Fed in Five (or Six): BBQ'd Buffalo Chicken Hoagies

Fed in Five (or Six) is a delicious and time-savvy source for meal ideas and recipes that get you from the express lane to the dinner table without breaking a sweat. Dinner just got simpler with inspiration that combines some everyday pantry items with only five (or six) ingredients.

Summertime is barbecue time; there's just no getting around it. And why would you try? Warm weather, fun in the sun and food savored right off the grill go together like peas, carrots and, well, more peas and carrots. As the days get shorter, make the most of your precious sunlit hours with these awesome BBQ'd Buffalo Chicken Hoagies.

Buffalo Chicken Hoagies

Inspired by the classic (and timelessly delicious) combination of Buffalo hot sauce and blue cheese, these weeknight wonders come together in literally minutes with almost no cleanup needed. Seriously, after you fly through the express checkout, you can just load up your cutting board with the ingredients and then cook and assemble grill-side. I highly encourage it, in fact. They taste better that way.

Buffalo Chicken Hoagies
BBQ'd Buffalo Chicken Hoagies Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup hot sauce
4 crusty bakery rolls, such as a ciabatta or Italian hero
1/2 cup creamy blue cheese dressing
4 large leaves romaine lettuce

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken, basting a few times with hot sauce and turning as needed, until cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Reserve to a plate.

Split the rolls open, leaving the top and bottom attached on one side. Spread about 2 tablespoons blue cheese dressing inside each roll and line the bottom with a leaf of romaine. Divide the chicken between the four rolls. Serve.

Note: This recipe is written for preparation on a grill, but it's just as good made inside, searing the chicken off in a skillet on the stove. If you're bringing Buffalo flair to the table, don't leave old standbys celery and carrot behind. Bulk up dinner's veggie intake with some sticks served alongside — and, if it's been "one of those days" go ahead and wash it down with an ice-cold lager.

Buffalo Chicken Hoagies

Patrick W. Decker’s life revolves around food. Always has, probably always will. As a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and past member of the culinary team for Food Network stars like Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee and Paula Deen, he now works as a food stylist and producer in NYC by day, and a food writer and recipe developer at his home in New York’s Hudson Valley by night. You can see what he’s up to by following his latest Tweets on Twitter at @patrickwdecker or visiting his website at patrickwdecker.com.

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