Poutine with Chicken and Thyme Gravy
Poutine with Chicken and Thyme Gravy is an amazing Canadian appetizer that combines French fries with cheese curds and rich chicken gravy. We tried to visit some restaurants that specialized in poutine in both Boston and Walt Disney World, but we just never timed it right. So, I finally started making it at home, and now it’s one of our very favorite appetizers.
The Equipment You’ll Need
- Two Dutch ovens- The first one is for baking the chicken and making the gravy. Any oven and stove top casserole or pan will do. The second Dutch oven is for deep frying, but you could use any heavy, deep pot.
- A Deep Fry Thermometer- This is a must for this recipe.
The Ingredients You’ll Need for Poutine with Chicken and Thyme Gravy
- The Chicken Stock- I always use homemade, since the rich stock is essential to a good gravy.
- The Cheese Curds- You can find these in the gourmet cheese section of an upscale supermarket. If you can’t find them, just substitute chunks of mozzarella or cheddar cheese.
- Vegetable Oil- I like to deep fry in Crisco vegetable oil, but you could also use canola or peanut oil.
How I Made my Poutine
- First, I roasted my chicken.
- Next, I cut and soaked my potatoes.
- As soon as the chicken was done, I made my gravy.
- Next, I fried the potatoes being sure to only add potatoes when the oil was at the correct temperature.
- Finally, I reheated the gravy and topped my fries with the curds and gravy.
This dish is a lot of fun to make, and a pleasure to eat. I’m eager to experiment with different gravies and other toppings. As I mentioned earlier, we keep missing our opportunities for restaurant poutine, so I’m glad I can make it at home. We were in Disney for a week last summer, and the Canadian pavilion at Epcot has several eateries that serve poutine but we were never there at the right time to eat it. Now, though, I look forward to recreating the different kinds of poutine on the Disney menus. So, I hope you’ll try this French Canadian specialty, and join the millions of world wide poutine aficionados!
Poutine with Chicken and Thyme Gravy
Equipment
- deep fry thermometer
- 2 Dutch ovens
Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 1 chicken breast with skin and bones
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 halved onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 thick slice of lemon
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 tsp. 'Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup cheese curds
Instructions
- Begin by peeling your potatoes and cutting them into half inch thick batons.
- Soak them in a large bowl of cold water while you make your gravy.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a Dutch oven, place one tablespoon of olive oil, followed by your chicken breast, skin side up. Cover the breast with a pinch of salt, plus the pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Top with the rest of the olive oil.
- Add the lemon, thyme, onion, and garlic to the pot and cook it in the oven uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Turn the chicken over after 20 minutes so the skins side is facing down.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken and vegetables for another use. Remove all the oil from the pot, and reserve two tablespoons. Over medium heat use the stock to deglaze the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for three minutes.
- Add the flour to the reserved pot oil and whisk it into the stock. Cook for 3 minutes. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and cover the gravy to keep it warm.
- Meanwhile, fill a second Dutch oven with one inch of the vegetable oil, fitted with a deep fry thermometer to 325 degrees. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry.
- When the oil reaches 325 degrees, fry one quarter of the fries just until they start to turn golden. Drain them on a wire rack, over a sheet pan, just until they start to turn golden. Repeat with the other three batches of potatoes.
- Bring the oil up to 375 degrees and refry the first batch of fries until they turn golden brown. Repeat with the other three batches, draining each on the wire rack and sprinkling right away with the salt.
- Reheat your gravy so it is piping hot.
- Place the fries on a platter and top with the cheese curds. Pour the gravy over everything and serve right away.
