A home run!

I am not going to take credit for this one! My friend Annie (who wanted to remain anonymous) came up with this! We both like to find recipes on the website, "Life as a Lofthouse"http://life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com/, and Holly has a couple of different ideas for the "braid". However, Annie wanted to give this version a try. I was all for it and the results were amazing! The basic braid instructions are on Holly's blog and the possibilities for this are pretty much endless!

I started off with 2 chicken breast, marinated them for a couple hours in some Italian dressing. I grilled them inside as my husband was busy for the night and wasn't around. (I can grill, but turning on our grill requires a bit of magic that I don't have!)

While I was grilling those I took out my refrigerated pizza dough and rolled it out on a greased cookie sheet and let it come to room temperature while I finished grilling the chicken. I also started my sauce for the chicken, a very simple Alfredo sauce.

When the dough is easy to work with, spread it out on the sheet as if you were going to make a pizza and starting on side go down and make a cut about every one inch the way down each side, leaving about a 4 inch column down the middle.

Once the chicken is finished grilling let it rest while you make the Alfredo sauce. Just chicken and sauce would not do for me, so I added some sauteed red peppers and red onions to my end of the braid.

Next start assembly! I started by putting down the chicken on the dough. Then on my section only of course added the onions and peppers. Then I drizzled the sauce down the chicken, I think you could also just add the chicken into the sauce before you added it all to the dough. Next I layered the chicken with shredded cheese and then started to braid my dough. I can't make this look pretty but appearance isn't everything...right!!?! Then I added my olive oil that I mixed with some seasonings and brushed on the top of it right before putting it all in the oven. The last five minutes of baking I also added more cheese! The results were amazing! My kids asked for seconds and when my husband got home later that night, well let's just say I didn't have any leftovers for the next day! Hopefully Annie will keep coming up with ideas like this one! Enjoy!

Chicken Alfredo Braid

with help from Annie and Life as a Lofthouse

1 can refrigerated Pizza Dough

Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast

Italian Dressing

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 TBLS Butter

3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

2 TBLS Olive oil

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Basil

1/2 tsp. Thyme

Being by marinating chicken breast in Italian Dressing, recommended at least 2 hours. When ready, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take refrigerated pizza dough and spread on greased cookie sheet, set aside. Grill Chicken. Melt butter with heavy whipping cream and add Parmesan cheese, whisk till smooth and remove from heat. Cut one inch size strips down the side of the dough, repeat on other side. Place the chicken on dough down the center, drizzle sauce over chicken and sprinkle with Mozzarella Cheese. Braid and tuck as you go sealing up any openings. Stir together olive oil with Garlic powder, Bail, and Thyme and brush over braid. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The last five minutes of baking time add more shredded cheese to top of braid.