Start by cooking bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until extra crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool completely. Extra crispy bacon maintains better texture when mixed with ranch dressing.
While bacon cools, prepare your chicken by shredding rotisserie meat or dicing cooked chicken breasts into uniform bite-sized chunks approximately 1/2-inch in size. Pat chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Grab a large cutting board or rimmed baking sheet and layer shredded lettuce across the entire surface, creating your chopping base. The lettuce acts as a foundation that absorbs flavors beautifully.
Add diced tomatoes, sliced red onions, and the prepared chicken on top of the lettuce, spreading ingredients evenly across the board. Distribute them in a single layer for easier chopping.
Chop cooled bacon into small pieces and scatter over the other ingredients on your cutting board. Add shredded cheese on top of everything.
Drizzle half the ranch dressing over all the ingredients in a zigzag pattern to ensure even distribution throughout the mixture.
Using a large chef's knife or two spatulas, chop all ingredients together with a rocking motion until pieces are bite-sized and well mixed. Continue chopping and mixing for 2-3 minutes, ensuring ranch coats every ingredient evenly. The mixture should look cohesive with no large chunks remaining.
Toast your hoagie rolls by spreading butter on the cut sides and placing them cut side down in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown and slightly crispy, about 2-3 minutes. This creates a moisture barrier that prevents soggy bread.
Using a large spatula, scoop generous portions of the chopped mixture onto each toasted roll bottom. Pack the mixture slightly to help it stay together.
Drizzle additional ranch dressing on top if desired, then close the sandwich with the top bun and press gently to compact ingredients. This helps everything stick together.
Slice each sandwich in half at an angle for easier handling. Wrap tightly in parchment paper and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve immediately while bread is still warm.
