Mock Chicken Legs (City Chicken) Recipe

Photos of Mock Chicken Legs (City Chicken) Recipe

This savory City Chicken is golden brown and crispy on the outside and meaty and juicy on the inside. But despite its name, City Chicken does not contain any chicken! Instead, inside its delicious coating are cubes of meat, either pork or veal, that were skewered, breaded, and shaped to mimic fried chicken legs. These mock chicken legs are fun savory snacks that kids and adults alike will surely enjoy.

Serve it best with gravy, homemade aioli, or your favorite dipping sauce.

Tips on Making Mock Chicken Legs

Our easy City Chicken recipe is a must-try. Read on these helpful tips on how to make City Chicken that is not only crispy and delicious but also looks almost like real chicken drumsticks:

Shape the mock chicken legs right by skewering smaller pieces of meat on the top, larger pieces in the middle, and smaller pieces again in the lower-middle portions of the stick.
The mock chicken legs could be air fried, deep-fried, or fried then finished at the oven just like this recipe.
You can try other ingredients for breading like ground almonds and parmesan cheese, crushed crackers, and crushed cornflakes.
For added nutrition, you can also thread in cubed bell peppers and pineapples to the skewers.

How To Make Mock Chicken Legs

Make crispy and juicy fried City Chicken using pork and veal with this easy mock chicken legs recipe. Enjoy it with a dipping sauce like gravy and aioli.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 50 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

1 lb pork, or veal, boneless, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
½ tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, ground
¼ tsp chili powder
½ cup milk
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups breadcrumbs
frying oil, enough to cover skewers

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder.
Sprinkle the spice blend over the meat and mix until all pieces of meat are well-seasoned.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Pour the breadcrumbs into another separate tray.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a large baking dish with a wire rack.
Heat the oil for frying to 350 degrees F.
Once the oil is hot, dip your skewers first into the flour, then into the egg mixture, and then into the breadcrumbs, and then back to the egg mixture and breadcrumbs again. Skewer the chunks of meat.
Fry the skewers for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the coating is crispy and golden brown.
Place the fried skewers onto a wire rack and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Serve with dipping sauce and your choice of sides.

Nutrition

Sugar: 7g
:
Calcium: 238mg
Calories: 744kcal
Carbohydrates: 70g
Cholesterol: 248mg
Fat: 34g
Fiber: 5g
Iron: 6mg
Monounsaturated Fat: 13g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g
Potassium: 663mg
Protein: 38g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Sodium: 1319mg
Trans Fat: 1g
Vitamin A: 766IU
Vitamin C: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Have you tried making Mock Chicken Legs (City Chicken) or have a great recipe to share? Join the discussion in the Recipe Sharing forum!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are mock chicken legs made of?

Mock chicken drumsticks are made of boneless or ground pork and veal. This dish was invented during the Great Depression Era to bring the experience of eating chicken to those who cannot afford it. Chicken was very expensive and considered a luxury at that time. Veal and pork were more affordable, hence the recipe. It was later on called City Chicken because it was popularly sold in the cities.

What is vegetarian mock chicken?

Vegetarian mock chicken is made from flavored wheat gluten called seitan, an excellent vegan meat substitute. It is made by washing the flour dough with water until all starches are removed, leaving only the gluten. It is chewy, high in protein and iron, and has a pleasant meat-like texture.

Are mock chicken legs precooked?

Most store-bought mock chicken, usually made of ground pork, are pre-cooked. However, you can also pre-cook your homemade mock chicken drumsticks before storing them in the freezer. To do this, follow the recipe instructions but bake them for only 15 minutes. Let them cool completely before storing them in the fridge in sealed containers or zip lock bags. They can be good for up to three months. When ready to eat, simply thaw the mock chicken legs and bake them in the oven for 15 minutes. The baked city chicken should come out crispy, golden brown, and smelling delicious!

Conclusion

Experience the old Polish City Chicken with this easy mock chicken legs recipe. It is crispy, juicy, meaty, and fun to eat. Serve it for snack time or dinner. Kids will love it, and adults will enjoy it too!