baked make sure to brush with oil/butter and cover. It will feel dry but after 5-8 minutes it will become very soft.
See how creamy and delicious the filling is!
Tips:
- Use instant dry yeast, not active dry yeast. Instant dry yeast can be directly added to the dry ingredients and does not have to be bloomed or activated.
- Use leftover or rotisserie chicken: If you have them lying in the fridge or freezer, use it to cut the process in half.
- Cool the filling: Make sure the chicken filling is cooled when adding it to the dough. Hot chicken filling will make the dough very soft, and it will be difficult to handle the dough.
- The chicken filling must be relatively dry. If it still has some liquid, it will not spread well on the dough and it will seep out during baking. To avoid this, cook until all the liquid has evaporated, and the mixture clumps together.
- You can get creative with the fillings by adding finely chopped olives, green pepper, cheese, etc.
- Once out of the oven, brush the breads with oil and immediately cover with a tea towel. This will trap the steam and make it very soft.
Can this braided chicken bread be frozen?
Yes, after baking, let the bread cool completely. Then wrap tightly in cling film, and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, you should thaw it completely overnight in the fridge, then bake in the oven at 350F C for 10-15 minutes or until it’s warmed through.
My dough didn’t rise properly, what should I do?
If your dough didn’t rise, it means the yeast wasn’t activated properly. But don’t worry, it will still taste great. It just won’t be soft and pillowy.
What can I use instead of egg wash?
If you don’t want to brush the bread with egg wash before baking, you can also brush on a little bit of milk mixed with oil.
What if I have some leftover chicken filling?
Any leftover filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days. The filling can be used to make sandwiches.
Check out my other dough recipes:
Braided Chicken Bread
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk powder (optional)
- Warm water (should not be hot!)
Filling Ingredients :
- 500 g boiled and shredded chicken
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha (reduce for less heat)
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk room temperature
Topping
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon oil
- oil for brushing
Instructions
Step#1: Prepare the dough:
- Except the water, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and give it a stir.
- Then slowly start to add the water and keep kneading until the dough comes together. Keep kneading till you get a soft dough. Water quantity may need to be adjusted.
- Lightly grease the surface of the dough. Cover the dough and keep in a warm place untill it rises (1/2 -1 hour).
Step#2: Prepare the filling
- On medium- high heat, add oil in a pan and add the chopped onions and saute until translucent.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the shredded chicken and saute for 1 minute.
- Then add the following spices – black pepper powder, crushed red chili flakes, oregano, cumin powder, chicken powder and siracha. Saute for 1 minute more.
- Now add the all purpose flour, saute for 1 minute and add the milk stirring continuously. The mixture will start to thicken.
- Taste for salt and adjust and remove from the heat when the mixture is .relatively dry.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely.
Step#3 – Assembling
- Divide the dough into 4 balls.
- Roll into a rectangular shape. Transfer onto the baking dish and snip the opposite sides creating strips using a knife or pizza cutter.
- Put some filling in the centre (don’t overfill) and overlap the strips to create a criss cross pattern; pressing lightly to secure the ends.
- Brush with egg + oil mixture.
- Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.
- Then broil on high for 3-4 minutes to get a golden color.
- Remove and immediately lightly brush butter on it and cover with a tea towel for 5 minutes. This will make the bread super soft.
Notes
- Don’t put too much filling. During baking, the filling will bubble out between the criss cross patterns.
- When putting together the dough ingredients, keep the salt away from the yeast. Salt kills the yeast !
- Water used for kneading the dough should be lukewarm, not hot or the yeast will die.
- If you don’t want to brush the bread with egg wash before baking, you can also brush on a little bit of milk mixed with oil.
- Any leftover bread can be wrapped tightly in cling film, and frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw completely overnight in the fridge, and bake in the oven at 350F C for 10-15 minutes or until it’s warmed through.
- Any leftover chicken filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days. The filling can be used to make sandwiches.
