Old-Fashioned City Chicken
If you’re not from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, or parts of the Midwest, you may be wondering: What is City Chicken? Despite its name, City Chicken isn’t chicken at all. This vintage comfort food is actually made with cubes of pork (and sometimes veal or beef), skewered on sticks, breaded, and baked to resemble fried chicken drumsticks. It became popular during the Great Depression, when pork was inexpensive and chicken was considered a luxury.
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For me, City Chicken is more than just a recipe—it’s a family tradition. The last time I enjoyed it was nearly 30 years ago, when my grandmother used to make it regularly. It was one of her specialties, and just the mention of it instantly brings me back to those Sunday dinners at her house.
I had completely forgotten about this nostalgic dish until my mom reminded me of it in conversation one day. Since then, it’s been on my “to-make” list… for over a year 🫣. Well, today I finally made it, and let me tell you—the only regret I have is waiting this long!
One bite transported me right back to my grandmother’s yellow-linoleum kitchen, with its matching yellow refrigerator and countertops (you know the kind 😉), the savory aroma of City Chicken baking in the oven, and my grandpap at the head of the table with his buttered saltine crackers. It’s more than just food—it’s a taste of home, filled with family memories.
Whether you grew up eating this dish or you’re discovering it for the first time, I think your family will love this classic City Chicken recipe just as much as mine does. It’s simple, hearty, and perfect for Sunday dinner.
The Surprising History of City Chicken
If you’ve never heard of city chicken, the name can be a little misleading—because there’s no chicken in sight. This classic dish, beloved in parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and other Great Lakes states, is actually made with pork (sometimes beef or veal or a combination of the meats) cut into cubes, skewered, breaded, and cooked to resemble a chicken drumstick.
Why Is It Called City Chicken?
The story goes back to the early 1900s and especially the Great Depression era. At that time, believe it or not, chicken was a luxury food. It was expensive to raise, slower to produce, and usually reserved for Sunday dinners or special occasions. Pork, on the other hand, was plentiful, inexpensive, and easy to source in the industrial cities of the Midwest and Rust Belt—many of which had large Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian, and other Eastern European immigrant communities.
Our amazingly resourceful grandmothers came up with a way to make pork look and feel like the fried chicken they couldn’t afford. They’d cube pork, thread it onto skewers in the shape of a drumstick, bread it, and fry or bake it until golden brown. From a distance, it looked like fried chicken legs—hence the cheeky name “city chicken.” It was also sometimes called “mock chicken” or “Polish city chicken.”
Nostalgic Comfort Food
Over time, city chicken became a Sunday supper staple, showing up at church potlucks, family gatherings, and holiday tables. While you’ll still see it in old-school butcher shops in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Detroit (sometimes even pre-skewered and ready to cook, which my grandma picked up often for a quick dinner shortcut), it’s become more of a nostalgic comfort food for those who grew up with it.
Ok- let’s get to it!
What You’ll Need
Find the full, printable recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post. Read on for more details and tips!
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Equipment
- 3 Dredging Bowls
- 6-inch Wooden Skewers (15-20)
- Skillet for browning
- 9×13 Baking Dish
- Foil
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork shoulder or loin, cut into 1½-inch cubes
- Seasonings– Salt and black pepper, to taste, garlic powder, paprika
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, beaten with 2 tbsp milk or water
- 2 sleeves saltine crackers, finely crushed (about 3 cups)- can also use breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil, for browning in batches
- 1 cup chicken broth (or water)
How To Make It
Prep the skewers – Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Assemble – Thread 4–5 cubes of pork tightly onto each skewer so they resemble little drumsticks. Season on al sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Set up a dredging station of 3 large shallow bowls: first bowl- flour, second bowl- eggs whisked with milk, third bowl-crushed saltine crackers. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Coat – Roll skewers in flour, dip into egg mixture, then coat generously with crushed saltines. Press gently to help crumbs stick.
Brown – Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet 2 tablespoons at a time over medium-high heat. Brown skewers on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Work in batches to not over crowd the pan. Add 1-2 tablespoons more vegetable oil as needed if the pan gets dry.
Bake – Pour chicken broth into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place browned skewers in the dish (overlapping is ok). Drizzle melted butter over skewers. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 1½ hours, until pork is fork-tender. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes for a golden, crispy coating.
Serve – Enjoy hot with mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered noodles, or sauerkraut.
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Tips
- Crushed saltines give a lighter, crunchier coating than breadcrumbs. You can use breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs, if you prefer.
- Add a pinch of paprika or garlic powder to the breadcrumbs for extra flavor.
- If making for a crowd, city chicken holds well in a warm oven (200°F) for up to an hour.
- Wooden skewers can burn—soaking them in water for 30 minutes before use prevents that.
Make Ahead
You can easily prep City Chicken ahead of time! Assemble and bread the skewers, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. This not only saves time on busy days but also helps the breading stick better, giving you an even crispier crust once baked.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing.
- Place City Chicken in an airtight container or wrap tightly in foil.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze cooked City Chicken.
- Wrap each skewer tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 15–20 minutes, until warmed through and crisp.
- For smaller portions, you can also reheat in an air fryer for a few minutes to bring back the crispy texture.
- Avoid microwaving if possible, since it can make the coating soggy.
Crock Pot Method
- Assemble skewers as usual by threading cubes of pork onto wooden skewers. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, then coat in breadcrumbs. (Optional: lightly brown the skewers in a skillet with a little oil for extra flavor before adding to the crock pot.)
- Arrange skewers in the crock pot, stacking as needed.
- Pour 1 cup chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker to keep everything moist.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6–7 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until pork is tender.
- If you still want that crispy baked look, you can transfer the cooked skewers to a baking sheet and broil for 2–3 minutes before serving.
Vintage Comfort Food
City Chicken is a beloved Midwest recipe that isn’t actually chicken at all! Made with pork (sometimes veal or beef), breaded, skewered, and baked, this Depression-era classic was created to mimic chicken drumsticks when poultry was too expensive. It’s a cozy, nostalgic recipe that tastes just like grandma used to make. Perfect for Sunday dinners or when you’re craving comfort food with history.
More To Try
- Weeknight Chicken and Biscuits
- Mississippi Chicken and Rice Bake
- Southwestern Chicken Casserole
- Crock Pot BBQ Ribs
- Sheet Pan Lasagna
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Old Fashioned City Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Method
- Prep the skewers – Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Thread 4–5 cubes of pork tightly onto each skewer so they resemble little drumsticks. Season on all sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Set up a dredging station of 3 large shallow bowls: first bowl- flour, second bowl- eggs whisked with milk, third bowl-crushed saltine crackers. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Roll skewers in flour, dip into egg mixture, then coat generously with crushed saltines. Press gently to help crumbs stick.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet 2 tablespoons at a time over medium-high heat. Brown skewers on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Work in batches to not over crowd the pan. Add 1-2 tablespoons more vegetable oil as needed if the pan gets dry.
- Pour chicken broth into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place browned skewers in the dish (overlapping is ok). Drizzle melted butter over skewers. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 1½ hours, until pork is fork-tender. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes for a golden, crispy coating.
- Enjoy hot with mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered noodles, or sauerkraut.
Nutrition
Notes
- Refrigerator: Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing.
- Place City Chicken in an airtight container or wrap tightly in foil.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze cooked City Chicken.
- Wrap each skewer tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 15–20 minutes, until warmed through and crisp.
- For smaller portions, you can also reheat in an air fryer for a few minutes to bring back the crispy texture.
- Avoid microwaving if possible, since it can make the coating soggy.
This takes me back!
Love a nostalgic recipe 🙂
Do I need to change anything if I don’t want to use skewers?
You could dredge each pork cube individually and add to the baking dish, but they won’t be in the traditional kebab form because the skewers hold everything together. If you go that route, I’d probably make the pieces larger.