Chicken baca style is a highlander classic in a lighter, poultry form, a grilled fillet with smoked oscypek and cranberry. At Karczma U Wnuka in Zakopane, at 8 Kościeliska Street, about 300 metres from Krupówki, we serve it with potatoes, called grule in the highlander dialect. It is a good option for those who want to try the flavours of Podhale but prefer something lighter than heavy pork dishes.
The name of the dish refers to the baca, the master of the sheep grazing and guardian of the tradition of making sheep cheeses. The heart of chicken baca style is precisely oscypek, a smoked sheep cheese with an EU protected designation of origin, which we bake on top of the grilled fillet until it starts to melt. Add the sweet-and-sour cranberry and a portion of potatoes, and the whole thing creates a familiar, regional combination that appeals to adults and children alike. The dish is mild, so it also works for people who are not keen on spicy flavours.
Chicken baca style shows that highlander cuisine is not only filling meats and rich dishes, but also lighter options based on local ingredients. Delicate poultry combined with distinct, smoked cheese and fruity cranberry is a dish that unites tradition with a modern approach to cooking for guests. If you are wondering where to eat something regional but not too heavy in Zakopane, this item on our menu is an excellent choice. We serve it in the atmosphere of a historic inn, a few minutes' walk from Krupówki, in a place that has served Podhale cuisine continuously since 1850.
This dish also works well when different tastes meet at one table: it is regional enough to please lovers of Podhale, and mild enough to appeal to children and to people who avoid heavy, fatty food. In the winter season, after skiing, it warms you nicely without a feeling of being overfull, and in summer it makes a light choice for lunch in Zakopane. The grilled fillet with oscypek is also a good example of how a modern inn combines traditional, local ingredients with a lighter, contemporary approach to cooking for guests visiting the region all year round.
