Chicken Bog

Continuing with my Southern/lowcountry-inspired dishes, we have chicken bog. What the heck is it? I’d say its kind of like a southern risotto with much, much less stirring. You end up with creamy rice laced with chicken, mushrooms and sausage (or whatever you want) without having to stand over a stove constantly stirring for 45 minutes!

I had never heard of chicken bog and was actually searching for a pilau/perlow recipe (something I actually did eat in Charleston). Both are rice-based dishes but according to this site, bog is a bit creamier whereas pilau would be more of a soupy rice. The pictures made it look very similar to a risotto, so I added mushrooms (I always sneak in veggies when I can) and reduced the amount of butter (a whole stick, Paula Deen?!). I’m boiling a whole chicken and 1 lb of sausage–I think there’s enough fat rendered so you can probably eliminate the butter entirely.

I have a large ziploc bag I keep in the freezer where I store chicken necks, wings, and other parts left over from roasting chickens or other recipes. When the bag gets full, I boil it up and make a broth. This chicken bog was the perfect way to use up the chicken bag. The bits and pieces of chicken was just the right amount of meat–I suspect I wouldn’t want to put the entire 3 lbs of chicken back into the bog at the end and would set some aside for another use.

Warning: this makes 6-8 servings! I put some in the freezer for another time and am really looking forward to eating this again.

[update] 6/9/13: I’m sure this is Southern food sacrilege, but I was out of white rice so used brown rice instead. Tastes great but the brown rice takes 45 minutes to an hour of low simmer time to cook through. I just put the lid on and gave it a stir every ten minutes until the rice was done. I also used turkey andouille and trumpet mushrooms with the brown rice and it was yummy!

Chicken Bog (adapted from Food Network and Home Ec 101)

• (1) 3 lb. chicken cut into pieces
• 1 lb smoked andouille sausage, sliced and quartered or halved
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 handfuls of sliced mushrooms (to taste)
• pat of butter
• 2 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt
• 1 tsp ground red pepper
• 2 tsps ground black pepper
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 cups water
• 3 cups long-grained white grace (Carolina Gold if you can get it)
• green onions or parsley for garnish

1. In a large stockpot, combine chicken, sausage, onions, butter, seasonings, and bay leaves.
2. Add water, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a low boil for 40 minutes.
3. Remove chicken from the pot and let cool. Pick the meat and discard the bones & skin.
4. Add rice and mushrooms to the pot & bring to a boil. Stir well to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom and burning. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the rice is done.
6. Remove bay leaves and return chicken to the pot.
7. Garnish with green onions or parsley and fresh cracked pepper!