Braided Bread
I love how pretty this Braided Bread is but more then that, I love that it has a delicious chicken filling. It is the perfect bread for picnics and parties or a weekend lunch!
Ingredients
Bread
- 450 g Plain Flour
- 10 g Instant Yeast
- 10 g Salt
- 3 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 275 ml Milk Warm
Chicken Filling
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 Onion Diced
- 3 - 4 Garlic Cloves Crushed
- 1 tsp Ginger Paste
- ½ tsp Green Chilli Paste
- 1 1/2 lb Chicken Breast diced
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tbsp Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg Yolk
- Pinch of Salt
Topping
- 2 - 3 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Bread
- Add the Flour and Yeast to a large bowl. Add the Salt on the opposite end to the Yeast.
- Add Oil, Sugar and then Milk bit by bit whilst the mixer is on. Knead for 10 minutes to form a smooth dough.Place in oiled bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour.
Chicken Filling
- Heat Oil and Butter. Then add Onions. Cook for 7 – 10 minutes until light golden brown.
- Add Garlic, Ginger and Green Chilli and cook for 1 minute.
- Add cubed Chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in Salt and Black Pepper.
- Add Flour, Cumin, Coriander, Red Chilli and Turmeric. Cook for 5 minutes on high. Make sure that the filling is dry (Simmer and boil off excess water if needed). Leave to cool.
Assemble
- Plait Bread by rolling the dough into 1 or 2 rectangular pieces. Place the filling in the middle of the bread. Cut strips either side all the way down. Braid the strips of bread over each other in a plaited/braided shape.
- Leave to rise 25 minutes on a lined tray.
- MAke Wgg wash by whisking egg yolk with pinch of salt. Brush bread with egg wash. Sprinkle over sesame seeds.
- Bake at 220C/Gas Mark 7 for 20 – 25 minutes.
Notes
Tips for making Braided Bread
Softer Dough - I tried making this with a softer dough (milk bread dough) and although it worked, it was very difficult to handle. It ended up looking more caterpillar/mummy like too. If the dough is shiny and sticky, it is too soft and may not hold the filling.active dry yeast vs instant yeast
Instant yeast and active dry yeast are interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio. However, active dry yeast needs to be bloomed with liquid before continuing with the recipe and may take longer to rise. What I do when using active dry yeast is add the yeast to part of the milk (milk should be warm) from the recipe and let it stand for a bit before continuing with the recipe. If you can find it, use instant yeast to save time.can the dough be kneaded by hand?
Yes you can. Just add 3 – 5 minutes extra kneading time.how to make the lightest fluffiest bread
Don’t be tempted to add any additional flour unless it is absolutely necessary and it doesn’t look like the dough will come together. There can be several reasons for this but I don’t think it will be a problem in this recipe. If for some reason, the dough doesn’t feel like it’s coming together at all, let it rest for about 10 minutes before continuing kneading to relax the gluten.Other Shapes you can try
You can make buns or rolls similar to cinnamon rolls if you prefer. The recipe will yield about 12 - 18 rolls.can it be frozen?
Yes! Bake as indicated, then allow to cool completely. Place in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow to defrost at room temperature before reheating in a 170 C/Gas Mark 3 until warmed through.
You can also freeze it unbaked and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
variations
- Add your favourite meat or veg filling instead!
- Use ready roll Puff Pastry instead!
Nutrition
Calories: 498kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 706mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 240IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!