Viva Chicken

Located at 4520 West Wendover Avenue in the Wendover Commons shopping center in Greensboro, Viva Chicken offers Peruvian cuisine in a fast casual environment. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Outdoor seating, online ordering, and takeout catering are available.

As one of the few Peruvian restaurants in the area, Viva Chicken was likely to attract some buzz no matter its quality. Fortunately, the Greensboro location of this (mostly) North Carolina-based chain offers more than just novelty.

Viva Chicken does brisk business, but lines tend to move quickly. Order at the counter, take a number, and look for a table. There appears to be enough seating to keep up with customer demand, and the counter staff are friendly, efficient, and definitely up to the task.

As the name suggests, chicken is the specialty here, specifically, pollo a la brasa (Peruvian rotisserie chicken), which is sold in varying portions (1/4, ½, or a whole chicken) with sides. For those who want to partake but don’t want to commit to that much bird, chicken can also be added to sandwiches (wraps) and salads. Viva also offers a few Peruvian favorites such as arroz chaufa (fried rice) and saltado (steak with tomatoes and onions) as well as desserts (churros and tres leches) and beverages (herbal lemonade, fruit drinks, and Inca Kola).

For our first visit, my wife and I opted for a limena chopped salad (lima beans, kale, romaine, corn, edamame, bacon, chickpeas, queso fresco, and ranch) with an herbal lemonade (lemon, lime, rosemary, and mint) and a naked Peruvian wrap (quinoa, avocado, feta, lettuce, tomato, cucumber) with a side of plantains and a maracuya (passion fruit punch). We added chicken to both dishes, and we didn’t have a long wait to receive our food.

Though my side was a small portion, my wrap itself was plenty filling and delicious. The vegetables tasted fresh, and the chicken was as good as expected. A dash of one of the available salsas made it even more flavorful. My wife enjoyed her salad (especially the large-kernel corn) and found the herbal lemonade to be quite refreshing.

Viva isn’t cheap for fast casual – our lunch came out to over $25 – but the quality of the ingredients makes it a worthwhile expenditure. Those who’ve frequented Peruvian eateries may quibble about its authenticity, but for the likes of Greensboro, Viva Chicken is far more fair than foul.