Chicken Broccoli Braid

This original recipe comes from Pampered Chef. I tasted it at a party once and have been making it ever since! I leave out the dill and put in 3/4 cup of mayo instead of 1/2 cup. . . but I also use a little more than 1/2 of the red pepper and use almost a whole 12 oz. bag of baby broccoli florets (instead of 1 cup), so my version needs a 'lil extra sustenance (aka- mayo)! :) Oh, and I use canned chicken instead of boiled chicken breast because it's quick and easy and still tastes delish in this recipe.

SO my ingredients for this dish are:

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 bag steamable broccoli florets, 12oz. (I buy Publix brand)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup mayo

1 can all-white-meat chicken (or half 3lb. rotisserie)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 packages of crescent rolls, butter flake flavor

Dice pepper and add to mixing bowl.

Microwave broccoli for 4 minutes and add to bowl with the red pepper.

Mix in garlic and salt.

Add in mayo and canned chicken. Make sure you break up the chicken well- just like you would if you were making chicken salad or tuna salad (or serving cat food,  haha- sorry! oddly, that's what I think of what I'm taking it out of the can)

Mix it all together.

Add cheese.

You'll need two packages of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (don't go off-brand here people! I've tried. . . sub par for sure). Oh, and I'm a big fan of the Butter Flake flavor. :) 

Roll out the whole package until it's flat.

You will have four rectangles. . . press the creases together so they don't come apart in the next step.

In each rectangle, cut four lines 3/4 of the way into the center so that you end up with 3 strips on each side of each rectangle.

Lay the filling down the middle.

Take one strip from each side, crisscross or twist them once, and lay the excess in the middle.

Continue "braiding" all the way down.

There's usually two extra strips at the bottom which I may or may not eat raw- the Butter Flake is just so good! The Pampered Chef version adds an egg wash and slivered almonds at this point, but I don't fuss with this when it's just me and Matt eating. It does make a pretty finish if your serving company though!

Bake in the oven at 375 (I use convection on 350) for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Wah-lah! It's so yummy- I know you'll love it! ...and it looks like it was super hard to make, right?! ;)