The Flying Chicken (El Pollo Volador)

The Flying Chicken has been mentioned before in a thread about El Llano and lies just couple blocks SE of there. After a brief stop at the Sulzer library last night, Ms. EC and I stopped in to split a bird. This was not my first time eating from FC, but my only other experiences had been less-than-pleasing mass takeout lunches when I worked in the area.

The dining area was clean and decorated in a tropical-Christmas theme (I assume the Christmas half of this theme is temporary). Latino music playing over a muted television showing Latino soap operas. FC advertises "Mesquite-Roasted" chicken, but there was no discernable smoky smell.

I was tempted by the Cazuela de Mariscos w/Tostones, but my appetite (and their specialty) said "chicken". We ordered a whole bird to split, as was the original plan. For $11.95 you get the bird and either papas fritas or maduros. We chose both and paid the extra side dish fee. (There are plenty of half and 1/4 options with different side combinations).

The chicken is served with a very mild salsa that I have seen used with churrasco many times. I don't know if it has a specific name, but it's very thin and made with cilantro, peppers, and oil (perhaps someone can enlighten me). FC's version is mild but satisfying and goes well with their chicken. The chicken was served in four quarters with a very moderate mesquite flavor. The white meat was on the dry side, as I expected, but was enjoyable after being soaked in the salsa (and a little hot sauce from a bottle). Judging by the hardening meat in the wings and the waning smoky flavor of the skin, I suspect that the chicken was re-heated on a grill after being cooked earlier in the day.

The highlight of our meal was the little plate of maduros: crispy edges and soft, sweet centers. Then again, I've never met a plantain I didn't like.

The whole experience made me wonder if the Flying Chicken serves much better birds when the room is full (if that ever happens) or at the beginning of lunch hour. I left full, but not overly impressed. I felt like I would have enjoyed it more had we been there with a few more people and had the chance to sample some more items.

Best,
EC

The Flying Chicken (El Pollo Volador)
3811 N. Lincoln Ave.
773-477-1090

Thanks for remenidng me of FC. I haven't eaten there since they first opened and I lived not too far away. I remember the chicken as being very nicely marinated.

I had a 1/4 chicken there at the early part of the lunch hour, and had the same impression you did: not smokey, dry, reheated. Not bad for all of that. The beans & rice [or was it a bean soup & rice?] were very tasty.

Giovanna

The Flying Chicken folks owned a place on Fullerton near Kedzie. Recently, this place changed owners and is now called Gloria's. I was at Gloria's about a month ago, and it was not nearly as good as before. It makes me think that, perhaps, the entire Flying Chicken team left town.

Rob

We stopped in this evening, a Sunday, and were pleased with the experience. My husband ordered a mango shake (with milk, not water) and received something that tasted almost like a mango lassi and contained chunks of mango.

For dinner: We started by spliting one saucer-sized arepa, which was about a half-inch thick and filled with a mild but tasty cheese. There were bottles of smoky hot sauce (mostly smoky, not very hot at all) and the arepa went well with this. The side salad we ordered turned out to be iceburg lettuce with pale tomatoes and onion slices (odd surprise: they offered dressing, then brought out a bottle of some anonymous store dressing).

However, we had better luck than other posters with the 1/2 chicken. Ours was juicy and nicely spiced, no dryness at all. I liked the cilantro sauce, but it wasn't really necessary with this bird. The chicken came with a half-potato, which had been roasted and had a crispy exterior. The beans were also very good.

All in all, a very pleasant experience.

We went last night (Saturday around 6:30 pm). It was good, and though it is no longer BYO (which Metromix still says it is) they let us drink our wine.

I don't think the chicken was fantastic, it definitely tasted reheated, or held, at least. But it was fine, and it wasn't very expensive.

The new Pollo Volador (Flying Chicken) location at 3402 West Montrose was open for business when I passed by last evening.