Low Country Chicken Bog

I know, a funny name for a chicken and rice dish.  But  hear me out…

When we were visiting South Carolina and Georgia, we ate well! Low Country cuisine is in our top ten of all cuisines ever! Shrimp ‘n Grits, Cornbread, Fried Chicken, Fried Green Tomatoes, Collard Greens, Low Country Boil, Oysters, and Chicken Bog. Yep Chicken Bog!  It’s probably the one dish most people haven’t heard of.  So let me introduce you to Chicken Bog.

What is Chicken Bog

Think of this dish as a cross between chicken and rice soup, risotto, jambalaya, and pilaf.  In fact it is also referred to as Chicken Perloo or Pilau.  It is pure home cooking, but we did find it in a few restaurants as well.  The finished dish can be an elegant combination of tender chicken, spicy sausage, onions and flakey rice, or it can be cooked down a bit longer with more stock added to turn the rice into a ‘porridge’ of sorts.  When it turns into this texture it seems to be even more cozy and comforting.  I like it all the different ways, so sometimes I will cook it a bit longer to make it more soupy.

Why is it Called Bog?

The names seems to come from the idea that the chicken and sausage pieces are ‘bogged down’ in the rice, because it is a more soupy texture than a flakey classic pilaf.  Bog: noun; wetland, wet spongy ground that accumulates plant material, moss etc.  Rice was and is a backbone of Low Country, Gullah and Geechee cuisines, rice being grown all over the South Carolina Coast, and was part of the rich African cuisines of the first ones to cultivate it in this area of North America.

First comes the Chicken

This dish can be made in steps for ease of execution on the day you want to serve it.  On a Saturday, why not poach a whole chicken to create both the shredded chicken needed for the final Bog.  Doing this not only creates a beautifully tender chicken, but also gives you the stock you will need for the next stage of the dish.

Place an entire chicken (I usually aim for a small 2 1/2 – 3 pound chicken) in a large pot.  Add chopped onion (use those golden skins as long as there isn’t any dirt on them), carrots and celery.  Then make a bouquet garni from fresh parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme.  Add in a bay leaf and black peppercorns.  Cover everything with water, bring it to a boil and then reduce to low and cover.  Let the chicken simmer away for an hour. It may look done earlier, but leaving it in for a full hour or even a bit longer will give the stock more buttery good flavour. 

Remove the chicken to a bowl and let it cool down.  Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove all the large pieces of veg from the pot and discard.  Strain the remaining stock through a sieve into 4 cup containers.  I usually am able to fill 2 large glass jars, as well as another two cups or so.  You will be using 4 cups or so for the Bog, so now you have extra stock for the freezer, soups, or even drinking.  Let it all cool down, put lids on the containers and store in the fridge.  Once cooled, you will easily be able to remove the layer of fat that rises to the surface.

Back to the Chicken

Once cool to the touch, remove the skin and discard.  Remove the chicken from the bones and shred into large bite sized pieces.  You will easily get four or five cups of chicken depending on the size of chicken you start out with.  Some will be needed for the bog, the rest can be used in Chicken Yellow Zucchini and Lemon Soup, quesadillas, chilli, Curried Chicken Salad, stuffed crepes etc.  Freeze any that you won’t need right away.

Here is the Bog Stage

Now that you have your stock and chicken (which can be prepared the day before) you can make your bog! You will need rice. Traditionally those in Low Country will use Caroline Gold, a heritage locally grown long grain rice, but you can use any long grain rice like basmati.  The other classic ingredients are onion, and smoked sausage like Andouille or Chorizo.  I often just use Hungarian Csabai, which has a great spicy bite thanks to paprika.  Use a sausage that your family will enjoy, as long as it is already cured or smoked. Along with the onion, I do break from tradition and add garlic, carrot and celery.  I do this because not only do they add flavour and colour, they add a bit more texture and nutrition!  Now it is really a one pot meal, no need to add a salad.

You will heat oil and sauté the onion.  Then add in the garlic, carrot and celery.  The extra oomph will come from Sweet Paprika (you can use a smoked paprika, or even a smidge of Hot Hungarian Paprika, but be gentle, you already have spicy sausage in the mix!) Add the sliced sausage and let it release some of its oils into the mix.  Then add the rice, and stir it through everything to coat it in the flavours that have developed in the pot.

Now you will add the stock, and then finally add the shredded chicken.  Bring it to a boil, the cover and reduce the heat to low.  Go in and stir it once or twice, just to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom.  After a half hour the rice should be plumped and tender.  And the stock should be pretty well soaked up.  You can serve it at this point, just stirring some butter through.  But if you want it soupier, or the rice more porridgy (as per many local home cooks!) add a bit more stock and let it cook through and become absorbed by the rice.  The rice will bloom, or break open a bit. But that is what you want!

How to Serve

Classically, a squirt of lemon and a dash of hot sauce is all you need.  If you want a salad on the side, go for it.  Cornbread on the side is also a good thing!

Final Thoughts

I love the process of making the chicken and stock the day before.  But feel free to move directly to the Bog stage by using rotisserie chicken and purchased stock.  I do feel that you will lose some of the buttery goodness that comes from homemade chicken and stock, but it will still taste fine.  Use a less spicy sausage, or omit completely if you feel like it. If you want to make a yummy meal for someone who is sick or under the weather, maybe reduce the heat, and cook the rice to the porridge stage, and it will be total comfort, I promise!

This dish is pretty well full-proof.  You really can’t under or over-cook the rice. You are in total control.

Leftovers will keep for a day or two in the fridge.  When reheating you will want to add a bit more stock to loosen it up, then the rice will naturally turn to the next stage.  It will taste even more amazing, even if the texture is a new one for you. Below is what the porridgy rice will look like, trust me it tastes great!

For other favourite chicken and rice dishes check out:

Mama’s Chicken and Rice

Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Cardamom Rice

Tandoori Spiced Chicken and Jeera Rice

And for some Chicken and Orzo (which is kind of like rice)  you will love:

Skillet Garlic Butter Chicken and Orzo

Uber Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

Print

Low Country Chicken Bog

A cross between chicken soup, jambalaya and risotto, this is comfort food at its best. Use a spicy smoked sausage, and add extra veggies and this is a one pot wonder!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Low Country, North American

Keyword bog, chicken, rice, smoked sausage

Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

Chicken

• One 2 1/2-3 lb whole chicken and neck, see Notes
• 1 yellow onion, chopped, save skins that don't have dirt on them
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• small bunch of parsley
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 2-3 thyme sprigs
• 1 sage sprig
• 1 bay leaf
• 8-10 peppercorns

Bog

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, small chop
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 carrot, cut into half moon slices
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 6 oz smoked sausage like Andouille, Chorizo, or Hungarian Csabai, sliced into bite sized rounds or half moons
• 1 cup long grain rice, like Carolina Gold or basmati
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 cups chicken stock, plus more
• 2 cups shredded chicken or more if so desired
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried chili flakes, optional
• lemon wedges for serving
• hot sauce

Instructions

Chicken and Stock, can be made the day before

1. Place the chicken into a large pot. Surround it with the chopped onion and skins, carrots and celery.
2. Create a bouquet garni by tying together the parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage. Add this to the pot, along with the bay leaf and peppercorns.
3. Pour in enough water to entirely cover the chicken.
4. Bring to a boil, skimming away any impurities, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, checking occasionally to ensure that there is enough water, and that there is a gentle rolling simmer. You can simmer for a bit longer, depending on the size of the chicken. This will only make the stock more flavourful.
5. Remove the chicken to a bowl.
6. Use a spider, strainer or slotted spoon to remove all the large pieces of veg and bouquet garni, discard it all. Strain the remaining stock through a mesh strainer into containers. I use 4 cup containers. You should be able to fill two large containers, plus another smaller container. Once cooled, seal with lids and place into the fridge. The next day you will be able to remove the fat that has risen to the top easily. Store for a week in the fridge, or transfer to the freezer if not using.
7. Once the chicken is cooled down, remove the skin and discard. Shred the chicken meat and place it into a large container. You will need two cups or more for the Bog below, the rest can be used for chicken salad, soup, quesadillas etc. Freeze any unused chicken if you won't use it in a few days.

Bog

1. Heat the butter and oil in a dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot. Add the chopped onion and let it sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir it around for one minute. Add the chopped carrot, celery, paprika and sausage slices. Stir together and sauté for 5 minutes, till the onion is softened and turning golden and the sausage has released some beautiful oils.
2. Add the rice and stir it though everything to coat it with the fats and juices, for 1 minute. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Pour in 4 cups of the made stock and stir through well. Add 2 cups of the shredded chicken (more if you want!) and bring everything to a boil.
3. Cover and let simmer on low and cook for 30 minutes. Check every once in a while to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
4. Remove the lid, and taste to adjust the seasonings if so desired. If you want a bit more heat, feel free to sprinkle in some dried chili flakes.
5. If you would like it soupier, add more stock, 1/4 cup at a time and stir through, cooking it like a risotto, with the lid off.
6. Stir through 1-2 tbsp of butter for richness.
7. Garnish with chopped parsley.
8. To serve, a squeeze of lemon and hot sauce on the side are good!

Recipe Notes

You can easily make this with rotisserie chicken, you will need at least two cups of shredded chicken. Use purchased chicken stock for ease as well.
Omit the sausage if you feel like a milder dish.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge. To reheat, in a pot over low heat, add the leftovers along with a bit of stock to help loosen the rice to make it a lovely porridge like consistency.

This meal is easily cut in half.  Still go through the effort of making the entire chicken and stock.  You will be happy it is in the freezer.  If making a half batch of the Bog, the cooking time for the rice may be reduced.