This homemade chicken bread is filled with a delicious creamy chicken filling. The bread has a fully, airy and light texture and the stuffed chicken filling is creamy, smooth and super delish. This Pakistani style Chicken Bread is super easy to make and will inspire everyone around. Serve it as a snack or with a cup of tea.
Table of Contents
This bread looks a little complicated to bake but it is as simple as my Roghni Naan, Pita Bread or Turkish Bread recipes. You've got to try it to believe it.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It is super easy to bake.
- It takes simple and pantry staple ingredients.
- The bread has a fluffy and light crumb.
- The chicken filling is super delicious.
- Bakers with limited skill set can also bake this bread easily.
History of Pakistani-Style Chicken Bread
This recipe is a staple food back in my homeland, Pakistan. Everyone loves the shape and taste of this bread and the chicken filling in the bread enhances the flavor of the bread. Here in the United States, this bread is made with some variations as in Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Garlic Bread.
The braided bread looks complicated and complexed to make. However, on the contrary, this bread is quite easy to put together as it does not require any special culinary skill and anyone with limited skill set will be able to bake it easily.
Ingredients
Pro Tip # 1 - Room Temperature Ingredients
Always use room temperature ingredients (unless otherwise specified) for baking. Ingredients such as butter, eggs and other dairy ingredients like milk, sour cream, yogurt form an emulsion by trapping air inside the batter. The trapped air expands in the oven resulting in perfect baked treats.
Ingredients for Bread Dough
Ingredients for Chicken Filling
Dough:
- All-purpose flour: provides structure to this bread.
- Olive oil: adds softness to the dough.
- Instant yeast: lifting agent for the dough.
- Salt: adds flavor to the bread.
- Sugar: enhances the overall flavor of the bread and helps to activate the instant yeast.
- Egg: binds the dough together.
Chicken Filling:
- Shredded chicken: use boiled and shredded chicken for this filling.
- Mushrooms: cut them in one inch pieces. use brown or white mushrooms.
- Capsicum: chops into small pieces.
- Milk: Use whole milk.
- Spices/Seasoning: adds flavor to the filling.
- All-purpose flour
- Heavy whipping cream
Pro Tip # 2 - Digital Scale
Use a digital scale to measure all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients. To measure with cup, fluff up the all-purpose flour container using a spoon, then scoop out the flour with spoon into the measuring cup. Never scoop out of the container. It may result in more flour than required resulting in dense bakes.
Instructions
These are basic process shots for this recipe. For detailed instructions refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Dough
1. Proof the yeast by mixing sugar and yeast and add ¼ cup of warm milk to it.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, milk powder, yeast, oil and egg in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients.
3. Knead the dough using warm milk. The dough should be medium soft.
4. Apply one tablespoon olive oil and coat the dough in the oil from all sides. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let it rest for one hour until it is double in size.
Chicken Filling
1. In a frying pan and heat butter and add carom and nigella seeds. Saute for a few seconds.
2. Add onions and saute for 3 - 4 minutes until they turn light golden in color. Add all purpose flour and stir for a minute.
3. Add heavy whipping cream and milk. Keep stirring.
4. Add in the spices - salt, red chili powder and coriander leaves and stir for a minute.
5. Add shredded chicken, black olives and capsicum.
6. Stir until it comes together. Will take 2 - 3 minutes. Set aside.
Assembling Bread Together
1. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it in two equal parts (about 440 gm each).
2. Dust flour on the kitchen counter and roll out the dough in 13'' x 9'' rectangular.
3. Make diagonal slits on each side of the bread.
4. Place the chicken filling (cold) in the center of the bread.
5. Starting from the top fold over the diagonal slits one by one in a criss cross manner. Press the tip of the slit onto the next slit on the opposite side.
6. Keep doing the whole bread in this fashion.
7. Transfer the bread onto a silicone mat in a baking tray. Apply the egg wash.
8. Sprinkle over the nigella seeds and sesame seeds on the top. Bake at 375 F preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes until it turns golden brown in color.
Equipment
- Baking trays.
- Silicone mats.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Digital scale.
- Mixing bowls.
- Rubber spatula.
- Frying pan.
Variations
- Chicken Tikka: Chicken tikka is commonly enjoyed not only in Pakistan, but in other parts of the world such as European countries and the United States. Feel free to use shredded chicken tikka for the filling. Replace the shredded chicken with chicken tikka and use the same method to make the filling.
- Minced Beef: Minced beef is another variation for this bread. Replace the shredded chicken with minced beef in the chicken filling recipe in 1:1 ratio.
- Dips: Enjoy this bread with Peri Peri Mayonnaise to further enhance the flavor.
Expert Tips
- Cool the Chicken Filling: Once the chicken filling is ready, let is cool completely before filling it in the chicken bread or the dough will not rise properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
This can happen and one of the reasons could be old and deactivated yeast. Always make sure your active dry yeast is fresh before adding it to the dough. One easy method is to proof the yeast separately to make sure it is active.
Absolutely, you can prepare the filling and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days in advance. You can also freeze the filling in an air-tight container for up to a month.
How To Store
- This bread will keep good for a day on the counter. Place in an airtight container.
- Place the Chicken Bread in an airtight container and store for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Wrap the chicken bread slices into plastic wrap and further add a layer of foil. Place the pieces in a plastic bag or an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
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Related
Recipe
Chicken Bread
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Digital Scale
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber Spatula
- Baking Trays
- Silicone Mats
Ingredients
Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (480 g)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast (9.3 g)
- 2 tablespoon powdered milk (16 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon olive oil (57 g)
- 2 eggs (large)
- 1 teaspoon castor sugar (4 g)
- 1 cup lukewarm water (237 ml) 110 - 115 F
Chicken Filling:
- 2 cups boiled shredded chicken (280 g)
- 2 small onions (250 g) omelette cut
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds
- ¼ teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper (2.3 g)
- 4 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (28 g)
- 2 tablespoon butter (30 g)
- ½ cup mushrooms (45 g)
- ½ cup red capsicum (75 g)
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (115 g)
- ½ cup milk (100 g)
Instructions
Dough:
- Take a bowl and mix together flour, salt, castor sugar, milk powder, yeast, oil and egg.
- Knead to a medium soft dough with slightly warm water.
- Drizzle the bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil and coat the dough in the oil from all sides. Cover it with a fresh cloth or plastic wrap.
- Keep the bread in a warm place and let it rise until it becomes double in size.
Chicken Filling:
- Heat butter in a large frying pan. Add the carom and nigella seeds and sauté for a few seconds. Add the chopped omelet cut onion and sauté for 3 -4 minutes until it is slightly golden.
- Add the flour and stir for a minute. Add the heavy whipping cream and milk while stirring continuously.
- Add salt, red chilli powder and coriander leaves to the pan and stir for a minute.
- Add the shredded chicken, mushroom and capsicum and stir continuously until the milk evaporates and the consistency becomes thicker.
Putting the Bread Together:
- Pre heat the oven at 375 F.
- Divide the dough in three equal parts. Each bread will be about 450 grams.
- Roll out each dough into rectangular shape. Using a knife cut the sides of the rectangle diagonally about one-inch apart from top to bottom.
- Leaving the sides with diagonal cuts, fill the middle portion with chicken filling in about 1 inch of thickness.
- Fold the diagonal slits one-by-one from each side in a crisscross manner, putting one slit on the other slit and completing the bread till end.
- Press the ends of the bread together in the end. The bread will look like a fish in shape.
- Apply egg wash one the bread and sprinkle sesame seeds and nigella seeds on the top.
- Place the chicken bread on the silicone mat in the baking tray.
- Bake the breads for 15 – 20 minutes until light brown in color.
Jugni A
Its time taking but woth it. The texture of this dough is so professional!! Its my kids go to lunch for school now!
Madeeha Anwar
Aww, so good to know that your kids loved it 🙂