Giancarlo’s Poutine Chapin
I wanted my dish to communicate my heritage and the warmth that home cooking provides but also pay respect to that little kid that just wanted some fries, after a long day. So I made my take on loaded fries! The main components of the dish are yuca frita, pollo guisado, and curtido. All of which are “comida tipica” you’d likely find in my mom’s, Guatemalan, and Salvadoran kitchens everywhere - with modern spin on it.
- Giancarlo Ramirez
Servings: 3-4
Ingredients
For the Guisado (Stewed Chicken):
6 Roma tomatoes, quartered
3 yellow onions, quartered
2-3 jalapeños, quartered and deseeded
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
3 lbs chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
Salt, to taste
¼ cup soy sauce
Crushed chile de árbol, to taste
Olive oil, enough to cover the pan
1 tablespoon cornstarch + water (for slurry)
Juice of 2-3 limes
For the Curtido (Cabbage Slaw):
¼ green cabbage, shredded or julienned
¼ red cabbage, shredded or julienned
2-3 carrots, peeled into ribbons
Juice of 2 limes
Crushed chile de árbol, to taste
Salt, to taste
For the Yuca Fries:
½ bag frozen yuca fries
Salt, to taste
For Garnish:
¼ wheel queso fresco, crumbled
½ malanga root, julienned and fried
Edible flowers
Micro cilantro
Togarashi
Instructions
1. Make the Curtido
In a medium bowl, mix the shredded green and red cabbage with carrot ribbons. Toss with the juice of 2 limes, crushed chile de árbol, and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight if possible, to let the flavors meld.
2. Prepare the Chicken
In a large pot, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Season your chicken generously with salt, soy sauce, and chile de árbol. Sear the chicken skin-side down until golden and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Flip and brown the other side. Add your chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and garlic into the pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let everything simmer for 15-20 minutes.
3. Create the Salsa
Once the chicken is tender, remove it from the pot and set aside. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender along with some water and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and lime juice, then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve back into the pot. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, cooking over medium heat until it reaches a rich, velvety consistency.
4. Pull the Chicken
While the sauce is simmering, pull the chicken meat from the bones and discard the skin. Toss the pulled chicken in some of the salsa to reheat, keeping the rest of the sauce aside for serving.
5. Fry the Yuca Fries
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350°F. Fry the yuca fries until golden and crispy, about 1-2 minutes. Drain and toss with salt. Set aside.
6. Fry the Malanga
Julienne the malanga root and fry in hot oil until crispy, about 1 minute. Toss with a sprinkle of salt and togarashi, and keep warm.
7. Serve
To assemble the dish, plate the pulled chicken over crispy yuca fries. Top with curtido and drizzle with extra salsa. Garnish with queso fresco, fried malanga strips, micro cilantro, and edible flowers. Serve with extra lime wedges for a final squeeze of freshness.
