Blackened Chicken Philly Subs

Every once in a while I decide to try to recreate a menu item from a favorite restaurant. This came about one night while the hubby was out of town, and being too lazy to run out to grab a meal, I found a spare piece of chicken in the fridge that needed to be used. I decided to try to recreate a blackened chicken sub I quite enjoyed at a local Italian restaurant, but it seemed to morph into a chicken philly sub along the way. Hence, the Blackened Chicken Philly Sub.

So, here's how it goes:

1. Brush chicken breasts (I used bone-in split breasts with the skin on for this go-round, just because the bone and skin combine to provide much more flavor than skinless chicken breasts; you can always remove the skin before serving) with canola oil and season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning, making sure to season the outside of the skin as well as under the skin.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; add the chicken and sear on both sides for approximately 12 minutes each side. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 440 degrees F. Once the chicken has been pan-seared, move to an oven-safe dish and bake for 15 minutes. (I originally thought searing on a high heat in a pan and then transferring the chicken to an oven set on a lower temperature yielded juicier results, but I swear the chicken came out juicier after baking on a higher heat).

3. While the chicken is baking, thinly slice a green pepper and white onion; saute in one tablespoon of canola oil on medium heat until softened.

4. When the chicken and veggies are done, place them to the side to let the juices set in the chicken. Meanwhile, brush sliced hoagie rolls with canola oil and brown on the heated skillet used for the veggies.

5. Now here's the key to a juicy sub: once the rolls are browned, remove and brush with mayonnaise (yeah, of course the secret involves mayo). Slice the chicken, place on one side of the roll, and top with the veggies and shredded mozzarella cheese.

6. Serve with baked fries.