Massive Portions, Low Prices, and Bangin' Jerk Chicken at this FIU Hidden Gem
This might be the biggest quesadilla you've ever seen
Every college town has that place. That sandwich shop or little hole-in-the-wall restaurant alumni reminisce on long after they leave. Where they got four days’ worth of food for like $8 from an owner the entire school knew by name. It’s the first stop when they come back for football games, and usually, the owner remembers who they are.
Sweetwater isn’t a college town in the way most of us think of one. There’s criminally few bars with $4 liquor pitchers, and nobody’s taking proposal pictures at Pitbull Stadium. But it is home to one of the largest universities in Florida. And at FIU, that iconic spot with massive portions, low prices, and memorable owners is The Green Chicken.
If you’re an FIU alum, you know about it already. If you’re not, it’s worth the trip out to Sweetwater for overstuffed quesadillas, epic jerk chicken bowls, and pretty much anything else a broke college kid would dream of on their weekly $50 food budget. Because the food at the Green Chicken isn’t just cheap and plentiful, it’s also delicious.
So this is just Chicken Kitchen with quesadillas?
No! Sure, you can get a big bowl of chicken and rice for less than you’d pay for an appetizer at most restaurants. But Green Chicken goes far beyond that, as the couple who owns it curates requests from students for bowls based on their home cuisines. Since this is Florida International University, expect everything from tikka masala to teriyaki to chimichurri steak.
The scene: Is pure, college town fast casual. Students are the main clientele, and the couple who owns the place seems to know them all by name. They know the students’ stories, they’ve met their parents. They know what kind of bowl, burger, or quesadilla they’re going to order before they even open their mouth. There’s some seating outside under a large neon sign that reads “Just eat me and go,” which seems about right for a college spot.
What to eat and drink: When I say the portions here are enormous, I’m not joking. The $7 standard quesadilla comes packed with over half a pound of meat, and eating just two slices of it feels like a full meal. It’s best ordered with jerk chicken
The bowls are gargantuan. A large runs about $18 and enough for two people, and the rotating daily specials give you flavors of the international student body. I had the chimichurri steak with plantains and black beans, and could only finish half. The jerk chicken was equally spectacular. The Tikka Masala – usually served on Thursdays – is apparently a massive hit too.
Perfect for: Leftovers. Unless you’re training for an Ironman anything you order here will last you two meals.
Don’t miss: The jerk chicken. The husband half of the ownership duo is Jamaican and the jerk chicken is some of the best I’ve had in Miami. It’s chicken thigh but is the kind of thigh that isn’t slimy or greasy, and could pass for white meat if you didn’t know.
Expect to pay: $10-20 per person.
How’s the parking? Absolutely awful. Because most of Green Chicken’s clientele is walking over from campus, finding parking is near impossible. Cruise the residential area and see if you can find something.
@thegreenchickenmiami // 737 SW 109th Ave., Sweetwater