HARDEE’S: CHARBROILED CHICKEN SANDWICH

SAVE: 120 CALORIES, 13 G FAT, 4 G SAT. FAT

Before writing this book, if I had been stranded without food on a desert island, and down from the sky dropped a Hardee’s menu with a note attached that said, “Pick any item” (I know, I know, this is far-fetched, but please indulge me), I definitely would have ordered the Charbroiled Chicken Sandwich. The carbs in the bun would give me energy, and the chicken breast would be a great source of lean protein. Throw in some lettuce, a couple of tomato slices, maybe even a few pickles and ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, or light mayo, and I’d have myself a tasty sandwich. Seems like a cinch, right?

Actually, of all the recipes in this book, this one probably shocked me the most. It has more fat than Hardee’s Big Hot Ham ’n Cheese and their Big Roast Beef. Granted, I know that some restaurants rub, or even dip, chicken breasts in oil before grilling them. Some butter the bun before toasting it. Some even heap chicken sandwiches with cheese and/or mayo, so I know to be careful. But even knowing all of that, when I saw the size and composition of this sandwich, I was shocked to learn that it contained 26 grams of fat. Heck, I generally eat between 30 and 40 grams of fat per day, and this sandwich is far from huge. But one taste, and I loved the flavor of the sauce that coats the chicken before it’s grilled. So here it is . . . with the fat and calories you’d expect a chicken breast sandwich to have.

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half (5½ ounces), pounded 1⁄3" thick

1 tablespoon Hardee’s Charbroiled Chicken Grilling Sauce

Olive oil spray (optional)

1 sesame seed sandwich bun (about 5")

4 teaspoons light mayonnaise, divided

2 small leaves iceberg lettuce

2 slices tomato (1⁄8" thick)

IN a small resealable plastic bag, combine the chicken and the sauce. Massage the chicken to coat completely with the sauce. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to marinate, but no longer than a few hours.

Preheat the grill to high heat. Lightly mist a grill rack with oil spray, if needed. Place the chicken on the grill rack. On a gas grill, turn the heat to low. On a charcoal grill, place the chicken away from direct heat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the bun top and bottom, cut-sides down, in the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until toasted.

Place the bun bottom, toasted side up, on a plate. Spread with 2 teaspoons of the mayonnaise. Top with the lettuce, tomato, and chicken. Spread the remaining 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise over the toasted side of the bun top. Flip onto the sandwich.

MAKES 1 SERVING

470 calories, 44 g protein, 43 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat, 3 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber

Original Hardee’s Charbroiled Chicken Sandwich: 590 calories, 36 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 26 g fat, 7 g sat. fat, 4 g fiber

BEFORE YOU START Sesame seed sandwich buns, the 5" size, are larger than standard hamburger buns (about 3½"). Look for bagged sesame seed sandwich buns in the same supermarket aisle as the hamburger buns. To make sure you have the larger size, grab a package of the hamburger buns for comparison.