Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Braid

Overhead shot of a sliced crescent roll braid on a cutting board

Chicken and Broccoli Crescent Braid

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 mixture and baked until golden brown.

Course Brunch, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Keyword braided chicken pastry, crescent braid, crescent roll recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 596kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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.

Nutrition