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A Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Braid is an easy dinner recipe that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen! Store-bought crescent rolls are stuffed with a creamy, cheesy, chicken and broccoli filling and baked until golden brown. Serve the flavorful, comforting dish with potato chips, fruit and coleslaw as a simple weeknight meal, or as an impressive brunch or lunch when entertaining.
Braided Chicken Pastry
This delicious dinner combines two of our favorite things: chicken, broccoli and cheese casserole and buttery, flaky crescent rolls! A classic casserole filling is stuffed inside the braided pastry and baked in the oven until until hot, bubbly, and browned. It’s an entire meal in one, and it works equally well for quick weeknight dinners and for entertaining guests. The process is simple, but the results are impressive!
The Crescent Rolls
I recommend using Pillsbury brand crescent roll dough. I’ve tried store brands in the past, but I find that those other varieties just aren’t as good. The dough rips or gets sticky and is difficult to work with. In this case, it’s worth spending a little bit more to buy the name brand. If you can find them, crescent dough sheets are best for this recipe. The sheets do not have perforations to tear the dough into individual rolls, so they’re ideal for stuffed crescent braid recipes that call for the dough to stay intact. In a pinch, you can substitute with regular crescent roll dough, but you’ll need to pinch together the perforations to seal the triangles so that the dough doesn’t tear.
The Chicken
This recipe calls for cooked chicken, and a variety of options will work. Pick the most convenient method for you:
- Boiled and Pulled Chicken: Boil about 1 ½ lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs until cooked through (about 15 minutes). When cool enough to handle, chop or pull the chicken. You’ll need a total of about 3 cups shredded.
- Rotisserie Chicken: This is a great shortcut! Purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, shred the meat, and use in the recipe as instructed.
- Leftover Chicken: If you have leftover grilled or baked chicken from a previous meal, put those extras to good use in this dish. Leftover turkey will also work!
- Canned Chicken: Yep, you can even use canned chicken in this pastry!
Ingredients for a Crescent Roll Braid
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need to make these chicken stuffed crescent rolls. As always, the specific measurements and the complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken: cooked and shredded.
- Frozen baby broccoli florets: I like the baby broccoli florets because they’re bite-size and don’t require chopping. You can use regular florets that you coarsely chop, if you prefer. Thaw the broccoli and drain it well before using.
- Sweet bell pepper: any color will work — red, yellow, orange or green.
- Green onion: for fresh, savory flavor.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: because broccoli and cheese are a match made in heaven!
- Mayonnaise and sour cream: the creamy base that holds the chicken mixture together.
- Kosher salt and pepper: to enhance the flavors in the dish.
- Refrigerated crescent dough sheets: I like Pillsbury brand best. The dough sheets work well because they’re not perforated.
- Egg wash: helps the pastry brown in the oven.
- Sesame seeds: for a nice garnish and a bit of crunch on top!
How to Make a Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Braid
Don’t be intimidated by the fancy appearance of this dish! It comes together quickly and easily with just a handful of simple ingredients.
- Stir together the chicken filling.
- Unroll the crescent dough sheets. Place them with the long sides together on a large parchment-lined baking sheet to form a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Press the edges together to seal.
- Spread the chicken mixture lengthwise in a strip down the center of the dough.
- Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on the long sides of the dough to within ½-inch of the filling. I like to use kitchen shears for this step.
- Braid the crescent dough by lifting the strips across the chicken mixture to meet in the center, twisting each strip once. Alternately cross the strips over the filling from one side to the other.
- Tuck the short ends under and press to seal.
- Brush the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake in a 375° F oven for 25-28 minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown.
- Cut crosswise into slices and serve!
What to Serve with a Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Braid
Pair the chicken crescent braid with a side of potato chips for crunch, a simple salad dressed in creamy buttermilk dressing, a Wedge salad or a Caesar salad. It’s also great alongside coleslaw, fennel apple slaw, three bean salad, or fresh fruit. You might like to offer a bread basket with biscuits, corn muffins, blueberry muffins, pumpkin bread, or strawberry bread on the side, as well.
Make Ahead
To prep ahead, assemble the crescent braid as instructed. Cover loosely and place in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before baking.
Storage
Store the leftover cooked crescent braid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat
If frozen, thaw the crescent braid in the refrigerator overnight. Place the crescent braid on a baking sheet and warm in a 350° F oven just until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. You can also microwave individual slices until warm.
Recipe Variations
- Almost any cooked meat will work in this recipe. Swap out the chicken for leftover turkey or diced ham.
- Use frozen peas instead of broccoli florets.
- If you prefer to use fresh broccoli florets (instead of frozen), you’ll need to steam or parboil them so that they’re soft before adding them to the chicken mixture. You don’t want to end up with crunchy broccoli in your filling.
- Add herbs or spices to the chicken filling. Chopped fresh parsley, thyme, basil or rosemary would all be tasty. A Cajun seasoning blend adds zesty heat!
- Instead of sharp cheddar cheese, try Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, gouda, Swiss, mozzarella or Colby.
- If you can’t find Crescent Dough Sheets, you can substitute with two cans of the regular crescent roll dough. The crescent roll dough is perforated so that you can tear it into individual rolls, so you’ll need to pinch and seal those perforations before using the dough in this recipe.
Tips for the Best Chicken Broccoli Crescent Braid Recipe
- Use frozen baby broccoli florets for the best texture. The frozen broccoli is relatively soft when thawed, so you don’t need to steam or parboil it before adding it to the dish. The baby florets are a convenient bite-size and don’t require chopping.
- Freshly-grate your own cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded packaged cheese. The hand-grated cheese melts smoothly into the chicken mixture.
- Use Pillsbury brand crescent dough sheets for the best quality and flavor. I’ve experimented with store-brand versions and I’m always disappointed.
More Crescent Roll Recipes to Try
- Homemade Crescent Rolls (Amish Butterhorns)
- Roast Beef and Cheese Crescent Rolls
- Breakfast Casserole with Bacon, Egg, Cheese and Crescent Rolls
- Buffalo Chicken Dip Crescent Ring
- Taco Crescent Ring
Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Braid
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (such as from a rotisserie chicken)
- 1 ½ cups frozen baby broccoli florets, thawed and drained
- ½ cup diced sweet bell pepper (any color will work – red, green, yellow or orange)
- ¼ cup sliced green onion
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) refrigerated Crescent Dough Sheets
- Egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, green onion and cheese. Add mayonnaise and sour cream; stir gently. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Unroll both cans of dough so that you have 2 large rectangles. Place dough with long sides together on the baking sheet, forming a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Press edges together to seal.
- Spoon and spread chicken mixture lengthwise in a 6-inch-wide strip down the center of the dough. With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on the long sides of the dough to within ½-inch of the filling.
- To braid, lift the strips across the chicken mixture to meet in the center, twisting each strip once. Alternately cross the strips over the filling. Tuck the short ends under; press to seal. Brush the dough with the egg wash; sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Cut crosswise into slices and serve.
Notes
- Use frozen baby broccoli florets for the best texture. The frozen broccoli is relatively soft when thawed, so you don’t need to steam or parboil it before adding it to the dish. The baby florets are a convenient bite-size and don’t require chopping.
- Freshly-grate your own cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded packaged cheese. The hand-grated cheese melts smoother into the chicken mixture.
- Use Pillsbury brand crescent dough sheets for the best quality and flavor. I’ve experimented with store-brand versions and I’m always disappointed.
This sound so good. Will surely make it for our Bible study group.
Awesome! Enjoy, Marika!