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
Looks yummy!
Daddy loved it!
Plain or flavored breadcrumbs?
I use plain.
That looks so good. My boyfriend thinks chicken is boring. Not with this dish!!
What a great idea!
I don’t get how the pastrami doesn’t fall out of the capon?
The stuffing is somewhat sticky because of the egg, and you roll the chicken around the stuffing. Put it in the pan seam down.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for the elaboration!
Pastrami stuffed capons slow cooking on my stove (don’t make my oven flaishigs) and if this is going to taste 1/2 as good as it smells, then we are in for a treat.
Made your apple crumb kugel, but subbed blueberry pie filling instead of the cherry! It is delicious! There are no ends left! And I’m the only one in the kitchen.
Have a great yom tov and thanks for your blog!
Julie
Really love your blog and your useful instructions 🙂
do u have an idea of how to subsitute the breadcrumbs? I am avoiding starches…
Sorry, not sure it would work without them!
Can this be made with cutlets?
how much parsley? you write it in the instructions but not the ingredients. I just gave a good shake. I used mini capons and had extra filling so made stuffing balls and baked it together. I tasted one of the balls, YUM
Oops! Fixed that!
Enjoy!
Hi Miriam! Sorry to bug so close to Yom Tov, but I’m going to make this with chicken breasts and I am wondering if I could substitute matzo meal for breadcrumbs?
You can try! Not sure exactly because I never tried it.
Have you ever tried using corn flake crumbs? Would that work?
Hi your recipe sounds delicious! I was just wondering when would you freeze the capons, before or after baking? Also do you think it would taste good with duck sauce on top?
Freeze after baking- you can undercook it slightly to finish after defrosting.
It doesn’t need duck sauce but if you like it, go for it!
How would you recommend reheating once frozen on a Chag?
Your pics looks like you used sliced deli pastrami, and not cubes of pastrami, can you clarify? And if it’s thin slices of pastrami, how doesn’t it dry out after being cooked for so long on the fire?
Sliced deli. No, it doesn’t dry out.
How do I cube sliced deli pastrami?
Tried making the filling but instead of being sticky it was crumbly. Just double checking the measurements on the breadcrumbs?
Hi there!!! I gotta say this dish was absolutely amazing. Heaven brought down to earth. beautiful on my plate and so easily done.
Thx loads!!!
Would love to show u my pic,
I would love to see! Please post it to my facebook page, or email it to overtime cook at gmail.
I just made this for shabbos! Thanks for the recipe:)
What sauce can I por on top. I did with white meat and came out dry
This is a capon recipe – meant for thighs with the skin on – so tops will not work well with this, as you have discovered.
If I freeze these capons cooked should I warm them up directly from the freezer or should I defrost it first?
Either way is fine.
Would these freeze well if I made them ahead? Should I freeze them cooked or stuffed and raw?
Hi Miriam,
This recipe looks amazing! Did you use capons or pargiot? The store near me only had skinless pargiot. Do you think that would work just as well?
Thank You
Capons are basically pargiot with skin. You can try them, but watch that the chicken doesn’t dry out – as the skin helps keep it moist.
Just to let you know that kosher minute steak is really called flat iron steaks real minute steak comes from the back half of the animal
Thanks ever so much this recipe is just the best i ever had, but i would like to comment that it says on the recipe yields 5 thighs but i made the recipe lately 3 times the amount and i made 22 boned out legs from it but i will still keep on making it as it the best stuffed capons i ever had……..
What substitute can I put instead of the breadcrumbs to make it pesadik?
for those asking about what to substitute instead of bread crumbs for pesach or no starch diets- I made something similar with mashed potatoes.
Thanks so much for the recipe! I have tonz of extra filling. you think i can use it as a filling in your homemade potato knishes crust??
That sounds delicious! Maybe mix it into the mashed potatoes.
Can you freeze this ? if yes would you freeze it raw or baked
You can freeze it baked.
hi, I just made this for Shabbos, it was delicious! Thank you. I had the same problem as someone else, with 1 1/2 cups of breadcrumbs it was all crumbs not a sticky mixture. Any advice?
Hi, love the recipe, just wondering about the egg in it does it not taste like letcho style or is it just to combine the mixture like in a meat ball? and do you taste the egg??
Thanks loave your recipes
Can I use beef fry instead of pastrami?
Would like to freeze this baked – have made it many times but always fresh. Would you defrost overnight in the fridge – or would you bring to room temperature- afraid of Ecoli and think the outside will dry out if you put it in straight from freezer? What do you recommend