Chicken Bog

Chicken and rice is a classic comfort food all around the world. From Latin Arroz con Pollo to African Jollof Rice, there are just so many varieties of this combination out there.

Today, I am bringing you Chicken Bog, a version from the American Lowcountry, specifically South Carolina.

If you ask my six year old son what his favorite food is, he will always say “chicken and rice.” I guess that’s why he rated this recipe “a thousand out of ten.”

It’s a pretty simple dish, the kind of thing that folks have probably been cooking for an inexpensive dinner that can feed a crowd for generations.

What is Chicken Bog?

Quite simply, it’s chicken, sausage and rice cooked in a homemade chicken broth. Essentially, a more basic version of Jambalaya. It’s very popular in South Carolina, where they even have and annual “Bog Off” festival.

The exact origins of the name are disputed. Some say it’s because the chicken gets bogged down by the rice, while others say that it’s “boggy,” because it’s a wet dish.

Whatever the origins or meaning, chicken bog is pure homestyle Southern comfort food.

Ingredients

• Chicken – I use a whole chicken here, and don’t even bother to cut it up beforehand. Just make sure to remove the gizzards if there are any.
• Veggies – Onion, celery and carrot. They go in the final product, but serve to flavor the broth.
• Broth seasonings – Garlic, bay leaves, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Butter – This adds a lot of flavor to the rice. I always use salted butter.
• Smoked sausage – Now this is what makes the dish really tasty. You can play with different varieties, but never, ever omit it.
• Rice – Long grain is traditional, though I have made it with other types.
• Chicken bouillon – To add some extra flavor.

Chicken Bog Recipe

First, I make the broth. I add chicken, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, paprika, salt and pepper to a large stock pot or dutch oven, then add enough water to fully cover the chicken. I brig this mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a medium simmer, and cook for 1.5 hours.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, I remove it from the broth to a large platter or baking dish. Once cool enough to handle, I remove the skin and bones and shred the remaining meat. Then, I strain the remaining broth into a large bowl.

In the same pot, I melt the butter, then add sliced sausage and sauté until it has browned up. Next, I add the rice and sauté it for 3-4 minutes.

Then I stir in 4 cups of the prepared chicken broth, along with the chicken bouillon cubes and shredded chicken. I bring it to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is tender.

After it’s cooked, I add more of the chicken broth (about 3 cups) to the rice to give it a slightly soupy consistency before serving.

I hope you enjoy this chicken bog recipe as much as I do. It’s nothing fancy or exotic, just simple homestyle food that always satisfies.

If you try it, please leave a star rating and comment, we love to hear from you. And be sure to stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Pinterest.

More great Southern recipes:
Black-Eyed Peas
Fried Catfish
Shrimp Etouffee
Smothered Chicken
Fried Green Tomatoes
Frogmore Stew
Shrimp and Grits

Chicken Bog

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Chicken Bog is a hearty and comforting chicken and rice dish out of the Lowcountry. It's a great way to feed a crowd.

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Ingredients

Chicken broth

• 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Bog

• ¼ cup butter
• 14oz smoked sausage, sliced
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 4 cups prepared chicken broth
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes

Instructions

1. First, make the broth. Add chicken, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, paprika, salt and pepper to a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add enough water to fully cover the chicken. Brig this mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a medium simmer, and cook for 1.5 hours.
2. Remove the chicken from the broth to a large platter or baking dish. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones. Shred the remaining meat.
3. Strain the remaining broth into a large bowl.
4. In the same pot, melt the butter, then add sliced sausage. Sauté until it has browned up.
5. Add rice and sauté it for 3-4 minutes.
6. Stir in 4 cups of the prepared chicken broth, along with the chicken bouillon cubes and shredded chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is tender.
7. If desired, add more of the chicken broth to the rice to give it a slightly soupy consistency before serving. (We add about 3 cups)

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 459Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 114mgSodium 1696mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 29g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.