I'm pretty sure the name comes from Delta Airlines back in the early 70's. Their Corp Chef's vision was to create a dish that airport travelers would come to associate with high quality and create a brand name awareness, but it never caught on in the magnitude he was hoping for.




Just kidding, Jazzfood. Practicing for April 1.

Like many iconic dishes (e.g., jerk or 65, just to stick with the chicken theme), the origins of the name seem lost to time and therefore subject to competing theories; about the only thing everyone agrees on is that all the other etymologies are definitely wrong. Here is a roundup of some of the explanations (you do NOT want to get on the wrong side of the National Chicken Council if you know what's good for you). Personally, the "wing attached" explanation always seemed dubious to me, both aeronautically (planes work best when they have two wings attached) and linguistically (why not "airplane chicken"?) But who knows.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/04/airl ... kills.html

ALL HAIL LADY ASTER® !

http://www.tysonfoodservice.com/Product ... y-Overview

We used to rent run down studio space at 1300 W Belmont in the early 80's. Buddy of mine would regularly do runs to Lady Aster outlet store for frozen airline chicken. Its was great stuff using an electric Faberware chicken roaster and very very affordable. Looks like Tyson owns the brand now.

PigEars wrote:One voice here in defense of airline chicken. It usually comes with the skin on, and is a bit more juicy and tasty than a simple breast. As far as presentation, it looks more like real food than a simple breast, and it is a convenient cut to grill as a single portion. I think this is why airlines used to serve it back in the day, and whence the name. When I pick up a steak for myself at the butcher, I often ask for an airline cut to make for my wife, who doesn't eat steak, and she is always happy with it.

I worked briefly in an airline catering kitchen back when most airlines served meals. They did NOT use the "airline chicken" as illustrated in the video. Remember on the SMALL china that you use on a airliner, the critical issue is space. You do not have room for a large chicken breast.

For chicken breasts, they would bring in BONELESS, skin on chicken breasts that were packed and flash frozen. They would tend to be thicker and have a smaller footprint on the plate. The actual weight would be 3-8 oz. depending on the size the client airline wished to serve. Do remember that all menu items and all points of service were designed by the airline, not the caterer. It was the caterer's responsibility to deliver a specific number of meals, cold and prepared as well as all service items, beverages, and the like directly to the plane.

As a brief follow up, I ate last week at Merlo's also in Hoghland Park. The owner at the original place said his chicken was "like Merlo's" and so I eagerly looked at the menu to confirm. Merlo's menu offers a brick chicken, with half or whole, deboned (abou 90%). I asked the manager to tell me about their brick chicken, and he said it is indeed a half chicken--including dark meat, as a half chicken would have. I also noted his half chicken was about $15, and whole was $22; the original place had the so-called half chicken that was only a breast and wing for $22.

Not to beat a dead horse but I felt a little vindicated. Thanks everyone for your comments.