Coming in hot at around 400 calories is one of my favorite comfort foods, a Vietnamese Poboy—AKA bánh mì. It was my first time trying to fit one into my calorie budget and it was such a treat! I do wish I could’ve squeezed in a little bit more chicken thigh, but I was full enough for it to be a nice lunch. I’ll be trying with lower calorie chicken breasts soon, but I fear they will be too dry for the quintessential texture needed.
Here’s the recipe I posted on my Instagram. Follow for more low cal recipes! I post weekly @sam.the.epicurean
For the quick pickled veg, soak your veggies and the following ingredients for 30 minutes. I leave mine at room temperature since it’s going onto a hot sandwich.
1oz English cucumbers
1oz Radishes
1oz Carrots
1/4 C Rice vinegar (do not substitute)
1/2 C Water
1T Granulated Sugar
Pinch Salt
(remember you do not need to count the the total calories in the pickling liquid as you will not be consuming all of it)
Slice a 4 oz Chicken Thigh and marinate in the following ingredients for an hour—
1T Fish Sauce
1tsp Minced Ginger
1tsp Minced Garlic
1/2T Granulated Sugar
Spray your hot cast-iron and sear the chicken thigh strips. Make sure to get all the marinade onto the chicken—It caramelizes really nicely.
Slice your Poboy bread and pop it in the air fryer or the oven for a couple minutes to toast. Once done, smear 1T of light mayonnaise mixed with 1/2 tsp of Sriracha on your bread. If you don’t like subtle spice, skip the Sriracha. Assemble your sandwich and top with sliced jalapeños and a big handful of cilantro.
The bread I used is 110 cal a roll. You could fit this better in your calorie budget using a low-cal wrap or make it into as a salad! You can top everything on a bed of spinach and skip the bun and Sriracha mayo calories! The pickled veg and marinated chicken have so much flavor and moisture there’s no dressing needed—but you could squeeze fresh lime over everything for a bit more🫶
by sam_the_muggle