City Chicken isn’t as common as it used to be, but people in the Great Lakes region of North America still like it. Also, here’s a secret: it’s not chicken, it’s pork! This is a unique part of Polish-American food culture that you can try for yourself.
You can also make your own Seasoning Salt for this recipe. You can then dip them in BBQ sauce or my delicious Honey Mustard Sauce! If you’d like, you can use the pan juices to make pork gravy at the end.
City chicken is a delicious fried dish that originated in the Midwest, particularly in cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Despite its name, city chicken contains no actual chicken! It’s made from pork, veal or a combination of both.
It was called “city chicken” during the Great Depression because chicken cost more in cities than pork or veal. People put cubes of pork and veal on skewers, dipped them in egg and breadcrumbs, and fried them until they were golden and crispy to make a fake fried chicken. The resulting dish resembled fried chicken legs.
Making city chicken at home is easy to do Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make classic city chicken for your family
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pork, veal or a combination, cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water
- Eggs
- Milk or water
- Seasoned breadcrumbs
- All-purpose flour (optional)
- Spices like salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder
- Vegetable oil for frying
Step-by-Step Instructions
Skewer the Meat Cubes
- If using both pork and veal, alternate them on the skewer.
- Thread 2-3 cubes per skewer, leaving a small space between them.
- Make sure to soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes prior so they don’t burn during cooking.
Bread the Meat Cubes
- Crack eggs into a shallow bowl and beat them with a bit of milk or water.
- In another bowl, mix together seasoned breadcrumbs and any spices you want.
- If you want a very crispy crust, dip the skewered meat in flour first before dredging in the egg wash.
- Dip each skewer in the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Then dip in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere crumbs.
- Repeat egg and breadcrumb layers for an extra crispy crust.
Fry the Skewered Meat
- Heat 1⁄2 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a deep fryer if you have one.
- Fry skewers in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side.
- Drain fried skewers on a paper towel-lined plate.
Bake the Skewers
- Place skewers on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
- For extra crispiness, bake for 10 more minutes uncovered.
Make Gravy (Optional)
- To make gravy, cook sliced mushrooms and onions in the skillet you fried the meat in.
- Sprinkle some flour and stir to make a roux.
- Whisk in chicken broth and simmer until thickened.
That’s it! Your city chicken is ready to be enjoyed. Serve it with mashed potatoes, mac and cheese or a fresh salad. Dip it in your favorite condiments like barbecue sauce, ranch or honey mustard Enjoy this flavorful and juicy meat dish straight from the Midwest!
Tips for Best Results
- Use metal or bamboo skewers instead of wood if you want to skip the soaking step.
- Mix up the seasoning in the breadcrumbs – try garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder.
- For a low-carb version, use crushed pork rinds or almond flour instead of breadcrumbs.
- Flash frying before baking gives the coating a crispy, crunchy texture.
- Bake uncovered for maximum crispiness. Tent with foil if meat is drying out.
- Let baked city chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving for juicier meat.
- Pair with cooling sides like coleslaw, broccoli salad, macaroni salad or fruit salad.
The History of City Chicken
City chicken has a long history and strong cultural ties in industrial Midwest cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland where many Eastern European immigrants lived.
At the beginning of the 1800s, chicken was a treat and cost a lot more than pork or veal. People who moved to cities where fresh meat was harder to find came up with cheap recipes like “city chicken” to get the flavors they wanted with less expensive ingredients.
During the Great Depression and World Wars I & II, these mock chicken recipes grew even more popular since meat was rationed and costlier. The dish likely originated in Pittsburgh’s mill worker communities before spreading to other Rust Belt cities.
People in Pittsburgh and Cleveland still love city chicken, and it’s often served at church dinners, family reunions, and fundraisers. It’s a tasty slice of cultural history!.
If you want a hearty meat and potato meal, try this Midwest classic! It only takes a few easy steps, and in less than an hour, you and your family can enjoy juicy, crispy city chicken.
How To Avoid Over Cooking Your “Chicken” In This Recipe?
When cooking city chicken, one of the hardest things is making sure it doesn’t get too done, just like when making real fried chicken.
While chicken thighs and legs might get tastier and tastier the longer you cook them, many cuts of pork that you would use in this recipe do not.
Not only will the breadcrumbs burn if you cook them for too long, but the meat will also be burned and tough and chewy.
To avoid overcooking it, make sure you are keeping a careful eye on your oil temperature, preferably using an instant-read thermometer. In case the oil is too hot, the breadcrumb coating could be done cooking before the meat does.
Furthermore, to avoid any overcooking or having to deal with dried-out meat, definitely do not skip the step of the water in the casserole dish.
By cooking your city chicken inside of some tented aluminum foil over the water, you ensure a moist cooking environment that not only results in more tender meat but also helps to avoid it overcooking.
Looking for more delicious Pork recipes? Try these out:
Enjoy! Now, in all honesty, how many of you have ever heard or eaten this recipe? It’s quite unusual and I was so excited to share it with you!
How To Make City Chicken
• Place 3-4 cubes of pork onto each skewer
• Sprinkle with seasoning salt on each of the skewers, and then set the skewers aside
• Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl
• In a separate bowl, pour in the seasoned bread crumbs
• Pour 2 cups of chicken broth into a 9×13-inch pan or rimmed sheet pan with a wire rack inside and set aside
• Heat the vegetable oil to medium-high heat.
• Take each skewer and coat with breadcrumbs, then egg mixture, and then repeat one more time.
• Once done, lay the skewers carefully into the hot oil
• Brown until crisp and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, and then set aside
• Set the skewers on a wire rack in the casserole dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F for 60 minutes
• Remove the foil and bake for 10 additional minutes, trying to dry out the coating, remove and then serve hot
City Chicken
FAQ
What is city chicken made of?
City chicken is not actually made of chicken. This dish is made with pork or veal cubes that are threaded onto skewers and breaded to look like chicken drumsticks.
Why is it called city chicken if it’s pork?
Edit: The name comes from using off cuts of meat to fake a “drumstick” like you would get from a chicken. Poultry farms were largely in rural areas whereas slaughter houses for pigs and beef were generally in the city, hence “city” chicken. (Chickens were generally slaughtered on farms and eaten fresh. ).
How long does it take to cook city chicken in the oven?
PreparationPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Add eggs to a shallow bowl and whisk vigorously. In a separate bowl add Breadcrumbs, Paprika and Parmesan cheese. Lightly salt and pepper City Chicken. Put the City Chicken in an oven that has already been heated for 20 minutes, or until it reaches 145 degrees inside.
What is the secret to good fried chicken?
The secret to good fried chicken lies in a combination of preparation, seasoning, and cooking technique. Brining the chicken, using a flavorful flour dredge, and frying at the correct temperature are key.
How do you make city chicken?
I think anyway you make it, city chicken is pure comfort food at it’s best. Try the HERB breadcrumbs, with poultry seasoning (parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme. ) Mix SMOKED paprika and WHITE pepper into the flour. All these combine to trick your “tastebuds” (really just your sense of smell) into believing it’s chicken.
How do you make a city chicken sandwich?
All you need to make this simple recipe is pork or veal cubes, eggs, seasoned breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, paprika and vegetable oil. Classic city chicken is usually made with a mixture of lean pork and veal and not chicken. However sometimes I just use pork because it’s cheaper and easier to find.
What is the best way to cook city chicken?
The best way to cook city chicken is low and slow in the oven until it is fork tender. This is the best city chicken recipe because it has the secret ingredient that makes city chicken taste great. What’s the best way to cook city chicken? You might find several different ways to prepare city chicken.
Is city chicken a Polish recipe?
It’s sometimes thought of as a Polish recipe, although it’s not actually from Poland. What’s up with this dish? Dating back to the turn of the previous century, City Chicken, a Polish-American recipe, has roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio and spread to Great Lakes cities such as Detroit, Michigan and Buffalo, New York.
What is city chicken?
City chicken is a skewer of pork cubes that are breaded, deep-fried, and then baked to resemble fried chicken. I like to use all pork, but the tradition is to use pork and veal combined. I grew up in Northeast Ohio, and this was my all-time favorite dish when I was little.
Where did city chicken come from?
The city chicken recipe origins date back to the 1700’s when raising chickens in the populated cities became impossible. Inexpensive cuts of pork skewered on sticks to resemble chicken drumsticks became a substitute for chicken as a meal. City chicken became even more popular as the great depression hit and resources were scarce.