Chicago gets a taste of Shaq’s Big Chicken: Opening day for Rosemont location set for next week

On the menu: a Spicy Chicken Stanwich, featuring a collaboration between Big Chicken and Stan's Donuts.

Photo byKeith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

(CHICAGO) Big Chicken, a fast-casual chicken restaurant founded by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, is coming to the Chicago area.

The grand opening for the Rosemont location (9421 W. Higgins Road) will be Tuesday, July 11th. A second location is coming to Schaumburg along Roselle Road. The opening date has yet to be announced.

The first 34 guests to arrive on the opening day get the prize of one free Big Chicken sandwich per week for the year.

“We are so excited to welcome Big Chicken’s first Midwest location this fall and introduce its delicious chicken sandwiches to Rosemont’s residents and visitors alike,” said Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens in a press statement. “The 2,610-square-foot venue will join Stan’s Donuts and Small Cheval as we welcome the next generation of quick casual restaurants to Rosemont this fall.”

Will Shaq appear on Rosemont opening day?

Nothing has been announced regarding an appearance by the NBA star. We don't know if Shaq himself will show up for the opening day. However, he has appeared at other openings of his fast-casual restaurant in the past.

What's on the menu?

Although it's a casual chain, everything is made from scratch, setting it apart from other fast-food restaurants.

Big Chicken is known for its southern style with a twist, including crispy chicken sandwiches, homemade mac and cheese, and custardy vanilla milkshakes.

The chicken breast on the signature sandwich is brined, breaded, and fried to order in-house. There are plenty of variations of the chicken sandwich, including the Shaq Attack, which is made with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño slaw, and spicy chipotle barbeque sauce.

Another choice is the Big and Sloppy: a massive creation filled with mac & cheese, crispy fried onions, and roasted garlic barbeque aioli.

Sides include mac and cheese with a Cheez-It crust, jalapeno slaw (featuring smokey vinaigrette with cilantro), and crispy fries.

On the dessert menu are hand-crafted shakes, ice cream sandwiches, and the large, Shaq-sized chocolate chip cookie.

The Chicago influence

The Rosemont location will have a unique menu item only available in the Chicago area. Big Chicken partnered up with Stan's Donuts to create the Spicy Chicken Stanwich.

The sandwich is an incredible combination of Nashville Hot Chicken and Big Chicken sauce inside Stan's maple glazed donut.

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