How to Cook a Whole Chicken or Capon in the Oven. Cooking a whole chicken or capon that’s tender inside and crispy on the outside seems like a challenge, but the secret is all in the technique.
In this guide, you’ll discover how to manage cooking times and which aromas to use to bring to the table a roast worthy of the best restaurants, perfect for Sunday or special occasions.
What are the cooking differences between chicken and capon:
The capon is much larger and fattier than a chicken, so it requires longer cooking times and specific techniques (such as constant basting) to prevent the meat from drying out.
But what are the differences between the two?
The capon is a surgically castrated and fattened rooster to obtain softer, tastier, and buttery meat. Conversely, chicken is a generic term for a young specimen (male or female) not castrated, with leaner and firmer meat.
Main differences
Taste and texture: The capon has much fattier, tender, and aromatic meat compared to that of chicken.
Preparing the Capon or Chicken, the tricks for crispy skin.
Size: The capon is significantly larger and heavier, weighing over 6 lbs.
Culinary use: The capon is the star of boiled dishes and Christmas broths; the chicken is more versatile and suitable for quick roasts or everyday cooking.
But now let’s go to the kitchen, and I will show you a scenic preparation that wins over guests with its tenderness and persistent citrus aroma.
Thought for you:
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Christmas
Ingredients
Let’s go shopping
- 4.4 lbs capon (or chicken already cleaned and whole)
- 1 oranges (Navel)
- 1 lemons
- 1 clove garlic
- as needed rosemary
- 3.5 oz butter
- as needed sage
- as needed thyme
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper (in grains)
- 2/3 cup white wine
- 3.5 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
How to Cook a Whole Chicken or Capon in the Oven
Tools
We need
- 1 Baking dish the size of the chicken
- 1 Citrus juicer
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Aluminum foil
- 1 Knife
- 1 Kitchen twine
Steps
Let’s go into the kitchen
To prepare the citrus capon, start with the stuffing: place 1 whole lemon and 2 slices of orange inside.
Transfer the capon or chicken into a baking dish that must be the right size to contain it, neither too big nor too small.
Also add the aromatic herbs: thyme, rosemary, sage, and 1 whole clove of garlic with skin.
Start tying it by the legs,
then move on to the whole body, going through the wings as if it were a nice bundle.
Then bring the two strings towards the chest, turn the capon around, and cross the strings, tying them into a bow to make it easier to untie once cooked.
Place orange slices on the chicken or capon, and wedge some under the string.
Prepare the marinade: in a bowl, pour the orange juice and lemon juice, add the extra virgin olive oil.
Season with crushed garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and mix.
Drizzle with the obtained marinade.and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (better if overnight).
During this time, occasionally, with a ladle, gather the marinade and baste the chicken or capon again.
Cooking
Add pepper grains, herbal leaves, and butter chunks on the orange slices.
Leave the marinade in the baking dish and also add the white wine and chicken broth.
Cover first with parchment paper and then with aluminum foil and cook in a preheated ventilated oven at 350°F for about an hour.
After the initial cooking time, remove the cover and continue cooking for another 30-45 minutes, basting the capon or chicken with the cooking juices occasionally, until the skin becomes golden and crispy.
The core temperature should reach 167°F.
Once cooked, remove the capon or chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Here’s how to cook a whole chicken or capon in the oven
Storage and Tips
How to Cook a Whole Chicken or Capon in the Oven can be stored for a day in the refrigerator. Or up to 3 months in the freezer.
If you wish to serve baked potatoes with the dish with Mediterranean aromas, it is better to prepare them separately; click here
FAQ
How to Cook a Whole Chicken or Capon in the Oven
How do I adjust the time if the chicken or capon is larger?
If they weigh 5.5 lbs, it takes 2 hours, and increase the time by half an hour for each additional pound.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken or Capon in the Oven
