Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Braid

Chicken broccoli braid is the ultimate comfort food. It is filled with cream cheese, shredded cheese, broccoli and chicken!

The creamy chicken mixture is my favorite part of this cheesy chicken broccoli braid, and my whole family agrees! You know this recipe is a winner if the kids enjoy it! Complete this meal by also making Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, Honey Glazed Carrots, or Tomato Cucumber Salad.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Alicia from The Baker Upstairs has a delicious recipe to share! Sometimes, I find myself craving something warm and cheesy for dinner, and this Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Braid is perfect for satisfying those comfort food cravings!

It’s super easy to make, savory and flavorful. It starts with a quick yeast dough that takes only a few minutes to make and has a short rise time. If you haven’t worked with yeast doughs before, have no fear! This recipe is super simple and perfect for beginners.

The chicken and broccoli filling is so creamy and cheesy! With cream cheese and shredded cheese you really can’t go wrong. The bread dough is wrapped around the cheesy chicken and broccoli filling to look like an intricate braid, but it’s actually REALLY easy! It makes an impressive presentation that’s perfect for company, but is easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner. Super simple, and delicious too! It’s a favorite at our house, and one that the kids love!

How to make a Broccoli Chicken Braid

BREAD DOUGH. In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in warm water with the sugar. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, or until bubbly. Mix in two cups of flour, the salt, and the olive oil to form a smooth dough. Add additional flour as needed to reach a dough consistency that is slightly tacky to the touch, but not overly sticky. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl for 30 minutes.

FILLING. While the dough it raising, mix together the cream cheese, cubed chicken, broccoli, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese.

BRAID. When the dough has risen, roll it out into a rectangle, put the creamy chicken and broccoli mixture in the center of the rectangle, and sprinkle with more cheese. Cut the bread dough on either side of the mixture into strips, and braid.

Note: Although it looks a little complicated, the braiding process is really simple and straightforward. You just take strips from alternating sides and fold them over each other.

BAKE. Once it’s all braided, brush with the egg wash, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Note: If you’re in a hurry you can use 2 cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough. Don’t separate the pieces, but unroll it into one long piece. Use your fingers to seal any seams and perforations. Cut the sides into strips like the recipe states and fold it over the chicken mixture in the same manner. Bake at 375° for about 20-25 minutes. 

Storing Tips

This actually makes a great make ahead meal. Once the bread has been braided FREEZE it for a few hours for it to get hard. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. Label and keep it in the freezer for 1-2 months. To THAW– remove the plastic wrap, and loosely replace the aluminum foil. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. About 30-60 minutes before baking remove the aluminum foil. (You can use this to line the baking pan for easy clean up) Place the braid on the pan and let it come to room temperature. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Leftovers can be wrapped with plastic wrap and STORED in the fridge for 2-3 days or, wrap again with aluminum foil, and FREEZE for 1-2 months. REHEAT in the toaster oven or microwave. For larger portions you can use the oven.

For more easy chicken dinner recipes, check out:

• Chicken Crescent Roll Bundles
• Barbecue Chicken French Bread
• Baked Chicken Fingers
• Rice-A-Roni Chicken Salad

5 from 35 votes

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Braid Recipe

By: Lil' Luna

Chicken broccoli braid is the ultimate comfort food. It is filled with cream cheese, shredded cheese, broccoli and chicken!

Servings: 6

Prep: 45 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Crust

• ▢ 2 1/4 tsp yeast
• ▢ 1 cup warm water
• ▢ 2 tsp sugar
• ▢ 2-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil

Filling

• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ▢ 2 cups chicken cooked and diced
• ▢ 2 cups broccoli steamed and cooled, chopped
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp pepper
• ▢ 1 cup cheese shredded, divided
• ▢ egg
• ▢ 1 tsp water
• ▢ sea salt

Instructions 

• In medium bowl or stand mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Allow to sit 5 minutes, or until bubbly. Mix in flour, salt, and olive oil to form smooth dough. Add flour as needed until dough consistency is slightly tacky to the touch but not overly sticky. Let rise in greased bowl for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Mix cream cheese, chicken, broccoli, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and ½ cup cheese.
• When dough has risen, gently punch down, then roll out on a piece of parchment paper/silpat forming a rough rectangle approximately 15 by 20 inches (no need to be perfect!).
• Spread chicken and broccoli mixture down middle of dough, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Using pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut one inch strips at a diagonal from outside of the rectangle to filling in the center. Fold the strips of dough over filling, alternating sides to make braid pattern. When you get to end of braid, tuck in ends.
• Move parchment or silpat to baking sheet. Beat egg lightly with water and brush egg mixture over braid. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
• Bake 25-30 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g, Calories: 467kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 642mg, Potassium: 269mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 886IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 198mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

For more great recipes from Alicia go to The Baker Upstairs.