City Chicken

City Chicken – cubes of pork skewered, breaded and baked until golden and mouth-watering tender. Easy, authentic Polish recipe!

City Chicken is a family favorite in my house. That tender, breaded pork hits the spot for everyone. 

It makes the perfect Sunday Dinner — or holiday dinner if you’re looking for something beyond turkey along with some mashed potatoes and gravy.

Doesn’t get much better.

 

WHAT IS CITY CHICKEN?

• For starters, it’s not chicken. City Chicken is actually pork (or a combination of pork and veal combo) cubed and skewered on wooden sticks.
• It’s sometimes called mock chicken because they resemble chicken legs.
• It’s a Polish-American recipe from Polish immigrants who settled into the Great Lakes area (Detroit, Cleveland, western Pennsylvania) around the time of the depression era when chicken was more expensive than pork and veal.
• It’s served as a main dish along with some creamy mashed potatoes and vegetable.

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE:

• This a simple, straight forward recipe for a classic, authentic Polish meal.
• The ingredients are available in grocery stores everywhere.
• It’s a great recipe to share with family and friends.
• The flavors are basic and ones the whole family will enjoy.
• It’s a great recipe for entertaining – including a  small holiday gathering instead of classic roast turkey.
• City Chicken is one of my family’s favorites – it’ll soon be one of yours too!

WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE CITY CHICKEN?

• lean pork cut in 1 1/2″ cubes
• salt and black pepper
• eggs
• seasoned dry bread crumbs
• vegetable or canola oil for frying
• wooden skewers (5-6″ in length)
• chicken stock

TIPS AND FAQ:

What kind of pork is best? Pork tenderloin, pork sirloin or pork loin all work well.

How much oil should be in the skillet? 1/4-1/2″ of oil (the amount will vary with the size of the skillet). 

What kind of oil is best for frying? Canola or vegetable oil (not olive oil). Both can withstand higher heat.

How do I know when the oil is ready for frying? After the oil has warmed for several minutes, drop a couple of dry breadcrumbs into the oil. If they sink, the oil isn’t hot enough. If they burn up, the oil is too hot. You’re looking for them to bubble and float the top.

HOW TO MAKE CITY CHICKEN:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Cut the pork into 1 1/2″ cubes then add several cubes of meat to the skewers (about 4-5 pieces leaving a base for handling)

Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Set up a dredging station in two separate shallow bowls: beaten eggs in one shallow bowl, seasoned breadcrumbs in another. 

Roll the pork skewers in the egg mixture then dredge in the breadcrumbs, rolling to coat on all sides and ends.

Add the oil to a large skillet so there’s about 1/4 to 1/2″ inch of oil (the amount will vary with the size of the skillet).

Heat the oil to about 350° over medium to medium high heat. If you don’t have thermometer, drop a couple of dry breadcrumbs into the oil. You want them to bubble slightly and float to the top. If they sink, the oil isn’t hot enough. If they burn up, the oil is too hot and you’ll want to adjust the heat on the stove accordingly.

Add the skewers to the hot oil turning to lightly brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary so you don’t crowd the skillet (save pan drippings for gravy!).

Transfer the golden pork skewers to a shallow baking dish leaving space between them, then pour the chicken stock between the skewers.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking 10 minutes more to crisp the breading.

WHAT GOES WITH CITY CHICKEN?

Easy Slow Cooker Applesauce

6 minute fresh Green Beans

Creamiest Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Maple-Bacon Brussels Sprouts

HOW TO MAKE CITY CHICKEN GRAVY:

• Pan drippings (from when you browned the City Chicken)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio – also goes well with this meal!)
• 1 cup chicken stock (or chicken broth)
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

NOTES:

• #1: Wine adds a nice depth of flavor but you can add more stock instead if you prefer. 
• #2: Whisk continuously as you’re adding in the stock so your gravy isn’t lumpy.
• #3: A light splash of soy sauce heightens the flavor without giving it an Asian taste.

Remove excess oil from the same skillet you browned the skewers.

Warm over medium heat then add the wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan and letting the wine reduce.

Lower heat to medium low then add the butter to the skillet. Once it melts, sprinkle flour over the top. Stir and cook 1 minute.

Slowly pour in the chicken stock whisking constantly then add finely minced thyme.

Simmer 5-7 minutes or until the gravy is smooth and thickened.

Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, continue simmering 2-3 minutes then taste the gravy and season with salt and pepper as desired.

City Chicken – the ultimate comfort food.

Enjoy!

Let’s cook together!

If you make these City Chicken skewers or any other recipe on the blog, don’t forget to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating!