Step back in time with this classic City Chicken recipe. Despite its misleading name, this beloved dish features incredibly tender pork cubes (often combined with veal) skewered and coated in a crispy, golden breading. Originating from the pre-Depression era when chicken was a luxury, City Chicken became a clever and delicious way for families to enjoy a budget-friendly, yet hearty and satisfying meal. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create a truly comforting and unique family favorite that’s surprisingly easy to make.
What is city chicken?
City chicken is not chicken at all it is made from pork. This chicken on a stick recipe is a Cleveland and Pittsburgh classic with Polish and Ukrainian origins. It was first made pre-depression when chicken was expensive and hard to come by. Families used pork and veal in the first city chicken recipes. These were the scraps left over from the week or what scraps they could find.
The breading
To bread the skewered pork cubes, set up your breading station: place each of the flour, beaten egg mixture, and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. They should be lined up as if on an assembly line. First, place a skewer in the flour and cover well. Shake off any excess flour and then dip the flour skewer in the beaten egg mixture and cover well. Next, take the same skewer and cover with bread crumbs and place on a plate. The plate needs to be big enough to hold all of the breaded skewers. Repeat with the other skewers until all are breaded.
The breading station works great if you keep one hand for the dry ingredients and one hand for the wet. I try to keep this in mind but I usually make a mess of it.
Browning the city chicken
Browning the city chicken is key for them to come out looking great from the 375 degree oven in my opinion. The breadcrumbs will start to brown in the butter and hot oil in a large skillet. The baking time in the oven will allow the juices from the pork to combine with the breading to make them golden brown and delicious!
I hope this recipe becomes a family favorite of yours! Try it with the broccoli ramen recipe! Chicken cakes are another family favorite recipe!
This is just one of the great dinners I have on my site. Click here to try out some more!
FAQ’s
City Chicken is not chicken at all; it is traditionally made from cubes of pork, often combined with veal, skewered and breaded to resemble chicken drumsticks.
The name “City Chicken” originated in the pre-Depression era when chicken was expensive and scarce in urban areas. Families used more readily available and affordable pork and veal scraps, preparing them to look like chicken to mimic a more luxurious meal.
While you can use various cuts of pork, boneless Western ribs are highly recommended for City Chicken. They are easy to cube, tenderize beautifully, and are often a cost-effective option.
Yes, you can. After browning the City Chicken in a skillet for a golden crust, you can finish cooking it in the oven (as the recipe suggests) or in an air fryer. For the air fryer, cook at around 375°F (190°C) until the pork is cooked through and the breading is crisp, typically 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
The key to breading that sticks is ensuring your pork cubes are relatively dry before dredging in flour, pressing the flour onto the meat, thoroughly coating in egg, and then firmly pressing the breadcrumbs onto every surface. Avoid overcrowding the pan when browning.
City Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds of boneless western ribs cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons of butter or high heat oil
- 6 7-inch skewers
- 2 cups of bread crumbs
- 2 eggs plus 2 tablespoons of milk combined
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon each of sea salt cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder combined together.
Instructions
- To bread the skewered pork cubes, set up your breading station: place each of the flour, egg mixture, and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. First, place a skewer in the flour and cover well. Shake off any excess flour and dip the flour skewer in the egg mixture and cover well. Then take the same skewer and cover with bread crumbs and place on a plate. Repeat with the other skewers.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Once butter is melted, place breaded skewers in the skillet and sprinkle the top of the skewer with seasoning mixture. Be careful not to crowd the skillet.
- The goal is to brown each side of the skewered pork cubes before finishing them in the oven. You can add more butter if needed to finish the browning.
- When skewered pork is finished browning, place in a 9 x 13 pan. Be careful not to crowd the pan. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until pork reaches 165 degrees F.
Notes
- What is City Chicken actually made of? City Chicken is not chicken at all; it is traditionally made from cubes of pork, often combined with veal, skewered and breaded to resemble chicken drumsticks.
- Why is it called City Chicken if it’s not chicken? The name “City Chicken” originated in the pre-Depression era when chicken was expensive and scarce in urban areas. Families used more readily available and affordable pork and veal scraps, preparing them to look like chicken to mimic a more luxurious meal.
- What is the best cut of pork to use for City Chicken? While you can use various cuts of pork, boneless Western ribs are highly recommended for City Chicken. They are easy to cube, tenderize beautifully, and are often a cost-effective option.
- Can I bake or air fry City Chicken instead of pan-frying? Yes, you can. After browning the City Chicken in a skillet for a golden crust, you can finish cooking it in the oven (as the recipe suggests) or in an air fryer. For the air fryer, cook at around 375°F (190°C) until the pork is cooked through and the breading is crisp, typically 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- How do I prevent the breading from falling off my City Chicken? The key to breading that sticks is ensuring your pork cubes are relatively dry before dredging in flour, pressing the flour onto the meat, thoroughly coating in egg, and then firmly pressing the breadcrumbs onto every surface. Avoid overcrowding the pan when browning.
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