Shawarma Poutine: Canada's two late-night favourites finally hooked up
Complete with kebabs, garlic sauce and of course cheese, fries and gravy, this poutine may induce tears of joy
This recipe deconstructs everyone’s favourite shawarma sandwich and remixes it into the best poutine you have ever eaten. Complete with garlic sauce and kebabs, this is a must-try recipe. Watch it come together here and scroll down for how to make it.
Ingredients
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, skin on
- 2 Greek-style pitas
- 2 large russet potatoes
- ½ cup + 3 tbsp grapeseed oil (or another high smoke point oil), divided
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cayenne
- Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
Gravy:
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Preparation
Take chicken out of fridge 20 minutes before using.
Microwave pitas for 20 seconds and use a rolling pin to flatten slightly. Place each pita over top of an upside down metal oven safe bowl. Press down and set aside, upside down for at least 20 minutes, a bit of cracking is okay. While you wait, start your fries.
Wash potatoes and cut into ¼ inch-wide fries. Soak in cold water for at least one hour or overnight, rinsing fries and changing water halfway through; this can be done the day before, refrigerate overnight.
Before baking, preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Drain potatoes and dry very well on paper towels, blotting the tops. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place dried fries on top, drizzle with ½ cup oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix fries well with tongs or hands and spread evenly on a baking sheet, making sure not to overlap. Bake for 15 minutes. While they bake, make your “cheater’s chicken shawarma”.
For your cheater’s shawarma, slice cooked chicken breasts into ½ cm slices, divide meat in half, pierce and layer onto two oven safe skewers, make sure to tightly pack them. Mix together 2 tbsp oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, garlic powder, ground cayenne, salt and brush over all sides of your chicken kebabs. Add to your french fry baking sheet after the fries have cooked for 15 minutes. Flip fries with a spatula. Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Place your bowls with the pitas formed over them on another small baking sheet. Brush top of pita bowls with oil and add to oven, baking for 10 minutes.
While fries, chicken and pita are baking, start the gravy. Add stock and spices to a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Once simmering add ½ cup of hot liquid and flour to a heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Whisk until flour is completely dissolved, then return back to saucepan. Whisk over medium high heat until thickened, then season with salt and pepper to taste, keep on low heat.
Add all of the garlic sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined, set aside.
Remove fries, chicken and pita bowls from oven.
To serve, divide fries between your pita bowls. Remove chicken from skewers and divide between your bowls. Sprinkle on halloumi then pour gravy over top. Next, drizzle over garlic sauce and garnish with diced tomato, pickled turnip and chopped parsley. Enjoy!