ham and cheese braided bread

Recipe Introduction

This braided bread is a quick and impressive lunch or snack. It combines tender chicken, savory ham, and melted cheese all wrapped in a buttery, flaky puff pastry. The best part? It’s effortless with only 4 ingredients and yields a dish that looks fancy but tastes amazing.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet of puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
• 2–3 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
• 6–8 slices of ham
• 1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or your choice)

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Prepare Puff Pastry: Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Trim edges if needed. Cut 1-inch strips along both long sides of the pastry, leaving the center section intact.
3. Layer Filling: Place chicken slices down the center of the pastry. Top with ham and then shredded cheese.
4. Braid the Pastry: Fold the pastry strips over the filling in a crisscross pattern to create a braid. Tuck the ends underneath.
5. Bake: Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Serve: Let cool for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy warm.