Description
White BBQ Chicken Subs — perfect for a bold breakfast and weekend meal prep. Makes 4 tangy, creamy Alabama-style subs in 50 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt (for brine)
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- 15 ml olive oil or neutral oil
- Alabama white sauce (see below)
- 4 sturdy sub rolls
- Optional: sliced red onion, dill pickles, shredded iceberg lettuce
- 30 g unsalted butter (for toasting)
- 60 ml BBQ finishing sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Brine the chicken: Mix 1 liter water with 30 g kosher salt and 25 g sugar until dissolved. Submerge chicken thighs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Make the Alabama-Style Sauce: Whisk mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, horseradish or cayenne, sugar, black pepper, and kosher salt. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Season and sear the chicken: Season thighs and sear in a hot skillet for 3–4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
- Rest and slice: Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
- Toast the rolls: Butter the inside of each roll and toast them until golden and crisp.
- Assemble the subs: Spread sauce on rolls, layer chicken, red onion, and pickles; serve immediately.
Notes
- Fridge (assembled): Wrap each leftover sub tightly in foil or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The roll will soften slightly, so plan to re-toast for 3 minutes before eating to restore texture.
- Freezer: Wrap subs without fresh lettuce or pickles in parchment, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Label each package with the date. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight—about 8 hours—then reheat and add fresh toppings.
- Oven Reheat: Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Unwrap the sub, place on a baking sheet, and heat for 8–10 minutes until the roll is crisp and the chicken reaches 74 °C (165 °F) internally. This method best restores the original toasted texture.
- Microwave Reheat: Remove any fresh toppings. Wrap the sub loosely in a damp paper towel, microwave at 50% power for 90 seconds. Check the internal temperature reaches 74 °C. The roll won’t crisp, so follow with 2 minutes in a hot skillet if desired.
- Air Fryer Reheat: Set the air fryer to 175 °C. Place the sub inside and heat for 4 minutes, flipping halfway. The circulating hot air re-crisps the roll exterior while warming the chicken through. Add sauce and fresh toppings after reheating.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Searing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 loaded
- Calories: 412 calories
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 95mg