Ever found yourself staring at a menu or recipe and wondering, “What the heck is city chicken?” Despite its name, this beloved regional dish contains absolutely no chicken whatsoever! As someone who grew up in the Midwest, I’ve eaten my fair share of this unique comfort food, and I’m excited to share the delicious truth about what city chicken is really made of
The Mystery Meat That Isn’t Actually Chicken
City chicken is traditionally made from cubes of pork and veal threaded onto wooden skewers (about 4-5 inches long), then breaded, and either fried or baked. The meat pieces are often shaped to resemble chicken drumsticks, which partly explains the misleading name Despite what you might think, there’s almost never any actual chicken in “city chicken”
The classic recipe typically includes
- Cubes of pork shoulder
- Cubes of veal stew meat
- Wooden skewers
- Seasonings (salt and pepper)
- Flour for dusting
- Eggs for coating
- Breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying
- Chicken broth or water for baking
Many modern versions use only pork due to the high cost and limited availability of veal. Some variations include different seasonings, cooking methods, or serving styles depending on the region.
The History Behind the Name
So why on earth is it called “city chicken” if there’s no chicken in it? The answer takes us back to the early 20th century and the Great Depression era.
Back in the day, chicken was actually more expensive and harder to come by than pork or veal in many urban areas, especially in meat-packing centers like:
- Cleveland
- Pittsburgh
- Detroit
- Cincinnati
- Buffalo
- Louisville
Families living in these cities couldn’t easily raise chickens like their rural counterparts. Meanwhile, pork and veal (especially meat scraps) were much more affordable and readily available in city markets. Clever home cooks created this dish as an economical way to enjoy something that resembled chicken drumsticks without the high cost.
The first references to “city chicken” appeared in newspapers and cookbooks just prior to and during the Depression Era, with a 1926 newspaper from Binghamton, New York, giving the dish its present name. A similar dish known as “mock chicken” was described as early as 1908.
Regional Variations: How City Chicken Differs Across America
One of the fascinating things about city chicken is how it varies from region to region:
Pittsburgh Style
- Almost always breaded
- Usually baked rather than fried
- Commonly found in grocery stores pre-made
Cleveland Style
- Generally baked without breading
- Meat is dredged in flour
- Browned in a pan, then finished in the oven
- Served with gravy
Binghamton, NY Style
- Meat is marinated
- Battered and deep-fried rather than baked
Detroit Style
- Often includes a mix of pork, veal, and sometimes lamb
- Prepared specifically as city chicken since the early 1900s
Canadian Variations
- In Ottawa, some versions use three kinds of meat: pork, veal, and beef
- In Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, it was sometimes made entirely of veal
- In the ethnic Ukrainian regions of western Canada, it’s quite popular
- Often called “patyczki” or “patychky” (meaning “stick”) in Polish/Ukrainian communities
My Favorite City Chicken Recipe
I’ve tried various recipes over the years, but this simple version reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking:
Ingredients:
- 1½ pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 1½ pounds veal stew meat (or use all pork if you prefer)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 2 large eggs, beaten with 3 tablespoons water
- 2 cups seasoned dry breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 325°F
- Thread meat cubes alternately onto wooden skewers (4-5 inches long)
- Season generously with salt and pepper
- Dust with flour, shaking off excess
- Dip in beaten egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs
- Heat oil in a large skillet (about 1 inch deep)
- Fry the skewers in batches until well browned on all sides
- Arrange in a 13×9-inch baking dish
- Pour broth into dish, cover tightly with foil
- Bake for 1 hour
- Uncover, increase temperature to 350°F
- Bake 15-20 minutes more until desired doneness
The broth keeps the meat moist and creates a delicious sauce that’s perfect for serving over mashed potatoes (which are pretty much mandatory with this dish!).
The Cultural Significance of City Chicken
City chicken isn’t just a quirky regional dish—it represents American ingenuity during tough economic times. It originated from the Polish and Ukrainian communities who settled in the Great Lakes region prior to the Great Depression, but quickly caught on among people of all backgrounds.
Famous chef Michael Symon, born to a Greek-Sicilian mother and father of Eastern European descent, has mentioned that his mom served city chicken with Sunday sauce (an Italian red sauce), showing how the dish crossed cultural boundaries.
Though city chicken resembles skewered meats from Eastern Europe, you won’t actually find “patyczki” or “patychky” in Poland or Ukraine—it’s a uniquely American creation born of necessity and creativity.
Why City Chicken Has Endured
Even though chicken is now much cheaper and readily available, city chicken continues to be popular in many regions. Why? Because it’s:
- Delicious! The combination of pork and veal creates a tender, flavorful dish
- Nostalgic comfort food for many families
- Part of regional cultural identity
- A tasty alternative to other comfort foods like chicken fried steak or fried chicken
- Versatile and easy to prepare
Where to Find City Chicken Today
If you’re not up for making city chicken yourself, you can still find it in:
- Old-school restaurants throughout the Great Lakes region
- Butcher shops and delis in cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo
- Polish and Ukrainian community events and festivals
- Some grocery stores in the Pittsburgh and Cleveland metro areas that sell it pre-made
Common Questions About City Chicken
Is city chicken actually made from chicken?
Nope! Despite the name, traditional city chicken contains no chicken at all. It’s typically made from pork and veal, though modern versions often use just pork.
Why is it called city chicken if it’s not chicken?
The name comes from Depression-era urban areas where chicken was expensive, but pork and veal were affordable. The dish was designed to mimic chicken drumsticks using cheaper meats.
Is city chicken a Polish dish?
City chicken emerged from Polish and Ukrainian communities in America but isn’t actually found in those countries. It’s a uniquely American creation with Eastern European influences.
What does city chicken taste like?
Despite being made from pork and veal, when properly prepared, city chicken has a flavor profile similar to fried chicken—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
What should I serve with city chicken?
Mashed potatoes are the classic side dish, allowing you to enjoy the sauce created during baking. Other common sides include gravy, roasted vegetables, or a simple salad.
Final Thoughts
City chicken is one of those fascinating food stories that reflects American history, immigrant influence, and culinary adaptation. It shows how communities created delicious meals from what was available and affordable during challenging times.
As a kid, I had no idea I was eating pork and veal instead of chicken—I just knew those tasty meat skewers were a special treat! Now when I make city chicken for my own family, I get to share not just a yummy meal but also a bit of cultural history.
Whether you’re from the Midwest or have never heard of city chicken before, I hope you’ll give this unique dish a try. Despite containing no chicken whatsoever, it’s earned its place in America’s regional food traditions for good reason!
Have you ever tried city chicken? Or maybe you have your own family recipe that’s different from what I’ve described? I’d love to hear about your experiences with this unique comfort food!
How to Make City Chicken
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Prep the pork: Cut the pork tenderloin into cubes, and place three to four cubes of pork onto wooden skewers.
- Bread the pork: Place the flour and garlic powder in a shallow bowl, and stir the two together. Add the egg to a separate bowl, and whisk until it’s smooth. Add the breadcrumbs to a third shallow bowl. Dip the skewered pork first in the flour mixture, then in the egg wash, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Using shallow bowls makes it easier to coat the chicken in each layer of breading.
- Sear the pork: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the breaded pork skewers in batches in the hot oil, cooking the pork for just 3-4 minutes to lightly brown. Do not fully cook the pork at this stage!
- Bake: Place the fried pork skewers into a 9×13 baking dish, and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Then, remove the foil, and bake for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.
- Serve: Serve the city chicken skewers while warm.
When you skewer the pork cubes, leave a little space between the cubes of meat. This will ensure that each piece is completely breaded all the way around. It also helps cook the city chicken faster and more evenly when there is a gap between the skewered meat.
How to Store City Chicken
If you have leftover city chicken, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I like to reheat the skewers in an air fryer to re-crisp the breading. You can remove the city chicken from the skewers to make it easier to store.
In the early 1900s, chicken was very expensive, but veal and pork were fairly affordable. People living in big cities would prepare the cheaper meats, like pork, using chicken-style recipes and pretend it was the pricier meat. The depression era recipe was so good that it stuck around. You can still find city dwellers, especially in the Pennsylvania area, enjoying city chicken as street food or even as part of Sunday dinner.
City Chicken was originally created by Polish and Ukrainian immigrants. Many communities were concentrated in Cleveland and Pittsburg. The popularity did spread quite quickly though!
City chicken is essentially a type of breaded pork tenderloin. The pork is cut into cubes and threaded on bamboo skewers. Then, it is coated in panko breadcrumbs, quickly fried, and baked in the oven until it’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.