Chicken Bacon Hoagie: Lower Cal vs Restaurant Style

How do you learn how to make a lower-calorie chicken bacon ranch hoagie that actually tastes good? Learn how to make the original version first.

RESTAURANT STYLE - Chicken Bacon Ranch Hoagie

227 g chicken thighs (2 boneless, skinless)
1.5% salt
14 g mayo
An obscene amount of fresh ground black pepper
3 slices of bacon
42 g shredded cheddar
11-inch homemade hoagie roll
45 g homemade ranch (recipe below)
50 g lettuce
40 g tomato
40 g pickled red onions

Let's get all the ingredients prepped then we'll assemble.
To start, slice the chicken thighs so they lie even. Sprinkle 1.5% salt over both sides and let this sit in the fridge for an hour. Meanwhile, mix 14 grams of mayo in a bowl with an obscene amount of black pepper in order to truly call this black pepper chicken. Pull out the brined chicken and dab the excess liquid. Slather the black pepper mayo over the thighs and coat both sides evenly. Move the chicken thighs to a cast iron over medium heat and cook until nicely browned and the internal temp reaches around 160F. Let cool before slicing.
With the chicken done, cook the bacon in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until crispy.
Thinly slice some romaine lettuce, a bunch of tomatoes, and gather the pickled onions.
Slice open the roll and slather the homemade ranch on both sides of the bread. Pack on the chicken followed by the bacon and cheese. I threw this under the broiler for a minute to help it melt. Then add the lettuce, tomato, and some of those gorgeous pickled onions.
To wrap the sandwich, get a large piece of parchment paper and line the hoagie slightly back from the center on a diagonal. Pull the edge closest to you and wrap over the hoagie giving it a quarter roll. Tuck in the left side, then the right side and continue rolling the rest of the way until you have a tight little bundle of joy. Secure with tape and mark your sandwich. Let this sit for a couple of minutes to let those flavors get to know each other and then always cut on a diagonal.

Ranch Dressing (From the Professional Chef, slightly altered ingredient amounts)

90 g sour cream
90 g mayo
30 g milk
15 g red wine vinegar
juice from 1/4 lemon
5 g dijon mustard
Pinch of fresh minced chives
Pinch of fresh minced parsley
1 garlic clove, grated
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix together. Taste it. Add more salt and black pepper as needed.

LOWER CAL - Chicken Bacon Ranch Hoagie

227 g chicken breast (1 boneless, skinless)
1.5% salt
14 g mayo
An obscene amount of fresh ground Black Pepper
3 slices of turkey bacon
1.5 slices of Havarti
11-inch homemade hoagie roll
45 g Walden Farms 0 cal ranch
50 g lettuce
40 g tomato
40 g pickled red onions

METHOD

Let's get all of those ingredients prepped then we'll assemble.
To start, bash the chicken breast until it is flat and even. Then we'll add 1.5% salt and let this sit in the fridge for an hour. Meanwhile, mix 14 grams of mayo in a bowl with an obscene amount of black pepper in order to truly call this black pepper chicken. Pull out the brined chicken and dab the excess liquid. Slather the black pepper mayo over the breast and coat both sides evenly. Move the chicken thighs to a cast iron over medium heat and cooked until nicely browned and the internal temp reaches around 150 or 155 F. Let cool before slicing.
With the chicken done, slide the turkey bacon on the cast iron and cook until it's browned.
Thinly slice some romaine lettuce, a bunch of tomatoes, and gather the pickled onions.
Slice open the roll and slather chipotle ranch on both sides of the bread. Pack on the chicken followed by the turkey bacon and cheese. I threw this under the broiler for a minute to help it melt. Then add the lettuce, tomato, and some of those gorgeous pickled onions.
To wrap the sandwich, get a large piece of parchment paper and line the hoagie slightly back from the center on a diagonal. Pull the edge closest to you and wrap over the hoagie giving it a quarter roll. Tuck in the left side, then the right side and continue rolling the rest of the way until you have a tight little bundle of joy. Secure with tape and mark your sandwich. Let this sit for a couple of minutes to let those flavors get to know each other and then always cut on a diagonal.