This is one of my family’s favorite recipes.  We love BBQ Chicken sandwiches and this is a spin off that.  This is a simple and easy recipe, but make sure you plan ahead to make the french bread that is braided around the delicious filling.  Hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

*Note: the amounts of chicken, onions, barbecue sauce, and cheese in the recipe can be altered based on your preference – simply add more or less to your liking.

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe French Bread Rolls (recipe follows)
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
• 1 red onion, sliced into thin half moons
• 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
After the french bread roll recipe has gone through the first rise, split the dough into two parts. Lightly cover one portion and set aside. Roll the other portion into about an 11X17-inch rectangle (I roll mine out directly on a silpat liner to make for easy transfer to the baking sheet and oven). Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut 1-inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread half of the barbecue sauce down the center strip. Top with the chicken, onions and cheese. Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid. Pinch or twist to seal.

Place the braid on a lined baking sheet (or simply transfer the silpat liner to a baking sheet) and let rest for 15 minutes. While it is resting, follow the same steps above for the second portion of dough. Bake the first braid for 15-20 minutes (while the second braid is resting), until golden brown and bread is baked through. Remove from oven and bake the second braid.

Let the braids rest for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut braid into sections and serve warm.

French Bread Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 3/4 tablespoon instant yeast (or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, give or take a few tablespoons

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl by hand, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups of the flour (if you are using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, let the yeast proof in the warm water and sugar for about 3-5 minutes until it is foamy and bubbly before adding the oil, salt and flour). Begin mixing and continue to add the rest of the flour gradually until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Judge the dough not by the amount of flour called for in the recipe but in how the dough feels. The dough should be soft and smooth but still slightly tacky to the touch.  Knead the dough in the stand mixer or by hand until it is very smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand. Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has doubled (this usually takes about an hour).  Lightly punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly greased countertop. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and form the dough into round balls. Place the rolls on a lightly greased or silpat-lined baking sheet about an inch or two apart. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap taking care not to pin the plastic wrap under the baking sheet or else the rolls will flatten while rising. Let the plastic wrap gently hang over the sides of the pan to fully cover the rolls but not press them down. Let the rolls rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe