Receta City Chicken
City Chicken is not actually chicken at all. It's a Midwestern regional dish that is made from pork sirloin cubes that have been thread onto skewers, browned, then slow braised. It's one of my very favorite comfort foods of all time!
City Chicken is described by Wikipedia as..." (also known in some locations as mock drumsticks or mock chicken) an entrée consisting of cubes of meat (usually pork), which have been placed on a wooden skewer (approximately 4-5 inches long), then fried and/or baked. Depending on the recipe, they may be breaded." But you do not have to be from the Midwest to enjoy this comfort food!!
It's origins date back to the 1700's when raising chickens in the populated cities became impossible. Inexpensive cuts of pork skewered on sticks to resemble chicken drumsticks became a substitute for chicken as a meal. Over the years, recipes have included other cuts of meat as well, such as veal or beef...but I have always had it with only pork, and that is how I like it! I buy pork sirloin already cut for city chicken with the skewers included in the package. If you don't have pre-cut pork for city chicken available to you, you can buy pork sirloin or loin and cut it into 1" cubes yourself then use shortened bamboo skewers to thread it on to. As far as I am concerned, the secret to great city chicken is the slow braising done in a low oven and cooking the pork until it is fork tender.
To make City Chicken, start by threading the pork cubes onto the skewers...and then breading them with a three step process... seasoned flour, followed by egg beaters, and lastly Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs. I like to add some smoked paprika to the dry bread crumbs, as well as a little extra salt and pepper.
Next, the breaded pork is browned a little bit of oil on medium high heat...(taking care not to overcrowd the pan) Once they have all been browned and placed into the baking dish, I add a little chicken stock to the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil. I then bake in a 325 degree F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the pork is fork tender.
I like to serve mine with gravy and mashed potatoes. My gravy is simply a mixture of canned pork and mushroom gravy...because that's what we like! :) City Chicken
By Renee Paj
Pork sirloin cubes are threaded onto skewers, breaded, browned and slow braised until fork tender. Ingredients
1 pound cubed pork sirloin plus skewers
1/4 cup all purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
1/4 cup eggbeaters, or one egg beaten with 1 TBS water
1/2 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika ( optional ) 1 TBS olive oil or vegetable oil 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 can or jar of gravy ( pork or mushroom or one of each mixed together ), heated
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. ( I always make double the recipe, so I use a 9 x 13" baking dish..but you could go smaller if you are only making 4 skewers) Set up a breading station. Seasoned flour, eggbeaters, and then the breadcrumbs. Add the smoked paprika to the breadcrumbs if using. Thread 4 cubes of pork onto each skewer. Dust first with flour, shaking off excess, then dip each skewer into the eggbeaters, followed by the breadcrumbs. Heat a nonstick pan over med high heat with 1 TBS oil of your choice. Brown the breaded pork on all sides. You aren't looking to cook the pork, just get a nice brown.
Once the pork is browned, transfer to the prepared baking dish. Leave a little space between each skewer. Pour chicken stock into the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until pork is fork tender. Serve with heated gravy. Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Cook time: 02 hrs. 00 mins. Total time: 2 hrs. 10 mins. Nutrition
Calories: 344.6
Fat: 13.5g
Totalcarbs: 19.5g
Protein: 34g
Dietaryfiber: 0.9g
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