Breaded and fried cubes of pork and veal on a wooden skewer, despite the name containing no chicken. A Depression-era dish from Pittsburgh's Eastern European and mill communities.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
City chicken was born in Pittsburgh and the wider Rust Belt during the Great Depression, when pork and veal were cheaper than chicken. Cooks cubed the meat, skewered it to mimic a drumstick, then breaded and fried it. The dish persisted in Eastern European and Polish households and on diner menus; it still turns up at old-school restaurants and family Sunday tables across the region as a nostalgic comfort dish.
Common allergens: Gluten, Egg
Tip from the editors. Braising the breaded skewers after frying keeps the lean veal from drying out.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Why locals love it: A century-old German tavern tucked in Deutschtown that survives the North Side's changes, off most visitors' radar.
Tip: Order schnitzel or sauerbraten with a German beer. A nod to the North Side's German immigrant roots.
Why locals love it: A Polish deli, grocery and pierogi counter on the Strip that gets overshadowed by the bigger Italian market names.
Tip: Buy a dozen pierogi to go and a kielbasa. Ask about the monthly pierogi-making class if you want to learn.
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