Unbelievable! City Chicken Is Made Out Of What?!
On Sunday, I was over to a friends watching golf and waiting for the Big Game to start. We all decided to eat between the end of the Waste Management Golf tournament (bucket list destination even if golf isn't your thing) and the kick-off.
Golf was done by six o'clock (congrats Scottie Scheffler) and kick-off was around 6:45 and that left us plenty of time (except to stand for the National Anthem by Chris Stapleton, I'm not tearing up, you are) to eat.
My friend, Scott is a magician with his grill and spatula. He can even do wonders with my lasagna but that's another story for another day...maybe I'll explain it after the Daytona 500 get-together.
He's a fantastic cook and he's trying to teach me too. One of his creations on Sunday was City Chicken. It was really good so I wanted to try my hand at it also. He let me cook one and guess which one is mine? Also another story for another day.
After we ate it, he informed me that it's not chicken at all. He's not only a great cook but a historian too. Apparently City Chicken is made out of pork and veal and is called "Mock Chicken or Mock chicken legs.
The Story Behind City Chicken
During the Great Depression, it was made from small bits of pork because it was cheaper that chicken. The meat was usually scraps that you would shape to look like a chicken leg.
You would roll it in breading and then fry or bake it. City Chicken has roots in Buffalo New York, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and other Eastern cities. Today, City Chicken is a nostalgic dish to enjoy with family at home or a quick bite at your local bar.
SEE ALSO: Why Do Upstate New Yorkers Call It City Chicken if It’s Not Even Made of Chicken?
It may not be chicken but as the saying goes "It tastes like chicken." I don't know Scott's recipe but if you're looking to try it yourself, here are some different ways that you can attempt it.
I think I'm going to stick to what I do best when it comes to cooking...Get it at a drive-through, put it in the microwave, or give someone money for it.