I just found a dish on the United Airlines “Bistro Onboard” menu, the Southwest Chicken salad shaker, that is better than any of the current domestic first class menu options.
Highly Recommended: Southwest Chicken Salad Shaker On United Airlines Bistro Menu
Per the menu, the salad is described as a:
Layered salad shaker with brown rice, black beans, chili lime diced chicken, roasted corn, red bell peppers, red onion, pepper jack cheese, and cilantro.
I love the Latin flavors and found the salad very fresh, light, and delicious.
The cost for this is $10 or 1180 miles (less than one cent per point…please don’t waste your points in this way). If you use a United Airlines co-branded credit card from Chase, you will receive a 25% discount.
I’d love to see white chicken breast meat rather than rib meat, but this was a refreshing dish and much better than the chicken with orzo or the plant-based meatballs currently being served in the first class cabin.
I have a feeling this comes from the same kitchen that makes the kale salad shakers on JetBlue, which I also recently enjoyed.
With the dressing and cheese, I’m not sure how healthy the salad is, but it was certainly lighter than the cheeseburger (also recommended), the cheese plate, or a snack box.
CONCLUSION
I greatly appreciate options beyond packaged snacks on longer flights in economy class and United does a good job with its buy onboard menu. The latest addition, the Southwest Chicken Salad Shaker, is highly recommended and not only something I will be ordering again but also requesting from the back when I fly in first class.
Going to try this on my flight tomorrow. United is doing better than Delta and American at buy on board options, but when you look at their pre pandemic menus, it is still a fraction of what it was. They used to have tons of sandwiches, multiple burgers, salads, pasta , etc. I really hope that comes back.
Also Matthew, your question to Sir Tim was excellent, really hope that Emirates can push United to keep improved the soft product. I really wish there was a way to watch the event online, I cannot find anything through!
The soft product can only go so far. The delivery has to do with staffing. United staffs their flights at bare minimum while Emirates has many more flight attendants onboard. United has increased the ‘service’, but has not increased staffing back to pre-pandemic levels. A limited number of attendants on now full planes can only do so much.
Glad for the timely review. I was recently looking at this on the UA website and was wondering about it. Might try it on my flight tomorrow.
yay more single use plastic
As you know, Chicken breast has the higher potential to dry out. Dark meat does not. I don’t understand the American obsession with breast meat when most people can’t even cook it right and it is overly expensive.
Personally, I don’t like the flavor or texture of dark meat, especially thighs. I also like the fact that white meat is more suited to sauces, gravies, and marinades, which is why Buffalo Legs don’t exist.
I’m currently sitting in the Richer Prole section (you may call it Economy Plus) of a UA 739 going from SFO to ORD, and I should have asked about the salad. But I have weird dietary issues that make salads do atrocious things to my intestinal tract, so I avoid them
Still trying to figure out why UA would serve a WN meal that WN doesn’t even offer on its own flights…
The headline threw me off to0 🙂
Just returned from Asia…flights on JAL, Vietnam Airlines, and Thai…all I can say is “wow, how our domestic US Airline expectations have hit rock bottom.”
Yum!
I can’t wait to try this!
Are you saying I can order a cheeseburger, while flying economy on United? I’m flying United more!!!
Yeah, it’s ten bucks and only available at certain times and on longer flights, but you can order one, and they’re pretty good to boot.
All the food choices are usually better supplented if you bring onboard your own food. Airlines never board enough of the most popular food choices. Maybe a survey of a select alltime buy onboard food is needed. Myself, i say preorder online 48hrs before your flt knowing that if you change your flt, you choice is voided. Airlines should also sell food youbuy onboard in their respective gateroom . Wow. What an idea, yes?
Unfortunately it’s not possible for airlines to sell inside the terminal – even in the gate areas. Once you’re on the jet bridge, it’s considered airport territory and you have to battle with the vendors that are set in the airports. Nobody likes competition!
Always amazes me how many extra (known and unknown) ingredients a simple chicken salad has. And the plastic waste of course. Anyway, what can you do? BTWay, I just got off a 6-hour flight not eating anything, just water, and I felt great! i.e. Less jet lag…
Just a warning that I ordered this on my flight today. It’s noted in Hemispheres as served warm, and I was handed a cold jar. I was still fine, until my fork hit a hard surface below the chicken – it was the brown rice that was literally an ice cube at the bottom. I showed the FA the Hemispheres ad and asked him if it was supposed to be warmed up – nope, we wouldn’t be able to put that into an oven. Regardless he was as mortified as I was at the state of the dish, refunded my money and gave me some United miles on top. Not sure if I just got a batch right out of the freezer, but it was complete inedible.