Chicken Braid Solves What's For Dinner

I don't know many of us that aren't busy over the edge these days.  I love cooking and baking, but only on my own terms.  If I am 'forced' to produce a big meal, it takes the fun right out of it.  If I can have the time to think the food through and be prepared, that's another thing.  I like quick and easy recipes when a lot of cooking is involved, so that I don't have to spend a lot of time seperately, on each dish.  When I entertain, I usually cook farmhouse style, where one meal consists of at least two entrees, several side dishes and two or more desserts.  If you come to my table, you don't have to like everything prepared, but you better have some food on your face and a big smile when you push back.  An Unappreciated Cook has a cleaver nearby. 

This  Chicken Braid is the epitome of quick and easy but makes a very delicious and elegant presentation.  This recipe is from a Cooking Show on the ALN Network that I stumbled across recently.  The only stressful or time sensitive piece in this recipe is remembering to thaw the breaddough. 

Chicken Braid

Bread Dough Loaf, thawed (I use Rhodes)
2 Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded (or, use canned Chicken Breast or rotissere chicken from your Grocer's Deli
1/2 cup Thousand Island Dressing
1 egg beaten with one Tbsp water

Place bread dough on a floured board and roll until you have a thickness less than 1/2 inch....you should have a rectangle of dough that measures around 12x15 inches.  Spoon your chicken in the middle of your dough end to end the length of the dough, leaving about an inch on each end.  Squeeze or spoon the dressing over the chicken.  Take a knife or pastry blade and cut the dough on each side of your filling, in approx 1 inch widths....cut in from the outer edge to about 1 inch of your filling on each side, as well.  Don't cut all the way to your filling or you will have a leaky mess when you bake.  Your cuts don't have to be perfect, so don't worry about keeping each side perfectly even.  Beginning at one end, wrap up the end to lay over your filling and then take the first 1 inch cut of dough on one side and fold it over the filling...next, take the first 1 inch cut of dough on the other side and fold it over the filling and the end of the piece you folded from the other side.  Continue to  'weave' until you get to the last two 1 inch cuts on each side.  Fold up the end of your braid and then continue to 'weave' your last two 1 inch cuts on each side.  Brush the braid with the egg wash and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 mins or until golden brown. 

The written description sounds timely and complicated, but it is really very simple.  I apologize for not making pictures of the step by step, which probably would have helped to illustrate.  If you have any questions, let me know.   Clicking on the pictures will make them larger.

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