Good luck! Im 88 yrs. After the first thirty minutes, turn down the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for another 45 60 minutes. If you read the comments below, youll learn how to prepare city chicken in a LOT of different ways and hear from folks who have wonderful memories of this delectable dish. I too grew up in the 50s in Northern Indiana eating city chicken. I Love how you lay out the recipe and the hints, everything Ive made has come out amazing. Hes been bringing 5lbs+ every year. In the burgh, at least, that is how we make it, and for us, it is nostalgic comfort food. Thanks for stopping by! This was my favorite meal as I child and so many people I mention it to have never heard of it. If you read the comments for this recipe you will see that lots of people grew up with this recipe and there are many variations. Thank you for reminding me. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a32a43544534874c800c91e84dc209e0" );document.getElementById("cf6ba08c3a").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Copyright 2023 My Life Cookbook - low carb healthy everyday recipes. The crazy thing is that it doesnt have any chicken in it! If youre preparing gravy, dont wash the skillet. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. After that, coat them three times with breading. The meat counter at your local grocery store or meat market usually has wooden skewers. Small world! He grew up close to there & Im from the other side of Pittsburgh & Irwin area that never heard of Lamperts. #dishinwithdarla, Truff black truffle hot sauce! Add the skewers and flip them in the heated oil until they are lightly browned all over. Remove to a plate. If you dont have an oven safe skillet, you can transfer the browned meat skewers to a pyrex baking dish and then bake them. 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. BTW, Im from Milford, Mi. So delicious! Sprinkle pepper and garlic powder liberally on both sides of chicken breasts. Enjoy everyone!!! Serve it with mashed potato, or pasta. 3 tsp salt. My dad is craving the dish, but since we moved to Texas from Michigan (Rochester and Sterling Heights) its hard to find anyone who know what I am talking about when I say City chicken! Lamperts was in Grandview, right? Thought I was going crazy because everyone has been telling me that city chicken is made from chicken my mother always used pork, so I was glad to find your recipe. What a great history with your recipe, I love it. I followed the recipe exactly EXCEPT did not make the gravy. My grandmother used to make this fairly often when I was a kid. Now since Im the only one who knows how to make it Ive taught my sons how to make it. Add your eggs to a shallow bowl and beat I loved reading all the comments about childhood memories. Thanks for taking the time to comment! Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes or until pretty golden. Hi Carol, I have never heard of that way of making city chicken but I imagine her intent was to keep it moist. I live in Pittsburgh again now. Step 5: If youd like, you can prepare brown gravy in the same skillet that has the browned bits. It was always dry. Place a plastic bag or cling wrap over the chicken and pound to even thickness 2cm / 4/5" thick. Required fields are marked *. I am a huge fan of your cooking, they are really great and they always work . They were such a big hit, I plan to make them again this year. Thanks for the recipe. This page may contain affiliate links, which pay me a small commission I am too, and this is exactly how my mom made it as well! Home Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken. Nutrition per serving. Just ask the butcher for the sticks! I lived in TN until the late 90s before returning to Indiana. Mmmmm. Hi Mary, how interesting about the weddings! , Oh I didnt know it was in the Joy of Cooking! I need to make it again myself! Turn off saut mode. it amuses me when I post about city chicken for dinner and no one outside the rust belt has any idea what Im talking about. The Midwests traditional comfort food is at its best in this recipe. Your recipe looks wonderful its time to try it! I use bread crumbs and Lowrys. 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). No matter what kind of gravy I make, I always heat the liquid in microwave for 1-2 minutes before slowly adding/stirring to flour. Let this rest 15 minutes uncoverd. I mean, you can season the chicken breast with salt and black pepper, shallow fry it, and it will taste like a top-notch dish. Imagine my shock when you said you got your meat from Lampertsexactly where I got my freezer full of meat from. Both my brothers still live in Binghamton and so does Mom who is 82. My father-in-law, a former butcher, just described this faux chicken to me. My grandmother was Polish and a phenomenal cook. Pour about can of the broth around the edge. On occasion, since the family was large, mom would use. Or split larger ones in half horizontally to form steaks. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. All the recipes sound just like the ones my Mom used, including the Crisco. Thanks for sharing your tips and memories! I wouldnt be surprised if my mother learned the recipe in 7th grade Home Economics back in the 19teens. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add juices and stir to thicken. Melt butter in a skillet pan over medium-high heat. All about city chicken the origin, the name, and the recipes. After you finish baking, let it cool down and place it in a food container. We used both veal and pork cubes, flour/egg bath/breadcrumbs. Mom would make this occasionally, we loved it! Everybody loves it because theyve never heard or tasted before. Gravy: Add 1 tbsp butter to the skillet. What to serve with city chicken? I love it. Thanks for the feedback and the tips I'm glad that you have enjoyed this dish. WOW thanks, Greg S. I might check that out when Im in the Southern Tier!! Add Knorr Demi Glace dilution, stir until it boils. Below is a photo of it. Thanks for your suggestions.I cant wait to try the Mock Chicken! PS Please read through the comments below. Mary. I thought it was pork and veal but I questioned my memory because of the cost of veal.now we were not wealthy and she often stretched her grocery dollar to feed 7 of us. Enjoy!!!!! old and still cook! They had great cuts of meat and lots of delicious looking prepared food. I was looking at her recipes yesterday and it brought me to tears. My boyfriend and I enjoyed this a lot! This recipe is spot on! Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil. She then placed the city chicken on top of the rue. I would be nervous about using the lettuce because it might make the chicken soggy. c olive oil (for pan) 2 15 oz cans chicken broth 3 T flour 3 T butter Instructions Preheat oven to 325 degrees. So this Thanksgiving, I wanted to be sure and . 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. Once it has melted, stir frequently before folding in the flour. I hope you get to try it and like it. You can learn more about our affiliate policy. Or enjoy the crispy, baked, no gravy style. Then as it simmers, it will thicken into a gravy! Lighty brown in olive oil. After marriage we spent many enjoyable visits to NewKen as well as to visits to the Strip in Pittsburgh on Saturdays. I have been eating city chicken since I was a little girl ( the 50s). I have so enjoyed reading through these comments. We do City Chicken up here in NE Ohio too! I used to work in the meat department of a grocery store, and we would sell veal and pork City Chicken. Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks! Gravy is made from pan drippings from any roasted meat or poultry. Love it anyway. Mix flour with seasonings and put on a shallow plate. I love the marinade flavors. We also use cornflake crumbs seasoned , mixed with flour. Serve with rice, potatoes, or pasta and generous amounts of the gravy. Thank you all again for brightens my evening. Im a dark meat gal thighs, wings, drumsticks, basically every other part of the chook. The city chicken was deliciously crisp. I just moved to NE Ohio and found City Chicken in the local market. His mom died before we married so I always wondered if I was making it correctly, I was! So heres some more brown food for you Chicken with Mushroom Gravy. Very good point! Thanks so much!! Add flour and mix for 1 minute. City Chicken was his reply. Polish Village came closet to her recipe if anyone has anything similar please let me know since my 9-year-old CRAVES them! Hi Roni, I agree with all those places! Loved reading the comments. Thanks for taking the time to comment. my mom used to make it when I was growing up she varied it with pork, veal, beef, and chicken whatever was on sale at the local butcher shop in Pittsburgh, Pa. somehow it always seemed special probably because we were not depression era kids .. . Apparently its a regional favorite. Step 3. About 2-3 minutes on each side. Stir in the onions and mushrooms, and saute until becoming tender. I would give you a hug if you were here! It was always his choice when he got to pick what was for dinner on his birthday. Today I stopped by agreatlocal butcher, Lamperts,that my friend had told me about. I am fond of the chicken and mushroom combination, and if you are like me, then you might want to try my. Mix well and saut for 4 - 5 minutes. Now in No. Remove top and cook for another 10-15 minutes. WHERE CAN YOU FIND PORK FOR CITY CHICKEN RECIPE? Would love the recipe from Mr Kuhns. I make my city chicken just like this except for the Parmesan cheese. I have a low carb recipe here but basically you just use a combination of almond flour, parmesan cheese and spice. Nextplace on 4.5 inch wooden scewers, roll in flour, egg/milk mixture, Italian bread crumbs. My Mom just informed me that theres no chicken in it ,,,, really . They seem to work for me. I am fond of the chicken and mushroom combination, and if you are like me, then you might want to try my Chicken Mushroom Cream Soup, or my Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup. Once mixed, slowly drizzle the mixture into the gravy. We go to the Polish Village Cafe in Hamtramk MI and I cant tell the difference. My Poland born Grandmother always made this for our family. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Roll each prepared skewer in flour, dip and roll in egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Make the gravy while the chicken cooks. I add Mrs Dash and salt as well. My hope is that my recipes bring people together in the kitchen more often, serving meals at home and enjoying one another. Add onion and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes or until onion is translucent. Rub the bottom of an enameled cast iron pot or pan with the cut side of a clove of garlic. Step 2:Get out a shallow dish for the beat egg and one for the breading (dry bread crumbs, paprika and parmesan cheese). Nagi x. PS Beef broth also makes the gravy a nice deep brown colour, whereas chicken broth makes a pale brown gravy. They make lots of various vegan cheese and vegan cream cheese that you can try. Your email address will not be published. I figured everyone ate it. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Finish cooking chicken, pull from the griddle at 163. Great with twice baked potatos. Add tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, corn, peppers, or any other veggies that you like. So many of us remember this dish from our childhoods! My son had Haluski at a street fair and loved it. Sometimes a maranide, sometimes I dont but I always cut my own meat. Thanks for taking the time to comment! We just pork most of the time. Repeat 3 times. Try Three Brothers Restaurant in Plymouth Mi. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Yummy! Was just looking to see if there was some way different. Required fields are marked *. Vegan, Gluten Free Mushroom Gravy | The Veggie Slaughterhouse, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary. The only difference is, she made a rue of, chopped celery, onion, and carrots for the roasting pan, covered the bottom of the pan with the rue. My Mom made city chicken every once in a while, we all loved it. I remember my mom making a huge pan of city chicken. You are making me hungry Pat! I really liked it. After moving the City Chicken to a shallow baking dish and leaving space between each skewer, add the chicken stock. You can also try crushed pork rinds for the breading.Where can I buy the wooden skewers or sticks?Many grocery stores will have the sticks but you can also try Asian grocery stores orthey are on Amazon.What kind of meat is best for city chicken?It was originally made from pork and veal but I just use pork because its easier to find and less expensive. Brown skewered meat on all sides. I probably have a million wooden skewers in my kitchen as I tend to collect things like that. I added a splash of red wine (I wanted a dry white, but had none) to the pan to deglaze all the brown goodness after the chicken and mushrooms cooked, but otherwise kept things pretty much to the letter. This was in Louisville, KY. She cooked it much like this recipe, but used seasoned flour instead of breadcrumbs. Its a family favorite of ours. Preparation. Am I remembering wrong? Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story! Vegan City "Chicken" 1 lb. I realized it. The city chicken is then roasted in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 325F, or until it can be easily separated with a fork (check for doneness at 1 1/2 hours). Thanks Renee, I will try that next time with the pork roast. Can you do any make ahead preparations on this? Pork should be browned on both sides, however it need not be fully cooked. 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. Are you looking for a delicious and easy chicken recipe that will have your taste buds screaming in delight? Spotted a package of city chicken at Giant Eagle the other day and wanted to make it for dinner tonight. I can only assume its because I had so much additional info that I had learned about the history and origins of City Chicken that I wanted to share and apparently got side-tracked with life for the next . Thankfully she taught me how to make this before she passed away. Next, prepare a thick gravy with butter, onions, tomatoes and spices. But occasionally I just use pork because its more readily available and less expensive. I love to hear how everyone makes this recipe. I just turned my sister onto it and she is making it today too. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender. cup all-purpose flour, with salt and pepper to taste, cup egg beats or two eggs beaten with one tablespoon water, 1 can or pack of gravy (mushroom or pork), heated. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the skewers to the oil and allow to brown until golden and crispy on all four sides, about 1 minute per side. Stir in cream cheese; cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. A good old fashioned meal on a frigid Saturday like today sounds good. Thanks for sharing your tips for the other readers. Classic city chicken is usually made with a mixture of lean pork and veal and not chicken. Jubilee Photos; Schedule of Services; Events Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes or until golden, then turn and cook the other side for 3 minutes. Seriously. Wish me luck, Claudette, I am sure your new attempt will turn out amazing! Add broth and water. In the same frying pan, add the rest of butter and olive oil. 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 set mine directly in the pan, just like Nonna did. Join Pink Chicken and The Lazy Man as they scramble down the sonic streets of a city under siege! Then deglaze the pan with brandy and reduce to 1/2. Thats all Ive heard but maybe someone else is comment with a different way? Your email address will not be published. - Listen to C.W.J. Flip the chicken to the other side when golden brown, cook the other side until golden brown too. STEP 1Heat your oven to 325F and spray cooking spray on a Pyrex dish (9 x 13 inches). My nephew moved to Orlando and wanted to make pork and sauerkraut for New Years and everyone thought he was nuts. I grew up in late 40s early50s. Heat a frying pan, add margarine or Crisco and brown the meat on all sides. I grew up in Detroit MI, my parents were Italian. This dish sounds simple, but tastes amazing! Heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium high heat. Fact: Brown foods rock. Mix in reserved 1 tablespoon flour mixture; cook 1 minute. Thanks again for the memories, great comments to read, and a recipe that so closely resembles my mums!!!! My mother in law was from Michigan and I live in Alabama. Add garlic and remaining butter (4 tablespoons). I knew as soon as I saw Lamberts in your post that you must be from Pgh! Served with sweet potato mash, baby carrots and peas for some colour! At least 145F should be present internally. Thus, city chicken was created, which is essentially breaded pork and veal cubes on a stick that resembles a fried chicken drumstick or leg. My grandma made this for me as a child. Directions Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with onion powder, salt, and pepper. Once the oil is hot, place your meat in the pan and turn the skillet down to medium. Thanks for stopping by! Thank you for the recipe! Add wine and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. You can use jar or canned gravy but if youve never made homemade or need a refresher, pour a glass of white wine (the kind youll be using in the gravy) and see how easy it is. Use a smaller dish if you are just preparing 4 kebabs. I am from Pittsburgh and had city chicken growing up from the meat man Mr Kuhns. It sounds exactly like my mums. Audio Files; Photo Files. Scrape pan to get every bit of residue. seitan; Dash of pepper; 4 six-inch wooden skewers; 1 garlic . This was one of my favorites that my grandmother used to make. Pour the chicken broth gradually while stirring to avoid creating lumps. (Pine and other evergreens are soft woods and SOME can be toxic; Aspen & Maple are good choices.) In a smaller saucepan, melt the butter. Very happy to have you in my browser bookmarks! Each skewer should be egg-washed before being dusted with breadcrumbs. or 1 Tsb less .I minced up 4 large cloves fresh garlic, 1 medium onion, minced. No matter, its delicious. I never shopped there, but my best friend LOVED Lamperts. 1 Prepare the Ingredients. Add chicken broth and let simmer until almost all liquid . Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to seal. Add the flour a little at a time and whisk well so there are no lumps. I am constantly shocked at how much people love city chicken but love the good memories it brings and the stories people write in about it. I want you to feel comfortable cooking with chicken breast so Im going to teach you how you can avoid overcooking the chicken breast even after letting it cook for a long time in the mushroom gravy. Its an easy to make weeknight meal. I was able to show him the recipe. Stir continually until the mixture begins to deepen in color. Thanks for supporting Munatycooking.com, Yum! Both sides were Irish. Thanks for sharing yours! Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. my g.f. never had it before me but she now loves it. The mushroom gravy will thicken as it bakes. Im sure the memories that were shared were precious. Plus, all of these delicious flavors come together in only thirty minutes now thats something we can all get behind! If its done, you can remove it, but if not, cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. While we have tried it with dairy-free substitutes, its fine to try it and see. I have read and agree to the terms & conditions. Cubes should be touching but NOT crammed together! Thanks Jim. Required fields are marked *. They usually respond: Chicken Fried Chicken?!? Place chicken on serving plates, top with gravy. N x, Another great recipe, my husband and I both loved it! Double dip it in bread crumbs, fry until browned on each side, place in a roasting pan, add water to pan drippings and pour over city chicken until it covers the meat. HOW TO KNOW IF THE OIL IS READY FOR FRYING: Prepare the skewers as directed above to make this dish in an air fryer. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. (LogOut/ I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Hi Molly, The beef cubes will get brown on the outside but uncooked on the inside, so take note. She made a gravy from the drippings and cooked them covered on about 325. I will pass this on to my daughter and Son and have them pass it down to my granddaughters! Without internet, I went to my Joy of Cooking and there it was! Cook for 6 minutes ( Note 5) at high pressure, followed by 5-minute natural release. Stir and let heat for a few minutes. Also, if you see it try Mock Chicken..,,,,,ground pork/veal breaded with bread crumbs on a skewer, brown in oil in a pan..delish! Thanks for sharing! Any suggestions? I made this recipe tonite..it was delicious! Cook in the air fryer at 390F for 12-15 minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145F. We usually dont use gravy but many people do. Bamboo sticks soaked in water, then thrown in a compost heap will still be there a year later & will still splinter. Sounds delish. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Pingback: Vegan, Gluten Free Mushroom Gravy | The Veggie Slaughterhouse. Its going on this weeks menu! 3. Even though city chicken doesnt actually include any chicken, I have great memories of eating it as a child and never wondered why it was given that moniker. *I was raised around Pittsburgh, Living in Ohio now. She passed in 1989. Use a whisk if needed to make it lump free. I originally thought the beef bouillion was just not right, but its wonderful. Step 2: Now you will add oil into a skillet, and pan sear your chicken leg quarters until golden brown. Where can I buy the wooden skewers or sticks? Those were the days gone by. Reduce heat to low; simmer about 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. My Mom used to alternate the pork with onion (like you would do for shish kabobs). whenever that came out I knew dinner was gonna be good. slow cooker, combine the chicken, gravy, milk, mushrooms, chiles and dressing mix. salt, and 1/4 tsp. Add mushrooms and cook until golden and excess mushroom liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Some woodworkers/carpenter-craftsmen/hobbyists will be glad to make them (ASK FOR 6 or 7 STICKS since you should have a tiny handle! Ive never attempted to make it at m=home. The only thing I dont know is what temperature to put the oven at. Mix this all up and pour this over your 3-4-5#s of cubed meat. on the Foodie Pro Theme, Keto Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Meatloaf. They were so tender! Today I made it loose no skewers involved.We never had gravy but I would like to try that. Here in Pittsburgh, its a regional cuisine thats incredibly well-liked. Ive been looking for city chicken recipe and found your site. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender and golden and the liquid has released and most of it has evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Brown meat, turning frequently;drain. My Greek grandmother has made it her own and we marinade the skewers in lemon, oregano, and salt and pepper before dipping in flour, egg wash and flour again. My friend kept saying its a Polish dish, I argued that it was Italian. Step 2: Get out a shallow dish for the beat egg and one for the breading (dry bread crumbs, paprika and parmesan cheese). Add chicken broth and thicken to sever. STEP 3Once you brown the pork, place in a prepared baking dish, leaving a bit of distance between each skewer. Marnate the above for 24 hours,place on wooden skewers,coat with flour,then egg,milk mixture,coat with bread crumbs. This Chicken with Mushroom Gravy is a total crowd pleaser, and a great quick one for midweek! Its fine to add either fresh or dried herbs to the recipe. I naturally had to prepare a gluten-free, low carb version, which you can see below, as I am mostly a low carb blogger. My family loves it too.especially my father in law that lives with us. To make chicken with mushroom gravy the right way, you need chicken breast, button mushrooms (Its what I prefer for this recipe, but you are free to choose the type of mushroom you like. Back to todays delight. If you want to add herbs we recommend oregano, parsley, or chives. I hope you like it! Use a smaller dish if you are just preparing 4 kebabs. Fry the other side until golden brown, then remove from heat and cover. Follow me on Instagram! And based on the comments from my readers below, it is also very well-liked in sections of New York, Ohio, and Michigan. Thanks for sharing your story. I just bought the ingredients and am so excited to try making this for the first time!!! Now I live in Honolulu,Hawaii and will introduce it here. Tender and juicy chicken breast in thick and rich mushroom gravy. Repeat 3 times. I guess this dish is a beloved recipe of people in this area and many people have variations on the recipe that you may remember or enjoy. I grew up in Endicott, NY and my mom and dad made city chicken alot in the summer for picnic food travels well. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Good luck! Add the vegetable oil and heat to medium high heat. Step 4: Lastly, put the skillet in the oven and bake the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are thoroughly done. You can still get Polish treats in one of Detroits suburbs, Hamtramck, but then again, it is becoming a thing of the past as urban blight takes over and it becomes too dangerous to make a trip just for Polish food. I also like a little gravy. The crazy thing is that it doesnt have any chicken in it! Well Im going to try your recipe with Italian bread crumbs and pan fry them in oil, just like grandma. Hi Maggie, I remember the veal patties too! Wondering if its a Polish thing or an east coast thing? We use veal and pork..but we bread the city chicken (twice) with cracker meal & eggs, salt & pepper to taste. My mom always made gravy when we had city chicken and mashed potatoes. Add the broth or water to the skillet and break up all the browned bits. As they say, pork is the other white meat. Cant find it a lot of places. As you can see in the photo below, there was already chopped and prepared city chicken inside the case. Required fields are marked *. Put the same skillet on medium heat where you browned the skewers. Lovely flavor with everyday ingredients! Some pork loin, sirloin tip, 1 Tsb per# oil of choice, Apple cider vinger 1 Tsb per # Im so glad I came across your article. Grandma used seasoned flour. Place the chicken into the skillet, and spread the cream cheese mixture over it. Im surprised about how much people remember this recipe. That sounds really good Bonnie! It should be fork-tender. She then covered it with a lid. I know.I was just thinking the other day how I never thought it was weird that we called it city chicken and it was pork! This recipe seems to do that for a lot of people! city chicken with mushroom gravy. I am making this for dinner this evening as my grown, 25-year-old daughter asked me Mum can you make shit*y chicken again?