By the way, my husband is from right outside of Akron, Ohio. Add about 1/4 of the beef broth, mixing as you go. I had a taste for city chicken not too long ago (I live in Arizona) but I couldnt find a butcher who knew what city chicken was. Serve it with mashed potato, or pasta. #dishinwithdarla, Truff black truffle hot sauce! If your grocer does not carry these, do not despair. Each skewer should be egg-washed before being dusted with breadcrumbs. And if you have any questions, please just ask. This makes almost foolproof lump-free gravy. Revised to correct (ignore/delete previous comment). My husband Bob was in the Air Force for 20+ years, and has asked for city chicken for visiting friends for the 2007 Christmas holidays. (Pine and other evergreens are soft woods and SOME can be toxic; Aspen & Maple are good choices.) What kind of meat is best for city chicken? The bamboo skewers tend to splinter. Also polish (Lepinski) and from u p Mich. Then coat your chicken in the flour mixture. Thanks again for the memories, great comments to read, and a recipe that so closely resembles my mums!!!! Recently my father in law, who used to be a butcher, explained this mock chicken to me. Thank you so much, I was telling my husband about it. I hope all the Hawaiians love it as much as we do! Enjoy. This could be a good story. Since there isnt any actual chicken involved, I never once wondered why it is named city chicken growing up. I think Mushroom Gravy is my favourite type of gravy. I grew up with this too. Skewers can be MOST ANY NON-BAMBOO HARDWOOD. That sounds really good Bonnie! Place the cubes of meat on the wooden skewers. Ive never had any recipe turn out badly theyve all been delicious, from desserts (RED VELVET CAKE) to dinners. I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if youre short on time and cost conscious. Using the pan drippings, Ive made a little gravy at the end, although my mother never really did and my father-in-law doesnt enjoy it that way, so typically I wouldnt bother. Take out 1/3 cup of the liquid and set it aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together tamari, yeast and flour to form a thick paste. Heat your skillet to medium high and once hot, add your oil. I can now make it like my mom did. Step 3. my mom used poultry seasoning egg wash and flour. Thanks Renee, I will try that next time with the pork roast. I remember having it with red cabbage and boiled potatoes. I glad so many people enjoyed this special dish! She was in charge of the cooking and I was I was in charge of shaking the skews in the paper bag with all all the seasoned flour. One of the oldest recipes in our slovak family. Add chicken broth and thicken to sever. Homemade kolbasi I am originally from Pittsburgh and my mother used to prepare it. Making chicken with mushroom gravy doesnt take much time and is a perfect dinner. Stir in mushrooms, rosemary and thyme and continue to cook about 2 minutes or until mushrooms release their liquid and start to become tender. Whisk in the broth and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Or if you dont have an oven safe skillet, you can also use a baking dish in the next step. Step 4: Lastly, put the skillet in the oven and bake the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are thoroughly done. All rights reserved. I need to go back to Lamperts. Add flour and mix for 1 minute. The only thing I dont know is what temperature to put the oven at. My family said that they loved the ones with onion the best. Loved this recipe! So I began making it several years ago and my picky 15 yr old requests it often.. Nextplace on 4.5 inch wooden scewers, roll in flour, egg/milk mixture, Italian bread crumbs. My sister and my friend and I used to go to the Strip at least once a month for the day. We have called it Shit*y Chicken since she was small because that is how she would ask for it! I dont think my Father-In-Law had them until he married (hes what I affectionately term a mutt) Yum, Yum, cant wait until this Saturday. Troy, Michigan. What a great history with your recipe, I love it. When the chicken reaches 165 degrees F., it is safe to eat. Mum would also make fried shredded potato pancakes with it. I made this recipe tonite..it was delicious! Its simple and delicious, so I thought Id share it with you. it was fun reading all comments. I was comparing recipes here with those in the Binghamton Polka Paraders cookbook Mom sent several years ago. In eastern PA in the hard coalfields city chicken was served at weddings, especially the Polish,Hungarian or Ukrainian ones. Some woodworkers/carpenter-craftsmen/hobbyists will be glad to make them (ASK FOR 6 or 7 STICKS since you should have a tiny handle! 4inwooden skewers (ask your butcher if you cant find them in the grocery!). Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hrs. Serve with rice, potatoes, or pasta and generous amounts of the gravy. This recipe is spot on! And I told him how to make it and NO BEEF is in it ! Step 3: Get out a large skillet like a cast iron skillet so you can place it in the oven as well. The golden brown bits of any dish are always the best. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. He grew up close to there & Im from the other side of Pittsburgh & Irwin area that never heard of Lamperts. I have a low carb recipe here but basically you just use a combination of almond flour, parmesan cheese and spice. I always thought it was common everywhere growing up. We lived on a farm and I know that my mother used veal and pork. Hi Molly, Top the skillet with the spinach, and then sprinkle with mozzarella, parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Gives it more depth and umami flavour. Cook each skewer on all four sides until browned. Garnish with fresh rosemary, and enoy! This was one of my favorites that my grandmother used to make. NEWS FLASH! Hi Audrey, thanks for taking the time to comment! I naturally had to prepare a gluten-free, low carb version, which you can see below, as I am mostly a low carb blogger. I asked him: where is the city chicken ? Dont squish them together if there is not enough room, remove a piece or two. Your email address will not be published. Even better. It was just one my mother made and I didnt think much of it. Its the perfect meal to enjoy with family, and now that the weather is cooler and the holidays are approaching, I hadnt cooked it in a while. For those people who had grown up where chicken was readily available (ie, a non-urban setting), creating a drumstick from scraps of meat would have been both economical and perhaps satisfy a craving for the real thing. She used pork and beef as a lot of us didnt like veal. Specialties: Great Breakfast Menu.19 omelettes, famous French Toast, housemade Biscuits & Gravy and Corned Beef Hash and Eggs, USDA Choice Angus Beef Steak & Eggs, Country Fried Steak and Eggs, you name it we cook it fresh to order. I rediscovered my own blog and was filled with wonderful memories until I came upon this post. She used pork, beef, onions and bell peppers on the skewers and she used Lipiton onion soup mix to bake it. It is easy and it is good too! Thats great! City chicken is one of his favorite dishes so I wanted to make this regional meal for him and thought Id share it with you because its easy and tasty! After that, coat them three times with breading. Once mixed, slowly drizzle the mixture into the gravy. Change). But, to my surprise, Wikipedia informed me that city chicken (also known asmock drumsticksormock chicken) is actually made from pork posing as chicken. Apparently its a regional favorite. Fry the other side until golden brown, then remove from heat and cover. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Mix in reserved 1 tablespoon flour mixture; cook 1 minute. Some many people make this is a slightly different way but Im sure they are all good. Hes 80 and his cancer recently returned. Place the cubes of meat on the wooden skewers. I kind of forgot out this tasty dish. My mil made this. So, here for your cooking (and comfort eating) pleasure is Vegan City Chicken with Mushroom Gravy. Mom taught me to use plain breadcrumbs and she would vary the seasonings, but she always included sage for some reason. When I married my husband, his Mom (originally from Royal Oak, transplanted to the U.P. You can see above how it does look like breaded chicken. I make this all the time. Top the skillet with the spinach, and then sprinkle with mozzarella, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. I havent heard that one before! Hi Rachel, Renee suggested a pork sirloin roast. Despite its Chicago roots, its slow cooked to perfection and loved by people from around the country. City chicken popped i to my headBill. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Using the same skillet (do not wash), add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or use more according to your liking). He loves city chicken, so I wanted to prepare this dish from the area for him. Hi Joan, that is so sweet. He loved his grandmothers city chicken but sadly, the recipe died with her. Youll need to bake the chicken and mushroom gravy for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. The crazy thing is that it doesnt have any chicken in it! They usually respond: Chicken Fried Chicken?!? Required fields are marked *. Its really a simple dish but Im always surprised how many people grew up with it! Hi Dara, thats so funny that no one knows what you are talking about. Thanks for stopping by! So tasty ! That salad sounds really interesting! The one that I thought I was my mothers was not what my daughters had eaten. Food can make such good memories and everyone can use a few good memories right? I was getting teary eyed as I read your recipe. STEP 1Heat your oven to 325F and spray cooking spray on a Pyrex dish (9 x 13 inches). Delicious! We loved it. ), but when I heard the dish mentioned in the filmJulie & Julia(back in 2009) by The Joy of Cookingauthor, Irma S. Rombauer,I assumed it was, well, chicken. Were originally from the Pittsburgh area. Thanks for your recipe I have been trying to find this wouldnt happen to be from Michigan would you? Great way to make mushroom, gravy too. Your email address will not be published. If you dont have a pan that can go in the oven, you can bake the browned beef skewers in a Pyrex dish. Up it was not cubes, it was ground and mixed together. Im making it Sunday, for my Sons Birthday. In a bowl, mix condensed soups, onion soup mix, mushrooms, and water. I am a huge fan of your cooking, they are really great and they always work . Hi Loretta, yes they still sell city chicken here in Pittsburgh with both pork and veal. When I make it, I used eggs and milk with a ton of poultry seasoning. I might just have to figure out what cuts of pork are used in it, get some skewers, and make it myself! I never cared for those, and neither does my daughter, so I make roasted parmesan potatoes, asparagus, and Brussel sprouts with mine. My husband grew up eating this in Michigan and Indiana. I could go on and on about Pittsburgh and her surrounding areas! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); TheSuperHealthyFood Copyright 2022. For my referral at no extra cost to you. And when I was young and living in Fla. I am originally from Youngstown, Ohio ( now living in Pittsburgh) and my Baba and Mom used to make this all the time! Add mixture to skillet about 1 teaspoon at a time, whisking constantly to make sure paste dissolves. Hi Michael, I dont know. Anyone know where I can get some Kowalski kielbasa and perogis? Free shipping for many products! As they say, pork is the other white meat. I just moved to NE Ohio and found City Chicken in the local market. Im making it tonight and I too make it with twice baked potatoes! It definitely is a small world! Regardless it is a good one. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in cooker and season with pepper. Then as it simmers, it will thicken into a gravy! Grandma never put parmesan cheese in it tho. Thanks for sharing yours! I made city chicken about 20 years ago for my father but my mother had different instructions than you. McKeesport folks here and thanks for the recipe!! Add the broth or water to the skillet and break up all the browned bits. Spotted a package of city chicken at Giant Eagle the other day and wanted to make it for dinner tonight. I did not have a rack so I made one out of a shredded head of lettuce and put that over the water. If you did not get much juice, add more broth, but just enough to make gravy. The beef cubes will get brown on the outside but uncooked on the inside, so take note. Below is a photo of it. Fresh ground pepper to taste. In a hot pan, add one tablespoon butter and two tablespoon olive oil. Hi Pat, thanks for sharing your tip! Its a family favorite of many people as I am coming to realize. Thank you for the recipe. How to make city chicken low carb or gluten free?I have alow carb recipe herebut basically you just use a combination of almond flour, parmesan cheese and spice. Stir and let heat for a few minutes. So heres some more brown food for you Chicken with Mushroom Gravy. But trust me, beef broth works better. It makes them sort and pliable and they dont break or splinter. my husband grew up in Warren, Ohio.. It looks great, and so much more special because its from your mom. Im from Detroit too. Slow cooked stews, curries, pies this type of food is me. I know! Roll kabobs or loose pork chunks in flour mixture until coated. My pure passion is spending time in the kitchen and come out with comforting recipes! Wow! See to them right away after the meal is over- a soapy water scrub, thorough rinse, dry well, then LIGHTLY coat with vegetable oil. My husband also grew up in Warren, Ohio. My Mom made this all the time with six kids to feed, she would serve with her sweet sour cabbage They were so good, my mouth is watering. Cook in the air fryer at 390F for 12-15 minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145F. Hello there, and welcome! Turn heat DOWN to medium. February 13, 2023 by laura Leave a Comment. Remove from oven and arrange meat on a serving plate, then cover with foil. Its delicious! Reserve garlic for later use. I grew up in Ashtabula! At least 145F should be present internally. Thank you all again for brightens my evening. Heat oil and melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. 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 I have made City Chicken for years for my husband who requested the recipe. Thanks! Your email address will not be published. Wonderful suggestion as Moms city chicken was great and tender as long as she simmered it long enough in the pan (with the top on) on the stove. We eat a lot of gravy in our house probably more than most people so while I wouldnt call myself a Gravy Expert, I certainly do know a thing or two about it. #dishinwithdarla. Its easy to make. Add about 1/4 of the beef broth, mixing as you go. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons reserved seasoned flour over mushrooms. None of the siblings left knew how to make this. the only thing I wish I had was her electric skillet. So, for some of the City Chickens, I took off the pork pieces to alternate with onion pieces. Pork is the other white meat, as they say. However, our family originated in the British Isles, so how we came upon the recipe who knows? She would dip them in egg and put the in the bag so I could shake them. It was never used on the meat only on the mashed potatoes. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Im new to the place but its so great and so close to me! So people made city chicken which is essentially cubes of pork and veal on a stick that is breaded to act as a fried chicken leg or chicken drumstick. Your recipe is spot on! Place the chicken in a 913-inch baking dish. Will be trying it out for the gang for tomorrow. You can make this dish many different ways but my mom makes it like this: Step 1:Preheat the oven to 350F. Thank you ever so much again! Its an oldie but goodie! And based on the comments from my readers below, it is also very well-liked in sections of New York, Ohio, and Michigan. Marnate the above for 24 hours,place on wooden skewers,coat with flour,then egg,milk mixture,coat with bread crumbs. . Should I drain the juice before cooking mushrooms? It is possible that the meal stayed popular in the Detroit area amongst the Polish because of the influx of immigrants during WWII. Make the gravy while the chicken cooks. Really you would treat this as any meat main dish. Kay, I am still amazed that I get so many people coming to this recipe. Thanks for posting the recipe and I agree with Nancy N. (post 15)no mushroom soup gravy or any gravy for that matter (at least not in experience). Making it made me feel very nostalgiac for the old days. ibread them like you do , but i add 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, plus 2 cans of water. . 2tsp salt 2 cloves garlic, minced, half tsp basil 2tbsp. and am making it tonight. My grandmother in Niles made it when I was little. We also didnt like veal that much so my mom did the same. Bake, uncovered, until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 165, 55-60 minutes. YUM! Situated in a former flower shop just off Route 66 in Oklahoma City, Cheever's offers an imaginative, upscale twist on the classic diner chicken fried steak. He loved it! I know many people are extremely fond of cooking with chicken breast, but for me, its more the exception rather than the rule. Cook for 1 minute until mushrooms are golden. Bon apptit! Or split larger ones in half horizontally to form steaks. I always flour then brown, then cover w/ milk & add potatoes..never heard of the egg thing b4. I think she did that to keep the meat moistened? I thought it was called that because you dont see chickens running around in the city! If you would like it even thicker, you can combine cup of cornstarch and cup of cold water together. To make the gravy turn the skillet on to medium heat. Mom always used Bisquick instead of bread crumbs, no egg wash just the water from when she rinsed them down, heat up some vegie oil, brown on all sides, put the top on and simmer for 20 minutes. According to legend, the dish was created in the Midwest (Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland) during the Great Depression, when chicken was actually more expensive than pig. If you read the comments you will see that many people grew up with this dish and everyone seems to make it a bit differently. I grew up in late 40s early50s. I grew up with city chicken in Johnson City, NY. After I married, I found a recipe in a cookbook where it was browned in butter/oil combo, and then you add chicken broth, turn the heat down, cover, and cook on the stove for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Sometimes a maranide, sometimes I dont but I always cut my own meat. You might also like my low carb city chicken in the air fryer! Problem was, I couldnt remember the specifics in regard to breading and baking times. These people cant make it fast enough it sells so fast. Im not that partial to veal anyway. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. This was so good - and I easily made it gluten and dairy-free! In a skillet over medium to high heat, warm 1 tbsp of oil. Ive got my meat coated and ready in the refrigerator to brown up. Move chicken breasts to the side and add onions and mushrooms and fry for about 2 minutes. Sometimes I just use boneless country pork ribs and since they are already cut into thick strips its very easy to cut them into cubes. Enjoy! Pour about can of the broth around the edge. Bamboo sticks soaked in water, then thrown in a compost heap will still be there a year later & will still splinter.