The Okayest Chef

March 10th 2021, another special day! Although lets face it: if you’re reading this you love food, so all food holidays are special.

I am not a meal prepper, but I am a pack-your-lunch-every-work-day kind of girl. I keep a pretty strict routine during my work week. I cook myself breakfast and then pack my lunch before my shift. Its contents are always the same; protein bar, yogurt, fruit, and a meal (usually a sandwich). In honor of today also being National Ranch day I crafted my most nostalgic sandwich for my lunchbox. 

During my high school years Subway was the go-to sub shop. On our family trips to the beach house a Subway was perfectly positioned at the halfway point- we stopped every single time. At every one of my volleyball tournaments we would seek out a Subway. Why? It was quick and consistent. No matter how many times we went my order never ever changed-

I’ll have a “Chicken Bacon Ranch with Pickles and Black Olives on Italian Herb & Cheese Bread”

Ah the nostalgia.

Today I’ll pass on the flimsy microwaved bacon with unseasoned rubbery chicken cubes, and a ranch drenched roll, thank you. However, I wanted to create a variation for my lunchbox! 

I have prepared a BLTrC! 

I used all the classics of a BLT; I crisped up two slices of thick-cut bacon in a cast iron skillet, sliced one tomato, and grabbed one iceberg lettuce leaf.

The chicken took a little more preparation. I used blogger Cookies & Cups recipe for Slow Cooker Crack Chicken to create my ranch marinated chicken. The recipe is very simple; chicken breasts, ranch packet, and cream cheese all into a crockpot and let it go.

Simple way- place smaller pieces of cream cheese underneath and on top of the chicken breasts. The way that takes slightly more work- soften the cream cheese first and blend it with the dry ranch packet. Smear that on top of the chicken breasts. 

My ranch chicken turned out incredibly juicy and creamy. The Hidden Valley ranch packet is already filled with zing, but I zhuzhed it up with some extra salt and pepper to help elevate the seasoning over the heaviness of the cream cheese.

The profile of the sandwich is simple, but harmonious. The ranch marinated chicken is creamy, tangy, and the mixture of spices gives it a zing. The crispy bacon gives the sandwich a much needed crunch. The tomato provides the acid needed to lighten up the heaviness from the cream cheese based chicken and the fattiness of the bacon. The lettuce gives a second element of crunch, but it more importantly gives a little freshness for this heavy sandwich. Oh and don’t forget to lightly toast your kaiser roll. I believe all bread should have a light toast for a sandwich!