Braided chicken bread is basically a soft bread that’s filled with a creamy chicken filling, it’s perfect for tea parties, brunch or breakfast and goes great as a side with soups. Not only does this taste amazing but it look great as well, you know if you’re trying to impress someone with your breadmaking skills :).
About The Recipe
This braided chicken bread is one of the easiest bread recipes out there. I say that because the dough is made with very simple ingredients and when comes to filling you could actually add any veggies you like. Braiding the dough is also very easy and can be done by literally anyone.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Ingredients for dough:
- Flour: I used all purpose flour.
- Yeast: I used instant yeast, DO NOT use active dry yeast as they need to activated before use.
- Olive oil: If you don’t have olive oil, any regular vegetable oil will do.
- Milk and Water: use lukewarm, this will help the yeast activate faster in the dough. But be careful to never use hot water as this could kill the yeast.
Ingredients for chicken filling:
- Vegetable oil: you could also use butter in place of the oil.
- Veggies: there are no rule when it comes to the veggies, add anything you have on hand. Some other options would be, mushrooms, carrots, green peas, bell peppers and the list goes on.
- Ginger & Garlic paste: grind together a small piece of ginger and a few cloves of garlic with some water to make ginger and garlic paste. Alternatively, you could also just chop ginger and garlic finely and use that.
- Spices: The spices in this filling are very minimal, only salt, pepper and chili flakes, feel free to adjust the level of spiciness to your liking.
- Shredded chicken: I just boiled some chicken in water with salt and pepper and shredded it using a fork and my hands.
How To Make Braided Chicken Bread
Lets go through the step by step process of making the braided chicken bread. If you just wanna get to making it already head down here for the full recipe.
Step 1: Make the dough. Combine all the ingredients together and knead for 3-4 minutes until nice and smooth. Cover and let it rise for an hour.
Step 2: Prepare the filling. While the dough is rising, let’s make the creamy chicken filling. In a pan placed on medium-high heat, add the oil and ginger garlic paste. Then add the onions and shredded chicken. Cook it for a bit and then add in the veggies and spices. Once the vegetables are fully cooked and in the flour and milk. Coom for a few minutes and the filling is ready.
Step 3: Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll out the first ball into an oval shape, that’s not too thin and not too thick, it should look something like this (second pic).
Step 4: Spread some of the filling in the middle of the oval, cut slits all around both sides like so (pic 1 and 2).
Step 5: Fold the flaps over to the center alternating between the left and right sides. Once you reach the bottom cut off the excess dough that form a sort of a tail. Place on a parchment lined baking tray and brush on egg wash. Bake for 25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
Storing The Chicken Bread
Once baked store in an air tight container at room temperature for 2 days, then refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.
Freezing the chicken bread
To freeze the baked braided chicken bread wrap in a layer of plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up in a microwave.
Pro Tips
- add some butter on the chicken bread right after you take it out of the oven then cover for a few minutes before serving for an ultra soft bread.
- Add some sesame or black seeds on top of the bread after egg washing it for a extra kick of flavor.
- You could make the filling ahead of time, a day or two before, and store it in the refrigerator until you need it.
- These do not have to perfect! Each bread might look different from the other, but that’s totally ok!
- If the cook time is over and you braided chicken breads still don’t have an even golden color, try turning on the grill option on your oven and bake for an additional 3 minutes.
- You could also make mini braided chicken breads! See pic below.
Recipe Card
Braided Chicken Bread
Braided chicken bread is basically a soft bread that’s filled with a creamy chicken filling, it’s perfect for tea parties, brunch or breakfast and goes great as a side with soups. Not only does this taste amazing but it look great as well, you know if you’re trying to impress someone with your breadmaking skills :).
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rest Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hr. 55 min
Course: Breads
Servings: 6 medium loafs
Calories: 683kcal
Ingredients
For Dough
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tbsp. instant yeast
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
- 1 1/4 cup water, lukewarm
For Chicken filling
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste, see ingredients list above
- 3/4 cup green onions, finley chopped
- 1/2 cup sweet corn
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- salt to taste
- 2 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp chili flakes, or to taste
- handful of coriander, chopped
Topping
- sesame seeds
- an egg for egg wash
Instructions
For dough
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, olive oil, yeast and milk. Mix using a spatula, then gradually add in the water while mixing. Use all of the water or as needed. Switch to your hand and knead the dough for 4 minutes until smooth. (Or use a stand mixer)
- Cover and let it rise for an hour.
For chicken filling
- In a pan placed on medium-high heat add the oil. Once heated add the ginger and garlic paste. Cook for a minute then add in the chopped onions. Sauté for 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add in the shredded chicken, green onions, corn and any other veggies. Add in the salt, pepper and chili flakes. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the veggies are fully cooked.
- Add the flour and immediately stir, sauté for 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Then add in the milk while stirring. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Lastly add the fresh chopped coriander and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and the filling is ready.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, roll each portion into a ball.
- Roll one ball into an oval shape (see pictures above), add about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center and spread it out leaving space on both side to cut the slits.
- Cut slits all along both side until you reach the bottom of the oval.
- Fold each of the slits into the center alternating between both sides. Once you reach the bottom cut off the tail or tuck it under the bread.
- Carefully place on to the baking tray and add on the egg wash. Top with some sesame seeds.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Once baked cover the chicken bread with a cloth for a few minutes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 683.17kcal
Total Fat: 23.51g
Carbs: 93.79g
Sugars: 8.04g
Protein: 23.15g
Sodium: 1392.22mg
Fiber: 4.51g