An airline traveler in the U.S. apparently went through security with a fully cooked rotisserie chicken in their carry-on bag, according to a social media post from the Transportation Security Administration.
The post was shared on Threads, initially with the caption: “In order to avoid a jump scare moment please notify TSA of your carry-on rotisserie. The ‘still clucking’ chickens look the same on the X-ray.”
The official TSA account followed up that post with an image of said rotisserie chicken resting on what appears to be a paper plate inside a yellow backpack with a large clear dome and resting in a security tray.
TSA did not say when or where it happened. Rabble News has reached out for comment and confirmation about the legitimacy of the post.
Read More: These are the most expensive ballparks for a beer and a hotdog in 2026
While TSA screens millions of travelers at security every year, it’s likely not the first time someone has brought a cooked bird through airport security.
In fact, the TSA website has an entire reference page about bringing cooked meat through security.
According to TSA regulations, cooked meat, seafood and vegetables can be brought onto a plane in either checked or carry-on bags as long as there’s no liquid with it. Gravy, sauces or drippings can be brought on separately in a checked bag or carried on if it’s under 3.4 ounces.
Frozen ice packs can also be brought through security provided they are fully frozen at the time of screening. Any liquid or slush-like ice packs will be treated like a liquid and are subject to the same liquid restrictions.
Travelers should be aware that any food items or accompanying sauces and sides may come with a risk of additional screening—and potential awkward conversations with their seatmates. Also, depending on the airline, a seat-back tray table might be a nightmare surface to enjoy an entire chicken to oneself.
Best enjoy your rotisserie chicken at home or, at the least, prior to boarding.
TSA releases annual list of unusual finds
The TSA publishes a yearly list of strange and oftentimes illegal items brought through security.
Last year’s list of “Best Catches” was released in January in the form of a seemingly AI-generated video countdown from a nondescript late night talk show, reminiscent of the Top Ten lists popularized by David Letterman’s “Late Show” segment.
Last year’s No. 1 “best catch” was a replica pipe bomb and face C4 blocks complete with wires and a detonator.
The full Top 10 list for 2025 is as follows:
- Explosive replicas found at the Boise Airport
- Turtles smuggled in a person’s pants in two separate incidents at Newark Liberty International Airport, and another turtled concealed in a woman’s bra at Miami International Airport.
- 20 razor blades in wrapped in paper towels, hidden in a sock and then tucked into a traveler’s waistband at Denver International Airport.
- 108 grams of heroin, 500 fentanyl pills, 12 acid tabs, 245 grams of methamphetamine and more illicit drugs hidden in shoes by a traveler passing through Kona International Airport in Hawaii.
- A traveler at Illinois’ Quad Cities International Airport tried to get through security with a knife concealed in their knee brace.
- Dozens of illegal prescription pills stuffed inside a shampoo bottle at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska.
- Another knife brought through security, but this time hidden in a child’s car seat at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
- Bullets and ammunition left improperly stowed and packed into a carry-on bag at Miami International Airport.
- A camouflage-skinned shotgun packed into a golf bag at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
- Bullets, knives and tinfoil checked into carry-on bags at Ohio’s Akron-Canton Airport and at Newark
TSA says all of these could’ve been avoided if travelers checked TSA regulations online or used its “What Can I Bring” tool. Travelers can also text Travel to AskTSA (275872) for resources.
For more stories like this, follow Rabble News on Instagram and Facebook.
