Make a special birthday dinner for someone you love. This savory Happy Birthday Chicken, Artichoke, and Three Cheese Bread Pudding is festive and fun and packed with flavor.
I know that adding "Happy Birthday" to the top of what is essentially a casserole isn't nearly as clever as my Crescent Dough Carrots or Sleeping Bag Wraps, but after making this recipe, I just had to share it with you because it really is one of the best things I've ever eaten.
Bits of sauteed chicken breasts and marinated artichokes are nestled in between layers of creamy custard soaked pillows of Challah bread and the whole thing is enveloped in rich melted cheese.
Yum!
I've made this recipe three times in the past few months and everyone I've served it to has loved it.
The savory bread pudding itself is really easy to make so dressing it up with toasted bread that spells out "Happy Birthday" is a fun way to add a festive touch to this birthday meal.
Be sure to follow the instructions below and toast your bread. Toasting the bread will ensure your bread pudding is not too soggy. I know it takes some time, but it is really worth the extra effort.
The toasted bread stays creamy but holds its shape.
You can see the layers of toasted bread, marinated artichokes, chicken all combined with three kinds of cheese pictured above.
Are you ready to dig in?
Chicken, Artichoke, and Three Cheese Bread Pudding
(serves 8-12)
Ingredients:
Challah bread - This dense bread makes great bread pudding but you can use any good-quality bakery bread. You'll cut it into cubes and toast it in butter.
butter - You can use salted or unsalted butter. You'll melt the butter and toss it with the bread cubes before toasting them in the oven.
whole wheat or whole grain bread - The darker colored wheat bread will be cut into letters to create the "Happy Birthday" topping for this bread pudding.
olive oil - Used to cook your shallot.
shallot - Shallots have a milder flavor than onions. If you prefer, you can use an onion.
white wine - I like to use Sauvignon Blanc but any white wine will work fine.
garlic - Be sure to only cook the garlic for about 30 seconds so it doesn't get bitter-tasting.
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese - Freshly grate your cheese for the best texture and flavor.
Asiago Cheese - Aged Asiago cheese will add a rich flavor to this dish.
Farmer's Cheese or Muenster cheese - You want a good melting cheese with a mild flavor.
marinated artichokes - The seasoning in the marinated artichokes will add a lot of flavor to this dish, so do not substitute with artichokes packed in water or brine.
chicken breast - You can use rotisserie chicken for added flavor.
eggs - Use large eggs.
whole or 2% milk - Do not use 1% or non-fat milk to make your custard. Whole milk is best but 2% works fine too.
heavy whipping cream - Cream will add richness to the bread pudding.
salt and black pepper
Special Equipment Needed:
3 baking sheets
aluminum foil, optional
alphabet cookie cutters
pastry brush
9" x 13" glass baking dish
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
Optional: line baking sheets with foil for easier clean-up.
step 1 - toast the bread
- Cut your challah bread into 1” cubes.
- Spread the cubes into an even layer on two baking sheets. You want to have room around the cubes so they brown evenly.
- Pour about 2 tablespoons of butter over each baking sheet and toss the bread cubes to coat.
- Use alphabet cookie cutters to cut the letters to spell "Happy Birthday" out of wheat bread.
- Discard, eat, or compost the scraps.
- Brush melted butter over both sides of the cutout bread pieces.
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Bake the bread cubes and bread letters for 45-60 minutes, flipping bread over halfway through until the bread is dried and slightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
step 2 - make the layers of your bread pudding
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add shallot and cook until caramelized.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in wine and stir.
- Increase heat to medium-high and cook until wine reduces by half.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Toss the three kinds of grated cheese together.
- Butter a 9”x13” baking dish.
- Sprinkle one-half of the toasted bread cubes at the bottom of the dish.
- Sprinkle on half of the artichokes, chicken, and cheese.
- Top with the remaining bread cubes, artichokes, chicken, and cheese.
step 3 - arrange "Happy Birthday" toast and finish the bread pudding
- Arrange the cutout letters on top of the cheese layer.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, whipping cream, salt, pepper, and the reduced wine/shallot mixture.
- Pour evenly over the layers of bread, artichoke, chicken, and cheese, making sure to pour some over each of the letters.
step 4 - weigh down the pudding and chill
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Set a piece of cardboard cut to fit inside the baking dish (or use a small cutting board or another smaller baking dish) on top of the bread pudding.
- Then add some weight (a few large jars or cans) in order to compress the bread pudding, so that all of the bread soaks up the custard.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but up to 24 hours.
step 5 - bake your savory bread pudding
- When you are ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take the bread pudding from the refrigerator and remove weights and plastic wrap.
- The letters will look flatter and may need to be straightened out a bit.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes until cheese is bubbly and bread becomes golden brown.
- Serve hot.
Printable Recipe
See some fun birthday dessert ideas below the recipe.
Savory bread pudding filled with chicken, artichokes, Parmesan, Asiago, and Farmers Cheese. Top it with toasted bread spelling out "Happy Birthday."
- 1 (16 ounces) loaf Challah bread, cut into 1” cubes
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted (reserve a small amount to brush 9x13 dish)
- 7-12 slices whole wheat or whole grain bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 shallot diced
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese freshly grated
- 4 ounces Asiago Cheese freshly grated
- 2 ounces Farmer's Cheese or Muenster cheese
- 2 jars (14-ounce jars) marinated artichokes, well-drained and coarsely chopped
- 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and diced
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups whole or 2% milk
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
-
Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Optional: line baking sheets with foil for easier clean up.
-
Cut challah bread into 1” cubes.
-
Spread into an even layer on two baking sheets.
-
Pour about 2 tablespoons of butter over each baking sheet and toss the bread cubes to coat.
-
Use alphabet cookie cutters to cut the letters to spell "Happy Birthday" out of wheat bread.
-
Discard, eat, or compost the scraps. Brush melted butter over both sides of the cutout bread pieces. Place on a baking sheet.
-
Bake the bread cubes and bread letters for 45-60 minutes, flipping bread over halfway through until the bread is dried and slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
-
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
-
Add shallot and cook until caramelized.
-
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
-
Pour in wine and stir. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until wine reduces by half. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
-
Toss all of the cheese together.
-
Butter a 9”x13” baking dish.
-
Sprinkle one-half of the toasted bread cubes at the bottom of the dish.
-
Sprinkle on half of the artichokes, chicken, and cheese.
-
Top with the remaining bread cubes, artichokes, chicken, and cheese.
-
Arrange the cutout letters on top of the cheese layer.
-
Whisk together the eggs, milk, whipping cream, salt, pepper, and the reduced wine mixture.
-
Pour evenly over the layers of bread, artichoke, chicken, and cheese, making sure to pour some over each of the letters.
-
Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
-
Set a piece of cardboard cut to fit inside the baking dish (or use a small cutting board or another smaller baking dish) on top of the bread pudding.
-
Then add some weight (a few large jars or cans) in order to compress the bread pudding, so that all of the bread soaks up the custard.
-
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but up to 24 hours.
-
When you are ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Take the bread pudding from the refrigerator and remove weights and plastic wrap.
-
The letters will look flatter and may need to be straightened out a bit.
-
Bake for 55-65 minutes until cheese is bubbly and bread becomes golden brown.
-
Serve hot.
This recipe was originally published on August 3, 2011. I updated with fresh pictures in 2022.
Birthday Dessert Ideas
After you've enjoyed this delicious Birthday dinner, you may want to enjoy a festive birthday dessert too.
This Rainbow Birthday Cheesecake will make a great ending to your birthday dinner.
Bake a bunch of large Birthday Candle Cookies then decorate them with candy-coated chocolate Sixlets.
Or arrange a grouping of Birthday Balloon Rice Krispie Treats to share with your birthday party guests.
These Breakfast Pastry Birthday Balloons make a fun dessert too.
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Digital Printing says
hey this is awesome! I've been thinking of a birthday surprise for my husband. I wanted to write a "happy birthday" on the dish that I'm going to prepare but I don't know how. Well, I found you,You gave me an idea,he will definitely like this!
Mis-Cakes says
YUM!!! i totally am putting this on my to make list!