City Chicken isn’t actually chicken; it’s also been known as mock chicken. 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. Nostalgic comfort food from the Rust Belt.
Made of small bits of meat, usually pork and veal because during the Great Depression, they were less expensive than chicken. The meat used was often scraps, placed on a wooden skewer and formed to resemble a chicken leg. It was breaded and fried and/or baked.
I made City Chicken over the weekend, it was the first time I’d sampled the mock chicken, and I have to say the experience is very similar to eating fried chicken. My husband, Ed, grew up near Pittsburgh, and is a more experienced connoisseur of City Chicken than I. When I said I was going to make it, he knew what I meant. 🙂
He told he that the last time he’d had City Chicken was probably in a restaurant in the Strip District, at the foot of Polish Hill (home to the Immaculate Heart of Mary church), on a visit to Pittsburgh. If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth a stop in the Strip District.
Wonderful food markets and restaurants. There’s a Polish Deli, Wholey’s (an amazing fishmonger). This is where I first visited a Penzey’s Spice store (long before they had a location in Tucson), first sampled the Pittsburgh classic of steak strips and french fries garnishing a green salad, but that’s another story.
Ed remembered seeing City Chicken the grocery stores when he was growing up, packs of stew-like meat with skewers included, but his family usually ate chicken. I think by that time, the price pendulum had swung the other way because even though money was tight, his mother fried a huge platter of chicken every Sunday as they hosted extended family.
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Like most recipes, there are many variations. You have many cooking options: deep fry, pan fry, fry and then bake to finish, or just bake. Some like to serve City Chicken with some kind of gravy, we had it with my mushroom sauce.
If you’d like to make this a low carb recipe, try any of these substitutions for the bread crumbs; all are tasty and satisfying ways to get the desire texture in the coating:
- ground almonds
- ground almonds & Parmesan Cheese
- ground pork rinds
City chicken is a tasty nostalgic dish that I think you’ll enjoy. Can you think of other recipes with such misleading names? I’m sure this isn’t the only one.
Smacznego!
Lois
PS – I found a vintage city chicken mold, an advertising item for a butcher supply company, and did a taste test using ground pork, a mix of cubes and ground pork, and the only cube version that I have written up below. Ed and I have given up meat for Lent, but we had a friend over for dinner, and Jeff was the official reviewer even though he had never had city chicken before.
As I suspected, the mold shapes the meat best when using just ground pork, and that was Jeff’s favorite version. He just liked the texture best. If you want to give it a try, I mixed the ground meat up much like meatloaf: 1 pound ground pork, 1 egg, 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground marjoram, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Then I breaded the skewers as described below. I just baked them at 350 for 25 minutes, but you could pan fry and bake as below.
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City Chicken a Polish-American Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4 - 6 1x
- Category: Meat
- Method: fried
- Cuisine: Polish
Description
A nostalgic comfort food
Ingredients
- https://amzn.to/2YOqdYa1 1/2 pound pork, cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes
- Seasoning salt (another indicator that this Polish-American rather than Polish)
- wooden skewers
- flour, for dredging
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoon water
- 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350
- Season pork with seasoning salt, and thread onto 4 inch skewers
- Set up three bowls or plates with rims in a row (fill one with flour, one with the eggs, and the last with breadcrumbs)
- Roll the pork skewers in flour, dip in the eggs coating all side, roll in the bread crumbs
- Heat oil to 350, even brown the pork skewers in the hot oil
- Place the skewers in a baking dish and cover with foil, bake for about 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for 5 minutes to crisp breading
Notes
If you have a wire rack that fits in your baking dish, you might use it and add a little water to the bottom of your dish to steam your chicken city and keep it moist as it bakes.
Another possibility is to place the skewers on top of crumbled foil (to keep it out of the water) or on top of vegetables that you’re roasting at the same time. Because the “chicken legs” are only in the oven for 20 minutes or so, the vegetables will 1. need to be in thin pieces to cook during that time, 2. or they will be al dente, 3. or you could bake the veg a bit before or after the meat.
Keywords: City Chicken, mock chicken
An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com, she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.
kat
we make this alternating pork and veal cubes. use plain breadcrumbs. no seasoning salt! do not dredge in flour. dip in egg wash, roll in breadcrumbs. repeat at least once, more if you like breading. fry in oil til brown, turn over, brown the other side, layer in roasting pan. mix leftover breadcrumbs in egg wash, shape into a patty, and fry that too. add this patty to the meat that’s been browned.(there’s always someone at table who like breading!) add a lil water to bottom of pan, cover tightly, bake at 350 degrees F. until tender. tip- it’s easier to skewer meat cubes if they’re frozen! but these need to bake longer because they don’t thaw all the way through when browned. the ones on bottom of pan will be softer, bertter for older people. the top layers will be crispier. but all are great! serve with mashed potatoes, a veggie, and a salad.
Jan
My mom made City chicken when we were growing up! I loved it. It was always so tender and delicious!! She used salt, pepper and paprika in her flour dredge. I haven’t had it since she passed. Going to make it for Sunday dinner just like she did. Thank you for the recipe!
Allison
Our Polish family recipe is very similar. I make City Chicken with veal and pork alternating cubes on a skewer as above. But I do dredge in flour first and then the egg mixture, into breadcrumbs. Fry in some oil and brown on both sides, then place on top of a bed of sliced onions in a baking dish, pour beef broth over and cover with foil and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Served with a cucumber salad (super thinly sliced cucumbers almost transparent, sliced onions, vinegar, sour cream a little bit of sugar, salt & pepper to taste) and mashed potatoes! Yum!!
Anita Bear
My mom used to make a patty of the extra breadcrumbs and egg too! I was born and raised in Cleveland.
Michele Ferree
My mom always made a patty of the leftover breading when she would make breaded pork chops and I loved it!
★★★★
jim letnicky
I grew up in Chicago. My Polish-American mother called it “mock” chicken legs.
richard hyerczyk
I am from Chicago too and my mother also called it Mock chicken legs!!!
Ian
That’s what we call it in Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Racine as well.
Sherry Tuszynski Heal
I grew up in Milwaukee and we always called it mock chicken legs, not city chicken. Mom also made the breading patty.
Erin
My Polish grandmother lived in Racine. wI and made this all the time while my mom was growing up. Recently my mom compiled a list of all our family heritage recipes for me and low and behold, City Chicken was in there! Thanks for sharing the history!
★★★★★
polishhousewife
My pleasure, Erin! How wonderful that your mom put together the family recipes. I hear from people weekly who are trying to find an old family recipes because no one ever wrote them down.
Fran
We call it City. Chicken too! I use pork and veal cubed and alternate pieces on a skewer. I then dip the stKewers in egg wash then roll in bread crumbs and place them ina fry pan with a little oil to brown the.m. Remove and place in 9×12 square pan and pour 2 cans of cream of chicken soup over skewers and add one can of water and one can of chicken broth overskewers. Bake for 1. 1/2 hours longer if not cooked….delicious!
polishhousewife
Sounds really good, Fran!
Jackie Curtis
This is exactly how I was taught to make city chicken. It’s a wonderful comfort food meal in the winter.
★★★★★
kathryn rowland
I remember when my MOM these and we loved them in Toledo Ohio. Yep a Polish neighborhood.
We called them “Mock City Chicken Legs”. I had looked for the How Too’s many times.
Thank you for giving me the recipe.
PS We also ate a lot of chicken then. So these stood out for me.
polishhousewife
Enjoy, Kathryn!
MARY L TETLAK
I had to chuckle when I saw this post. I made city chicken as did my mother. She was raised in Charleroi PA while I was raised in Cleveland, OH. I liked city chicken. There is a post on Facebook asking what is the one thing your mother made when you were a child that you hated and won’t eat today. I said liver while my daughter said city chicken. Oh well, can’t please everyone. haha! Had to read this to my husband who is Polish. Thanks for the memory.
polishhousewife
LOL, what a great story, Mary. BTW, my husband was born in Charleroi!
Nancy
I was raised in Charleroi too…guess what my daughter and her fiancé requested for Christmas dinner…City Chicken!! My husband makes the best!!
Jenny P
I am making city chicken right now and was reading through these comments…I was born in Donora, PA. Was just in the Mon Valley this 4th of July weekend. I also brought home some chipped ham.
polishhousewife
I had never heard of chipped ham until I met my in-laws! We have been “don Donora.”
Peg Howson
I grew up in Bentleyville and went to Mon Valley Catholic and my Aunt Kay would make City Chicken that she got from the local grocery store.
Wallie P Polinski
I was born and raised in Canonsburg PA.
Janet
I also live in the Mon Valley area. My bubba was polish and my mom made this all the time. Funny my daughter’s birthday is on Valentine’s day and requested this for her dinner. Love our heritage.
polishhousewife
Happy birthday to your daughter; sto lat!
Louise kokoszka
Hi. Iam a
Michelle
I grew up in the Pittsburgh area. You can still buy it at local grocery stores. Thanks for the memory.
polishhousewife
I’m glad to hear it’ still around! Thanks, Michelle! 🙂
Michele Ferree
We just bought ours at Lampert’s Market near Renzie Park in McKeesport Pa. They also sell ham loaf mix and make all their own sausage. I don’t know if anyone else grew up on ham loaf?
★★★★
David
Really interesting how this came to be. Thanks for a cool food history lesson!
polishhousewife
My pleasure, David!
Andrea Majewski
I grew up on city chicken as we are american poles but have been away from it for a ling time. I live in Michigan and getting ready right now to head out on a snowy January afternoon to Sabina’ Polish Restaurant in Melvindale just outside Detroit. It might have been an economy meal in its day but I plan on making it for Easter dinner. After all, I am on a budget but I know itvwill be well received!
Sharon
We love Sabina ‘s in Melvindale……
Now it’s 2021 and restaurant is not open. Due to Covid. A small place but always full of people. For some reason carry out does not taste the same as sitting in the tiny restaurant and eating..
Joan S.
Love City Chicken. Realized it was not truly an ethnic Polish recipe when I asked a recent Polish immigrant to share her recipe and she did not know what I was talking about. Never heard of it.
polishhousewife
That’s funny Joan, the same could be said of Polkas. So popular with Polish-American, but not so much in Poland. 🙂
Jeffery B. Hayes
Lois,
I grew up in Southeastern Ohio, the son of a second generation butcher. I discovered your site and this recipe while searching for another recipe for “Mock Chicken”. My mother, God love her, was German (as was 75% of the county) and though I’m older than dirt I still smell those wonderful aromas every time I think of her.
Everything I’ve read here sounds familiar. That generation was so demonstrably shaped by the Great Depression and WWII that wasting anything was a sin. I had forgotten City Chicken. I saw this recipe and the memories came rushing back. She used lard. In fact, my mother could have gotten us to the moon with just two items: Lard and her Cast Iron Skillets. As I recall, the chicken was browned perfectly, never heavy or greasy. I seem to remember that she added white cornmeal to the breading which gave it a crispness; the texture was amazing. In the summer time green pepper, finely diced was a welcome addition to the recipe.
At that time, small town butchers were also unofficial “culinary consultants” and I realize now that many family dishes gained a wider audience in this way. Many, many times I remember my Grandfather, Uncle or Dad waiting on a young bride new to the kitchen or a middle-aged mother of six whose reputation as a Supreme Commander in the kitchen was well established. As I swept the floor or cleaned the display case glass, I listened as they walked the bride through choosing a cut then offering simple instructions on preparation; always simple, basic and delicious. Her confidence grew and they gained another loyal customer. The seasoned kitchen veteran called for a different strategy. She knew her way around and could spot a phony from a mile away. I’d listen, her choice made and wrapped, as the familiar, “Say, Mrs. Fleighman have you ever tried doing this with that roast?” Her confidence in the boys with the aprons and perhaps familiarity with my mother or her family, made her want to know more. In all cases, these were family recipes passed on, genuinely in the name of customer service, and soon could be found on the tables of any and all. I’d wager City Chicken could be found on someone’s supper table, in some form or another, every night of every week in that little hamlet. I’m sorry for the nostalgic detour.
Briefly, mother would hand grind beef or pork or both (therein lies the problem, I don’t know) together with garlic, onion, black pepper, and some celery I believe. To that coursly ground mixture she added Miracle Whip and salted to taste. She made all of our bread and rolls. All of it. I can’t put into words how yeasty and glorious it was, I would come in from playing and she would toast two wonderful slices of that bread and spread it with homemade butter she bought from dairy farmer friends of theirs. She would take that meat concoction out of the “Fridge” and spread a generous portion on a slice of toast and top it with lettuce, onion and a slice of tomato from the summertime garden. I know I sincerely appreciated it then, but now? Oh what I would give. My sister is 13 years older and married right out of high school. They moved to Detroit. When they were planning a visit home, she would always ask Mom if she could make some MOCK CHICKEN. My sis always had some waiting for her when she arrived and went back to Detroit with a Tupperware tub as well.
That’s the Mock Chicken search that brought me to your site. I’m so glad that it did. Forgive my diatribe, please. Thoughts of food distract me.
Love your site. Happy New Year!
Warm regards,
JB Hayes
Greensboro, North Carolina
polishhousewife
Thanks for sharing such lovely and thoughtful memories!
Chaley
Thank you for sharing your stories. I make almost all of our food from scratch (and work full time). I often wonder if my sons will remember any of it. It’s great to hear that you remember your mom’s cooking so fondly.
polishhousewife
I think they’ll remember, Chaley! ❤️
Janet Mayer Jordan
I am so glad to read that so many people cherish the memories of our childhood days, and I relate totally! I have many of my mother’s Recipes and being the second of 8 children, I was blessed to be her assistant in the kitchen! She became a Chef at a restaurant called Chef Paul’s (heading out of White Oak to Route 30), and I washed dishes there, and moved up to “salad girl”. I watched those huge trays of lobster tails, Filet Mingnon to name a few, and the smell and sight of those meals she made were indescribable! I am so proud of her!! She went to the 5th grade, and was taken out to raise her two younger brothers, so no diploma, or culinary degree…she was amazing. Dad used to say anything she touches becomes purer than Gold! I guess by now you realize that I am retro girl. I treasure the 50’s and 60’s and I am so grateful for being born in 1951 and living with clothes from the church basement, making up games to play outside, playing jacks, roller skating, sled riding, getting squirted with the hose in our yard to cool off in hot summers, walking to school, sitting on the curb downtown Mckeesport watching the parades, all 10 of us going to the drive-in on a Saturday or Sunday. I loved the food commercials and the swings and that cool speaker hanging from our window! Sorry …I could go on forever!
So mom made City chicken with pork, and the polish gravy, mashed potatoes and fresh out of the garden sliced ripe tomatoes for her tribe of 10 at least once a month. Or when the budget allowed. It was our favorite meal! We never felt deprived or poor. We were happy kids. When we got clothes given to us, we were thrilled to get something new (to us), and I only wish our future generations could experience even half of the life I had. Thanks for letting my spirit get carried back to the times that were so great!
Mary
The best of times. Ever!
Sher A Shirey
My husband was born in McKeesport and had an uncle in White Oak. I recently made City Chicken for him for the first time. It came out ok; but needs a little fine tuning.
Jane Belger
Thank you for reminding me of this dish my grandma used to make! She used a deep electric fry pan. When you went to grandma’s on ‘your day’ and had City Chicken? The rest of us would sigh. There were 4 of us. We each has a day each week when we got to go to grandma’s after school.
★★★★★
polishhousewife
I know that one on one time with her had to be so special. What a wonderful memory. Thanks for sharing, Jane!
Grandma Cheri
Love your rantings, J.B. Um a retired teacher nowadays so U know how many years ago I recall….our Italian uncle married a Polish bride who kept us eating…gloriously…to our heart’s delight. They R all gone now, just fantastic memories. It IS crazy good how the olfactory nerves remember SCENTs/TASTES! I thank God for those senses all the time. Keep writing. U R a very good READ!
Ewa
As an immigrant, I can confirm this as well. I had a similar experience of someone asking me about city chicken and I was at a total loss. I did grow up eating kotlety, though, which is similar… meatloaf-like ground beef patties, breaded and pan fried.
Dawn
What type of work do you recommend? Tenderloin? Loin? Thanks!
polishhousewife
I used a pork roast. It wasn’t a tenderloin.
Dawn Knowlton
Thanks!
DeeDee Walkusky- Lenard
I am part Polish, German, Czech, & Pennsylvania Dutch & I am from Minersville, Pa. City chicken is a well-known & very popular in Schuylkill County & all the surroundings in Pennsylvania.I am making some tonight for myself.
Darlene
I remember Gramma making City Chicken 50+ yrs ago. I think she used chicken and pork, not sure, but any two meats would work, heck even one, venison would work for sure!
I learned by watching her.
I need to make again, I’ll make extra and freeze pre-cooked, for a hearty, winter meal.
It’s been years, but oh so good!
TY for the reminder of Gramma’s cooking and the wonderful memories I have of her. And for the recipe!
I come from healthy Polish peasant stock, Welsh and Irish (I think). Great Gramma came over in the belly of a passenger ship, I guess I’m 3rd gen Polish American. She settled in upstate NY, Rome, Utica, Syracuse area, where my Gramma grew up before moving to Akron Ohio as a teenager, then meeting and marrying Grampa and starting their family of 5 children. As a child I remember traveling to upstate NY to visit family, going to the butcher to carry pounds of kielbasa, which was kept in the freezer for Easter (Good Friday) and Christmas dinners, when families gathered for holidays, lots of aunts, uncles, cousins and good eating! Kielbasa, perogie, galumki (sp?), mashed potatoes, kruschiki (sp?), fruit fikked cream cheese cookes, stuffed celery sticks, black olives, so much food!
Christine
My Mom made this with cubed pork and beef.
Connie
I grew up in the Pittsburgh area and now live in Tucson also. My mom always made City Chicken, thank you for sharing your recipe!
Terrie Smith
I would make these all the time , my mother made them when we were kids. My father was from Austria/Hungry when it was one country. He remembers his mother making them when they were kids. My family just loved it .
yvonne
My mom used pork and beef but I do not know what cut of beef to use. Any suggestions?
polishhousewife
Veal and pork would be traditional.
Linda k
Grew up in Chicago, mom was German dad was Polish, enjoyed mock chickens legs often……haven’t thought of these in a long time, thank you for wonderful memories
polishhousewife
My pleasure, Linda!
Mark Kus
I have made this dish many times on a regular basis since i couldn’t wait for Christmas and Easter to enjoy it at both my Polish and Ukrainian families. This City Chicken version with flour…may be a spin off from the original recipes from Eastern Poland and Western Ukraine. People in the north and west of Poland have other influences and of course would not hear of this. They are originally named PATYCHKI (sticks), marinated cubes of pork and/or veal with garlic(lots), onions, paprika, olive oil…..(I use Italian Dressing to speed things up) then dredged in egg wash and rolled in breadcrumbs. Flash fried then either laid length wise on celery stocks or stand on end in a roasting pan for the oven. If you search “Patychki” you will notice another side of this delicious entry.
★★
polishhousewife
Thanks so much for this info, Mark. I’ll check it out!
Susan
Mark, the flour came first because if you flour, egg wash then bread crumb the city chicken (or pork chops) then put in the fridge for an hour before Browning the breading stays on much better.
Patricia Jaroslawski
Your version sounds more like my family’s version (Polish family from Montreal, Quebec, Canada). We called it Patychki as well. We would marinate cubes of pork veal and bacon overnight with cloves of garlic and salt. These would then be threaded on wooden skewers, dredged in flour, egg and seasoned bread crumbs and fried. The browned “sticks” were then placed on a rack (or a bed or carrot and celery sticks) in a roasting pan, covered and baked. This was and is one of my favourite meals.
Patricia Jaroslawski
We also called these patychki in my family. I grew up in Montreal, We marinated cubes of veal and pork with garlic cloves and salt. We then threaded the cubes on a small wooden stick (which were saved and washed again and again) with a piece of bacon for every 2nd or third cube of meat. The sticks were dredged in flour, then eggs, then seasoned bread crumbs, and shallow fried until brown on all sides. The sticks were then laid in a roasting pan on top of carrot and celery sticks, covered, and baked. They were labour intensive so we didn’t have them often and were considered a special occasion meal.
Pam Bartling
Do you happen have a recipe for a mushroom gravy? Can’t wait to make this 🙂
polishhousewife
This would be delicious, Pam:
https://polishhousewife.com/creamed-mushrooms-grzyby-w-sosie/
Phyllis
I am 1st generation Italian American and my mother made this. She used Pork & Veal. The recipe is similiar but we would put grated parmesean cheese in the egg mixture with Italian seasonings and fresh parsley. After frying and browning, she would layer celery stalks in bottom of roaster so chicken pieces didn’t stick to the bottom of pan. Delicious. My two grown sons, her grandsons still ask me to make it for them.
★★★★★
polishhousewife
That sounds delicious, Phyllis; thanks for sharing!
Judy Stopczynski
We make about 80-90 city chicken every Christmas….It’s a tradition we have kept through the years
Sometimes I use pork and veal…sometimes just pork…After my city chicken is browned and put in a pan, single layer…I smother them with chopped onions, a little water for steam, and cover tightly….
Love your sight…Thanks. Judy
polishhousewife
Wow, thanks a lot of City Chicken! <3 Thanks for your kind words.
Walter campbell
If I remember correctly. My foster mother who was Slovak would dad mushroom soup in the baking dish and bake.
Karl E. Sparn, Jr.
I grew-up in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood. Wagner’s Meat Market at the near corner of Penn and Winebiddle Avenues was a landmark, originally Moebler’s Meat Market. Harry and Earl Wagner continued the tradition of H. Moebler. The saw-dust covered floors, Monarch Bally Blocks, and oak-doored, beveled glass doored McCray ice-boxes, meats in full view. Oh, yes and city/mock chicken on a stick, in the case. Wagner’s used a ground recipe then molded the mixture in a hand-held metal press shaped like a large pair of scissors with a hole for the wooden skewer—when finished they looked like chicken legs. Those were the times! Like the steam locomotive – I lived and witnessed the end of many eras.
polishhousewife
Thanks for sharing, Karl.
Karl E. Sparn, Jr.
It’s “K” …like kraut.
polishhousewife
Sorry, Karl, my mistake. I’ve corrected.
Janice Emerson
I was born and raised in Washington Pa but spent most of my adult life in Pittsburgh until I moved to Tennessee 15 yrs ago. I just came home yesterday from a shopping trip to Pa. I had a list of things to bring back to TN and, yes, City Chicken was on the list. I brought 3 packages so I could give one to my son but 1 package was only pork, the other 2 were pork and beef, not veal. I don’t remember my mother breading the City Chicken. I think she just fried it, at least that’s the way I made it.
polishhousewife
I’ve been to “Little Washington,” Janice. I think your City Chicken sounds great!
Norma
Thanks for this surprise discovery. My (recently deceased) Mom’s long-gone Aunt (Cioci) made this for us kids and we couldn’t get it often enough. Except for Mom’s Golabki, & her Cole Slaw (nobody on earth ever came CLOSE to it), the City Chicken is what I miss most in Polish cuisine. Mom also made better lasagna than any restaurant, pizzeria or private citizen, despite being 100% Polish-American..
Thanks for the mushroom gravy recipe, too. I’m fully stocked for this week’s menu, but will be making city chicken next weekend. Can these be frozen, then defrosted & re-heated ?
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Yes, I would reheat in the oven when thawed.
Kathy
My family came from the Pittsburg area and we’ve made it with pork and veal. But if changed to beef cubes. Our recipe is the same. Love my Polish heritage.
Cindy
I was raised on these. I’m from Natrona,Pa. These were mainly served on Sunday’s with mashed potatoes, creamed corn, beets (moms canned beets), and those little sponge cakes with strawberries & whipped cream. I love city chicken. Thanks for the memories.
polishhousewife
I’m glad you enjoyed a trip down memory lane. <3
Mary
Love city chicken as a young girl growing up in Pittsburgh. My mom used veal and pork cubes!
★★★★★
Sherrie Hayes
It was a staple at Polish weddings, funerals etc along with the best meatballs! Pork and veal most definitely! Mock city chicken was ground pork and veal shaped like a chicken leg on a skewer rolled in corn meal and bread crumbs! Still love it!
polishhousewife
I just got an antique chicken leg mold for this very recipe! 🙂
eleanor hohman
I live in Ohio, but was raised in Pittsburg area. I learned to make city chicken from working in a restaurant. I use all pork cubes, dip in flour, then egg wash, then bread crumbs, I then brown them in skillet, then i put in baking dish. Pour over 2 cans of creamed chicken, plus 2 cans of water. Bake at 350 degrees foe 2 hrs. Serve over cooked noodles.[ I forgot i put them on a stick first. i use salt , pepper, and garlic powder.} enjoy.
Nancy
What cut of pork did you use? Everyone lists pork cubes but wondering what cut of pork to buy. thanks!
polishhousewife
Hi Nancy, I don’t use tenderloin because I want some fat on it. Anything else is fair game. I buy what is on sale or whatever I have time to chop up. Dicing up a pork shoulder roast takes a lot longer than pork chops.
Dianne, from Brook Park OH
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and my mother and grandmother made this! I love it and make it with veal and pork. I like to serve it with parsley buttered fried noodles and applesauce. My family loves it too.
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Sounds fantastic, Dianne!
Phillip Gondeck
My mother made city chicken for my birthdays it was my favorite meal as a child. I’m 83 years old now and I still remember how it was eating this wonderful dish. Question do you have a recipe for szarlota Or in English Polish apple cake?
polishhousewife
Hi Phillip, I’m glad city chicken brought back some happy memories for you. I do have a szarlotka recipe, and it’s one of my most popular recipes over the years. https://polishhousewife.com/szarlotka-polish-apple-pie/
Janet “Mayer” Jordan
I was born in Washington PA in 1951. Mom made this for our big family of 10 throughout our childhood and I have missed it so much. I was surprised to find a number of videos for preparing City Chicken on YouTube. I plan on making it for our small church pot luck lunch in the New Year. Until then, I will be searching for the Knorr mushroom bullion cubes and the Magic Fry breading mom used to put in her Polish gravy. That’s what we call it in Pittsburgh. I have been researching which part of the pig would be “roasting pork” or pork scraps. Does anyone know?
Jack Giles
Pork shoulder AKA Roasting Pork, also Fry Magic is sold at Giant Eagle, so I would also check there for the Knorr Mushroom Bullion Cubes.
Larry
Grew up in Fayette Co. PA. My Aunt & Uncle had a grocery store in N. Charleroi, PA. We would get the cut veal and pork from Wuja. Smaczny!!!
polishhousewife
Bardzo smaczny!
Vicci
Rating it before I try it (tonight) because my Mom gave me the exact same recipe this morning and hers were wonderful! My husband and I lived for 31 years in the Pittsburgh area before moving 5 years ago. We were homesick and just moved back. I went to Giant Eagle to pick up some groceries, and saw the pork cubes + skewers in the meat case so I just had to buy it. :). Ahhh, home sweet home!
★★★★★
Vicci
A quick edit to above. 🙂 I have made this recipe a few times and have settled on what works best for us. First, 2 eggs is too many, I use 1 with a tablespoon of milk beaten in. Instead of seasoned salt, I use salt with pepper, dried thyme, and paprika. Delicious comfort food! Now is my go-to recipe.
★★★★★
Ann Harper
Found this googling city chicken recipes. Grew up in a Slovak-Polish household in Cleveland so city chicken is part of my heritage. I used to collect antiques and just now realized that puzzling kitchen gadget I found years ago was a chicken leg mold! Thanks for solving that mystery!
polishhousewife
That’s great!! Thanks for letting me know.
lauretta snydee
We lived in Bucyrus Ohio and would buy city chicken from our grocery and we lived it but weren’t sure what was on it. What a memory
Can’t find anyone who knows about it@
Anna
I’m from Poland originally now living in the US and have NEVER heard of this. It must be something implemented by immigrants for sure 🙂
Jeannette
Hello to all from PA. My father from Charleroi and mother from Monessen. Raised in Bell Vernon. My Mom made city chicken with one pork, one beef and one veal cube. One of my favorites. So good to hear from Pennsylvanians. I live in NC now and no one here ever heard of City Chicken. Love to all.
See R
Do you know what cut of veal to use in this recr? I am unable to eat pork and miss having it around the holidays!
★★★★
polishhousewife
Traditionally, they would have used scraps, so I think. you can use any cut.
Kris
This was my favorite dish as a child. The grocery stores sold the cubes if pork on the sticks all ready to cook. Growing up in a Scandinavian community, I always assumed it was Swedish or Norwegian, like I am.
Pamela Moskalski
My mother made this one of my fathers favorites ❤ I’ll have to try making them
Michele
My mom made city chickens using pork and veal. How long do you cook them if using both meats?
polishhousewife
I wouldn’t change the baking time.
Ian
This is a school lunch classic in Southeastern WI. We call it mock chicken legs on this side of Lake Michigan though. I’ve heard Milwaukee Public Schools intentionally schedules it in the cafeteria on the day the state determines funding, so that more kids will show up and get counted LOL. Will have to try the recipe soon. Since the school lunchroom way back when, I’ve only had it once or twice, and only from the supermarket.
Paul
I’m a second generation polish-american born and raised in Detroit. Grandma made this dish all the time and everybody loved it! This recipe is the closest I’ve had to grandma’s. Enjoyed reading the comments. I hope everyone takes time to share memories and recipes with children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We can all use a little more happy tradition in our lives.
★★★★
thomas pesek
My Mom made this all the time, I loved it
She used pork and veal
I’m from Cleveland.
She would brown it in oil then bake in a roasting pan on top of toast slices to absorb the oil and fat.
timothy
don’t use bread crumbs … use cracker crumbs !
Bob Cavin
I grew up on City Fried Chicken. My grandparents (separately, younger) came to US after WWI. When WWII started my Grandfather went back to Poland and enlisted in the Polish Army. When he came back to the states he went to Detroit, meet my Grandmother, and worked at Ford. City Friend Chicken was the new American peasant food. Pork was more readily available thanks to the Chicago meat exchange (supplying most of the mid-west).
Deb Zeiber
Our family called them City Legs (we were from Reading PA) Our mom would work so hard making these and the 6 of us would be standing there by the stove like little birdies…chirping for City Legs. She would give us all one from the first batch, shoo us away, then commence to frying up a ton of them! Years later when I had my son, I would make them and he and his friend would stand by the stove and chirp!!! At that time all I could afford was chicken but they were just as great as the ones my mom made out of veal and beef! In fact, since it is going to be cold and freezy this weekend, I just may have to fry up a mess of ’em!
★★★★★
Terry mckay
I grew up in The South Hills of Pittsburgh. You mentioned Wholey’s Fish Market. The owner of Wholeys was a neighbor. They had a bunch of kids. The last time I visited Pgh. we went to the strip district and I went to Wholeys. I talked to one of the sons that now run the market. I told him how much we loved watching them as little kids play, but mostly get into trouble. What a great place to grow up. Wish I would have not moved after I was married so my boys would have the childhood I had. All those great Polish weddings and cookie tables. My nieces kids still have cookie tables at their weddings and even play a polka at the reception. Thanks for the memories and I will have to try making city chicken. Terry
polishhousewife
I’m glad to remind you of those good memories. My daughter who lives in the San Fransisco Bay Area had a cookie table at her CA wedding after seeing them at her cousins’ weddings.
Carol Kasper
I grew up around Cleveland, OH. My family was Slovak-American. We called it “City Chicken.”
★★★★
Janine Smith
Loved this recipe! My mom would make this when we were young and could skewer the pork and veal for her. Our busy hands made the task of making city chicken for 6 kids and mom and dad go a lot faster. As oldest I was trusted to do the dredging. Mom fried them herself. Took me a lot longer by myself, and now I can do the browning too! Like a few others here, I added paprika to my flour. I’m not sure if mom did or not, but it seems right. Oh, and whoever shared about making the leftover bread crumbs and egg into patties, what a great idea! My husband was tickled pink with that! He loves breading!
★★★★★
Mike Penkas
Polish grandma always made it with pork and veal. Veal is getting hard to come by and expensive. Made it tonight. My recipe, that I have been making since I got married in 68. I use high quality beef cubes from sirloin tip. Pork is from the butt roast, loin is too dry. After putting on skewers I salt and pepper them liberally and dust them on all sides with flour. I then coat with egg wash and roll them in saltine cracker crumbs. I then brown them in Crisco shortening. Then I arrange them in a pyrex cake pan with a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. I add water to come up about a 1/2 inch and tightly cover with foil. I bake them for 2 hours in a 350 deg oven. After the first hour i peel back the foil and suck up all the liquid and put it in a fat separator and pour the defatted liquid back in with a little more water. I cover them back up and finish them the last hour. After 2 hours I uncover them and let them crisp back up and evaporate most of the liquid. I have tried several other methods but this is my favorite along with our guests for the holidays.
Jeanne
What is the best cut to use for the pork cubes? My mom used to make this. Sadly, she is no longer with us so I can’t ask her. I don’t make a lot of pork dishes so I don’t know much about what part is best to use for a particular recipe. I would love to try this.
Lois Britton
Originally, it was made with scraps. I think you could use any cut, but I’m on the lazy and cheap side, so I look for something on sale and something quick and easy to dice up. I would be more likely to choose pork loin, boneless pork chops, or tenderloin because trimming a roast can be labor-intensive.
Liz
I’m from Steubenville, Ohio. We also called them city chicken. We are Serbian and my mother and grandmother made these frequently. I live in Arizona now and we have a butcher out here that sells the skewers of pork meat already made up. I buy them and bread them and pan fry them.
Such a delicious meal with mashed potatoes, and a cucumber, tomato and onion salad.
Alex
We grew up in Scranton. I was a kid in the late 60’s. The grocery stores used to sell these in the deli section uncooked. My mom would always bring them home and fry them up. I loved them when I was a kid and hadn’t had them since then. I always wondered what they were. (by the mid 70’s I stopped seeing them in Scranton)
Sherry
Hello all, my grandmother was Polish and my grandfather Croatian and I was born in Detroit near Hamtramck, Michigan which we called little Poland. According to grandmother city chicken which is pork came about due to ordinances. You could raise chickens once with roosters to your liking but once areas became populated they no longer wanted to rise to roosters , hence egg layers only and you don’t eat a layer..but you could still have pigs. Obviously the depression was involved as my Mom spoke she felt privileged in Detroit Michigan to have meat as family -had one acre farm but no chickens as a flock, due to ordinance. They had a couple of cows, ducks and pigs. Grandmother said city chicken came about after the no chickens as a way to mimic fried chicken. The way she made was depression era…slaughter pig and put cuts..scraps went to city chicken and sausage. The odd and left overs were put with chopped onion, garlic, salt- heavy, and pepper. She would chop onion and garlic , ad s &!p and add small amount boiling water plus small amount of oil – she said it drew out flavor and after it cooled few minutes added odd cuts of pork and marinated over night. In morning she picked out prime pieces for city chicken and rest with chopped onion and garlic went through meat grinder with other spices and became breakfast sausage. City chicken in my house per grandma didn’t use bread crumbs..flour only..splurge is bread crumbs..grandmother was frugal.
polishhousewife
Thanks for this, Sherry!