Every now and then, one of my recipes puts me in a weird position. A while ago, I made a delicious meat dish. I carefully measured the ingredients so I could post it here, and then, before I posted it, I thought of googling the cut of meat I was using. The cut was, as called in kosher butcher shops, minute steak. Kosher cooks will be very familiar with this type of steak. However, according to google (and I assume most of my non-kosher readers), minute steak is a thin cut of steak that can be grilled in a minute or less. It’s a logical term, I must admit, but the minute steak I know usually involves about 200 minutes of cooking at a low temperature. Needless to say, I didn’t post the recipe. Alls well that ends well though, because the pictures came out terribly.
So as a blog that has (I convince myself) both kosher and non-kosher readers, I try to cater to both. Usually, it’s easy. (A dessert is a dessert, right?) But sometimes it isn’t. Like this recipe. This cut of chicken is always called Capons in Kosher stores, but when I googled it, turns out capon is a totally different bird, not a part of the chicken. Lucky for all of you, this cut of chicken is super simple to explain. So whether you call these chicken Capons, or boneless chicken thighs, this is an absolutely delicious and crowd pleasing recipe.
I made this recipe for my sister’s Sheva Brachos Party a while back, and it got rave reviews. I also made it loads of times before, and yet this is the first time I forced myself to measure everything and share it here. Convinced yet? This chicken is not only delicious, but it freezes wonderfully, which makes this a perfect do-ahead holiday meal!
Note: not all butchers stock boneless thighs, AKA Capons, but try asking, many will make them special for you. If you can’t get them, you can use this as a stuffing in any chicken recipe. Watch the cooking time though, as other cuts and bones will vary the cooking times.
Pastrami Stuffed Chicken (Capons)
Ingredients:
5 boneless chicken thighs, skin on
for the filling:
Oil, for frying
2-3 onions, finely diced
6 ounces pastrami, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 egg
Salt, pepper and paprika, to taste.
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the diced onions and sauté for about half an hour. Add the pastrami and continue to sauté over a low flame for at least a half hour, preferably longer. (You can leave this on the flame while you do other things. The longer it cooks the more flavor it will have, and it’s pretty low maintenance.)
Once the onions are golden brown and the pastrami has shrunk, remove the mixture from heat. Add the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and parsley. Stir to combine. Add the egg and mix until the mixture forms a slightly sticky and cohesive mixture.
Preheat oven to 350.
Stuff some of the mixture into the center of the chicken thigh, and roll the chicken around it to form a roll. If desired, place some of the stuffing between the skin and the meat.
Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika (to taste) over the chicken. Cover the pan tightly and bake at 350 for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Uncover the chicken and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve hot. Slice for the pretty stuffing factor, or serve whole for a surprise!
Enjoy!
How is everyone’s Sukkot cooking coming along? Mine is in full swing as my freezer fills up. Hope you’ll include this awesome chicken on your menu! Inspire me folks- what are you making? -Miriam
