Chef John's City Chicken

4.4
(16)

This fascinating pork-on-a-stick recipe is American cuisine in a nutshell. City cooks, who couldn't get chicken, would take scraps from much cheaper, at the time, pork and build something similar to what you see here. Why this represents the true spirit of American food is that long after chicken became cheap and plentiful, people kept making and eating this anyway. Serve with honey mustard.

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Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Additional Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:
6
Yield:
6 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 whole pork tenderloin

  • 6 (6 inch) bamboo skewers

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • dried thyme to taste

  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

  • 2 eggs, beaten, or more as needed

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour, or as needed

  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs, or as needed

  • 2 cups vegetable oil, or as needed

Directions

  1. Cut tenderloin into three sections; the thick center section and two end sections. Cut the thinner end portion of the tenderloin into chunks. Slice the thick center section lengthwise into even halves. Cut the 2 center sections and thicker end portion into1/2-inch slices.

  2. Thread pork pieces, starting with the smallest pieces and working up to wider pieces, onto each skewer to resemble chicken drumsticks.

  3. Season skewered 'drumsticks' with salt, black pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper on all sides.

  4. Whisk eggs together in a bowl. Pour flour into another bowl. Put the bread crumbs into a third bowl.

  5. Gently press the 'drumsticks' into flour to coat and shake to remove excess flour. Dip 'drumsticks' into egg and press into bread crumbs. Place finished drumsticks on a plate in a single layer and refrigerate, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

  6. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the surface of the oil is shimmering. Cook 'drumsticks' in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate; let rest 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Nutrition:

The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the breading ingredients. The actual amount of the breading consumed will vary. We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

39 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

233 Calories
12g Fat
14g Carbs
18g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 233
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 104mg 35%
Sodium 97mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 18g 36%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 2mg 8%
Potassium 237mg 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.