Bacon got REALLY expensive the year before I left the chef life for the wide world of food sales. I ended up running this as a special on the bars but it’s become a staple for me whenever I get the craving.
Sourdough, dukes mayo, good tomato, lettuce, battered and fried chicken skins. You get that crunch and savory you want from a BLT at a WAY better price.
Buy bone in, skin on chicken thighs. Remove the skin, set aside. Remove the bones, set aside. Portion your new boneless, skinless chicken thighs and throw them in the freezer (I recommend a vacuum sealer). Throw the bones in a reusable silicon freezer bag. Bread and fry your chicken skins.
Use the chicken thighs for whatever you might want boneless, skinless, chicken for. It’s got uses beyond counting.
For the bones, you’re going to make stock. I keep a silicon bag of vegetable scraps in my freezer. Crack the bones so the marrow can get out, throw them in a boiling pot with all manner of vegetable scraps (onion tops/roots, carrot ends and skins, celery tops and roots, the), some herbs, and some salt. Strain this through a fine mesh to prevent any accidental broken chicken bones, and you’ve got a great stock.