You Gotta Try This: Buffalo chicken mac and cheese sandwich at Aero Ale House in Loves Park

By Chelsea Meyer and Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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You Gotta Try This is the Rock River Current’s weekly dining feature focused on signature dishes at your favorite local restaurants. Want to see one of your favorites here? Email news@rockrivercurrent.com to suggest a local staple. 

Where: Aero Ale House

Address: 6164 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park

Owner: Matt and Jamie Pendergrass

Opened: November 2014

Hours: Kitchen hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

You have to try: Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese sandwich; Sweet fried chicken sandwich

What’s in it: Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese: A fried chicken breast seasoned in house-made buffalo sauce is topped with a three-cheese blend of macaroni and cheese.

Sweet fried chicken sandwich: Fried chicken breast, Swiss cheese, smoked bacon, apple coleslaw, cranberry and maple aioli.

Previously featured: Ka-Bao! at Octane Rockford

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Why you should try it: After seeing the photo, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “That’s A LOT of carbs for one sandwich.” And you’re right, but this buffalo chicken mac and cheese sandwich from Aero is totally worth it, especially for a cheat day.

The chicken is fried crisp to perfection and drenched in Aero’s house-made spicy buffalo sauce with a thick and creamy three-cheese blend of mac and cheese slabbed right on top. The macaroni and cheese from Aero was already one of the best we have in town, but adding it to a sandwich is the perfect combination.

“It’s kind of decadent, overwhelming sort of thing. You get mac and cheese and you get fried chicken all at once. Why wouldn’t you,” said Jon Koehl, a chef at Aero. “I’m lactose intolerant but I’ll eat it.”

Bottom line: If you love classic spicy buffalo wings and creamy mac and cheese, this is for you.

Pro tip: This sandwich is the perfect combination of buffalo chicken and mac and cheese, but it is messy. Cut it in half if you don’t want all that delicious sauce all over your face. Or, if you do, just ask for extra napkins.

Koehl said his pro tip is to try it with bacon. “If you’re going to go for it, you might as well go for it,” he said.

If you’re not a fan of macaroni and cheese, but like fried chicken and bacon, we recommend the sweet fried chicken sandwich.

For more information: aeroalehouse.com; 815-977-5602; facebook.com/AeroAleHouse

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This article is by Chelsea Meyer and Kevin Haas. Email news@rockrivercurrent.com to suggest our next feature.