Do you receive the Overtime Cook email newsletter? I send out a weekly menu plan, plus more. Click here to sign up. P.S – it’s completely free!

I always find it ironic that some people think of chicken capons as an old-fashioned dish. Maybe it’s time to rename it chicken roulade and celebrate how beautiful this chicken looks on the plate (especially when you serve it sliced, as pictured). The fact that it can be prepared ahead and frozen is just another bonus!

If you aren’t familiar with chicken capons, they are what kosher butchers call a deboned chicken leg, with the skin still attached. They are one of my favorite ways to serve chicken, and I am grateful to Los Angeles’s Western Kosher, the premiere kosher grocery in town, for providing the beautiful capons used in this recipe and photo (and for being the place I get all of my chicken and meat!).

(Thank you to Western Kosher for sponsoring this post – all opinions remain my own, always.)

A note about serving sizes: If the capons are the main dish at a meal, I consider each one to be a good size for one person. If you’re planning to serve a meat dish as well, I consider half a capon per person as a good size.

Did you know that I share cooking demos, menu plans, giveaways, and lots more exclusive content on Instagram?

Follow me there for all that bonus content that you don’t want to miss!

Chicken Capons with Leek and Date Stuffing

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Leek and Date Stuffing

2 Tablespoons oil
2 onions, diced
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
4-6 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced into half rings
8-10 dates, chopped
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 sleeves snackers (non-dairy ritz style crackers), crushed
2 eggs

Assembly:

8-10 chicken capons (deboned chicken legs with the skin on)
kosher salt and ground black pepper, for sprinkling

Sauce:

3/4 cup white wine or vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons honey
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Prepare stuffing: Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1 teaspoon of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Add leeks and another teaspoon of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 15 minutes, but preferably 30 or more, until the mixture has gotten some color.
Add dates, parsley, thyme and remaining teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Once leek mixture has cooled, add crushed crackers followed by eggs. Mix to form a slghtly damp texture.
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 or larger baking pan; set aside.
Prepare the capons: Place capons skin-side down on a work surface. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the tops.
Place a handful of stuffing in the center of each capon, then roll the chicken to encase the stuffing. Place seam side down into prepared baking pan. Repeat with remaining capons and stuffing. Any leftover stuffing can be placed under the chicken - it's my favorite part!
Prepare the sauce: Place all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour sauce over capons.
Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours. Uncover, raise heat to 400, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

Notes

Plan ahead: Capons can be frozen, fully cooked, until ready to serve. Rewarm covered, until heated through.

Like This Recipe? You will absolutely LOVE my cookbooks!

They also make a great gift!

Click here to purchase Something Sweet.

Click here to purchase Real Life Kosher Cooking

Click here to purchase More Real Life Kosher Cooking

Click here to purchase Real Life Pesach Cooking

Never miss a new recipe! Follow me for all the updates on:

Facebook| Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

Disclosure: OvertimeCook.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.