Recipes

Chicken & Cranberry Stuffed Puff Pastry Braid

This shop/post has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #ServeWithACoke #CollectiveBias

Chicken mixed with herbs and cheese along with some homemade cranberry sauce stuffed in a puff pastry braid that is cooked to golden perfection. Serve it with Coca-Cola™ and holiday entertaining just got so much easier!

Chicken and Cranberry stuffed Puff Pastry Braid - Chicken mixed with herbs and cheese along with some homemade cranberry sauce stuffed in a puff pastry braid that is cooked to golden perfection. Serve it with Coca-Cola® and holiday entertaining just got so much easier! #ServewithaCoke #CollectiveBias #ad

 

December is one of my most favorite times of the year. Everything is so cheerful and joyous all around that you can truly feel the festivities in the air.

During the Holiday season, we love having friends and family over and spend quality time with them. Good food and good company are all you need to create happy memories with your loved ones.

Plus during winter, it’s always nice to spend more time at home by cooking delicious meals and catching up with each other.

Whenever we have company over, I prefer making easy and simple meals like this Chicken and Cranberry Stuffed Puff Pastry Braid. As for beverages, my fridge is always stocked with Coca-Cola™ because hey, you can never go wrong with it, right? This time around I got Diet Coke® in the classic glass bottles to serve my guests. 

Easy Chicken and Cranberry stuffed Puff Pastry

 

Chicken Cranberry puff pastry braid and Coca-Cola

 

There’s just something about those classic glass bottles that brings back happy memories to me. I remember the good old times when my sister and I used to spend hours chatting and gossiping with each other over a bottle of Coca-Cola. We still chat over the phone but not as often because life has become so busy with work and other commitments.

In fact, I vividly remember that way back in the day, I had my first sip of Coca-Cola only after seeing my sister enjoy her bottle of deliciousness! You know how sisters like to copy each other, right? Being the younger one, I always loved doing what my sister did.

It’s these happy memories that are associated with Coca-Cola that always makes me want to grab it and serve it to my family and friends.

 Coca-Cola Diet coke glass bottles

So while my beverages are all set and chilling in the fridge, my brain starts to think what is that one dish that will truly wow my guests? The answer lies in this Chicken & Cranberry Stuffed Puff Pastry Braid.

This Puff pastry braid looks so beautiful that your guests will feel as if you have spent so much time and energy to make this. But the truth is – it will hardly take any time.

I have used Cranberry sauce in my recipe since it’s so versatile and I honestly feel that it should not be limited just for Thanksgiving dinners.

The best part of this recipe is that you can prepare everything ahead of time and stick it in the fridge till you are ready to bake. You can serve these warm or straight out of the oven.

 

Cranberry Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

 

Chicken cheese and Cranberry stuffed Puff Pastry Braid

 

So if you want to impress your guests, I urge you to make this Chicken and Cranberry Stuffed Braid during your holiday parties. Serve it with a chilled glass of Coca-Cola and holiday entertaining just got way better!

Here are the steps –

Pre-heat your oven to 400 F. I used store-bought frozen puff pastry for this recipe. Thaw the puff pastry for about 30-40 minutes before you start filling it.

Steps for making Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

 

For the braided look on top, use a pizza cutter or a knife and diagonally cut the puff pastry on each side as shown in the pic below (leave about 1/2 inch gap between each other). Fill the center of the puff pastry dough with goat cheese.

 

Steps for making Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

Then add shredded boiled chicken on top. I added a few herbs like dill, celery salt, garlic powder, as well as salt and pepper to give some added flavor to my chicken.

Tip: You can substitute the chicken with leftover Thanksgiving Turkey. 

Steps for making Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

 

Finally, I added my homemade Cranberry sauce on top. 

Steps for making Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

 

And now, time to braid the puff pastry dough. It’s pretty simple – all you have to do is put alternate pieces of the strips that you cut on top of each other.

Steps for making Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

 

Transfer it onto a parchment paper and apply light egg wash all over so that it will turn a nice golden color once baked. I also topped it off with some toasted sesame seeds to make it even prettier.

 

Steps for making Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

 

Bake for 25 minutes or until it turns a nice golden color and you have an amazingly beautiful dish ready!

See how easy it was? The flavors of goat cheese infused with the chicken and cranberry sauce makes this a delicious and mouth-watering recipe.

Cheese Chicken Cranberry Braid

 

Cranberry Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

Serve it with a side of Coca-Cola and you have a winning Holiday meal!

Easy Chicken Puff Pastry Braid

 

Chicken Cranberry puff pastry braid

 

 

Chicken & Cranberry Stuffed Puff Pastry Braid

Ingredients

  • Puff Pastry Dough - 1
  • Chicken breast (boneless) - 1/2 lb.
  • Goat cheese - 4 oz packet
  • Cranberry Sauce - 1/2 cup
  • Seasoning of your choice - 2 tbsp (I used dill, celery salt, garlic powder)
  • Sesame seeds - 1 tsp (optional)
  • Egg - 1 (for egg wash)
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • For Cranberry Sauce
  • Fresh Cranberries - 12oz packet - 1
  • Orange Juice - 1 cup
  • Sugar - 3/4 cup
  • Cinnamon Sticks - 1-2

Instructions

  1. If using Frozen puff pastry braid, thaw it for about 30 minutes (make sure you do not thaw it for more than 40 minutes as the dough can become sticky and hard to work with)
  2. Boil chicken breasts and then shred it. Add herbs like dill, celery salt, garlic powder and salt & pepper to taste to the chicken.
  3. Pre heat oven at 400 degrees F.
  4. Leave the center of the puff pastry for the filling. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, diagonally cut about 1 inch slices on both sides (leaving about 1/2 inch gap between each other)
  5. Fill the center with softened goat cheese (I used about 3/4 of the 4 oz. goat cheese packet)
  6. Then add shredded chicken and cranberry sauce.
  7. For the braided look, carefully alternate one diagonal slice over each other till you reach the end (see photo for reference)
  8. Beat an egg and use a pastry brush to coat the puff pastry braid with this egg wash.
  9. Add toasted sesame seeds on top (optional step)
  10. Transfer to parchment paper and bake for 25-30 minutes or until it turns a nice golden brown.
  11. For Homemade Cranberry Sauce
  12. Wash cranberries well. In a medium saucepan, add cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon sticks and sugar and keep the flame on medium-high.
  13. Stir it occasionally for about 10-15 minutes until the cranberries pop and the mixture turns into a nice thick consistency.
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I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy the holidays with your loved ones. 

How do you pair your Coca-Cola with and what is one of your favorite Holiday memories? I would love to know.

Pin for Later –

Chicken and Cranberry stuffed Puff Pastry Braid - Chicken mixed with herbs and cheese along with some homemade cranberry sauce stuffed in a puff pastry braid that is cooked to golden perfection. Serve it with Coca-Cola® and holiday entertaining just got so much easier! #ServewithaCoke #CollectiveBias #ad

 

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XOXO

Smiling Notes

11 Comments

  • Reply

    Nicole Elliott ~ Client

    December 7, 2017

    This turned out so amazing!! It’s absolutely gorgeous and I bet it’s delicious, too! ~ Client

    • Reply

      smilingnotes

      December 7, 2017

      Thank you so much, Nicole! It tasted really fabulous! ?

  • Reply

    Lifestylebites3

    December 8, 2017

    It looks so delicious and eye capturing too

    • Reply

      smilingnotes

      December 8, 2017

      Thank you so much, honey. It was indeed delicious.

  • Reply

    anroworld

    December 9, 2017

    Wow, delightful photos! Always hungry after your culinary masterpieces, dear Shamira!

    • Reply

      smilingnotes

      December 9, 2017

      You are always so sweet, Ann. It was truly delicious. Would love to make this for you ?

  • Reply

    Cathy

    December 12, 2017

    This is a beautiful dish and sounds delicious. Your photography is beautiful!

  • Reply

    Rhonda Sittig

    December 20, 2017

    Love this idea Shamira!! I’ve only used puff pastry like this for sweets. But it would be a fun lunch with friends and it’s so festive. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas ahead. Are you the cook for your family?? Or do you travel somewhere?? Merry Christmas!

    • Reply

      smilingnotes

      December 21, 2017

      Thank you so much, Rhonda! Savory recipes like these with puff pastry also taste delicious 🙂 We’ll be traveling for the holidays. I hope you have a fun time with your loved ones. Merry Christmas to you as well! xoxo

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Thanks for reading. I would love to hear what you think