Chicken bog is a classic lowcountry comfort food of tender pulled chicken and creamy rice in a delectable broth, the ultimate chicken and rice dish.
Chicken Bog Recipe
We're cooking up a big pot of chicken and rice in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. Chicken and rice is a classic combination, something so many of us grew up with.
It's hard to beat the pairing, as it is so incredibly comforting and easy to work with.
This isn't your typical chicken and rice dish, though. We're making a southern specialty with a strange name that I think you're doing to love.
It's called Chicken Bog, and it must might become a regular in your dinner rotation.
What is Chicken Bog?
Chicken Bog is a hearty, comforting one-pot dish of juicy pulled chicken, tender rice, and smoked sausage in a flavorful broth. It's a traditional dish from the Southern United States, particularly the Carolinas and the low country region of South Carolina, where it is referred to as Carolina chicken bog.
It's essentially a chicken and rice soup at heart, though shares similarities to other regional rice dishes, like jambalaya, chicken perloo or perlo, pilaf, and even Italian risotto.
The name is said to refer to the chicken being "bogged down" by the broth as it swims among the creamy rice.
Fans of Southern cuisine will certainly enjoy this dish, so full of flavor, and extremely satisfying.
Let's talk about how to make chicken bog, shall we?
Chicken Bog Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE CHICKEN BROTH
- Whole Chicken. You can use bone-in chicken parts, like chicken thighs and leg quarters.
- Vegetables. Onion, celery, carrot, leek, garlic.
- Herbs and Spices. Fresh parsley, fresh thyme, bay leaf, black peppercorns.
- FOR THE CHICKEN BOG
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
- Vegetables. Onion, bell peppers, garlic.
- Spices. Paprika, salt, and black pepper, fresh parsley.
- Andouille Sausage. You can use other smoked sausage.
- Rice. Carolina Gold rice preferred, medium or long grain white rice, or brown rice.
- Chicken Bouillon Cube. Optional, for extra flavor.
How to Make Chicken Bog - the Recipe Method
MAKE THE CHICKEN BROTH
Make a homemade chicken broth by adding the chicken to a large stock pot with vegetables (onion, celery, carrot, leek, and garlic), herbs and spices (parsley, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns), and just enough water to cover it.
Boil, then simmer the whole pot to cook the chicken and develop the broth.
Shred the meat from the chicken and throw away the bones, then strain the chicken broth.
FOR THE CHICKEN BOG
Heat the oil in the same large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion and peppers, then the garlic, paprika, and andouille.
Stir in the rice for a minute or so to lightly brown.
Stir in some of the chicken stock, the shredded chicken, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep extra chicken broth on hand as needed.
Simmer the pot for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the rice is cooked through.
Stir the Chicken bog to separate any rice. For wetter or soupier rice, stir in extra chicken stock until you reach a consistency you prefer.
Serve it into bowls with fresh chopped parsley or green onions and enjoy.
Boom! Done! Your chicken bog is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? Doesn't it look wonderful? All that chicken and rice, so much flavor. I'm ready to dig into a bowl! The perfect one pot meal!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- As a time saver, you can make the chicken broth ahead, or use store bought chicken broth with rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken.
- Save and freeze any extra chicken broth for another use, as it is a wonderful flavor builder.
- You can easily adjust the seasonings to your preference with your favorites. Italian seasoning is a popular addition.
- For creamier chicken bog, use arborio rice, which is used to make Italian risotto.
- Feel free to add in your favorite vegetables to round out this dish, like chopped carrots, corn, or beans.
Serving Chicken Bog
You can serve this more rice forward (like a risotto) or more soupy (like a chicken and rice soup), to your preference.
Simply adjust the amount of broth while serving.
Storage & Leftovers
Chicken bog will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily reheat it in a pot on the stove top to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this chicken bog recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Try Some of My Other Soup and Stew Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Chicken Bog Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN BROTH (See Recipe Notes for Easier Option)
- 1 whole chicken 4-5 pounds – keep whole or cut up as desired – livers and gizzards discarded and saved for another use
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 ribs celery rough chopped
- 1 carrot rough chopped
- 1 leek chopped (white part only)
- 5 cloves garlic rough chopped
- 1 sprig parsley
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
FOR THE CHICKEN BOG
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion chopped (white or yellow)
- 2 bell peppers chopped (I used 1 red and 1 green)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 pound andouille sausage sliced (or use other smoked sausage)
- 2 cups rice Carolina Gold preferred, medium or long grain – rinsed unti water runs clear
- 1 chicken bouillon cube optional, for extra flavor – try Knorr Brand
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN BROTH
- Add the chicken to a large stock pot along with onion, celery, carrot, leek, and garlic. Add just enough water to cover the chicken. Top with parsley, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 40-60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Skim any fats from the surface if needed.
- Remove from heat and carefully remove the chicken to a large platter (tongs are helpful). Cool slightly, then remove the meat and shred it with forks. Set aside. Discard the chicken bones.
- Strain the chicken broth into a large bowl and discard the solids.
FOR THE CHICKEN BOG
- Heat the oil in the same large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers. Cook for 5-10 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic, paprika, and andouille sausage. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to lightly brown the rice.
- Add 1 quart of the reserved chicken stock, reserved shredded chicken, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. (Keep extra chicken broth on hand as needed.)
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the rice is cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Stir the Chicken bog to separate any rice. For wetter or soupier rice, stir in ¼ cup reserved chicken stock until you reach a consistency you prefer. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Stir in fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- You can make this with other foul, like pheasant.
- Save and freeze any extra chicken broth for another use.
- You can serve this more rice forward (like a risotto) or more soupy (like a chicken and rice soup), to your preference. Simply adjust the amount of broth while serving.
- Easy Chicken Broth Option: You can skip the chicken broth making step and instead use store bought or homemade chicken broth.
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 12/18/24 to include new information. It was originally published on 9/27/23.
Lori says
My husbands fav recipe now. This was my first time to make this. Never made my own chicken stock before. I really enjoyed how it all came together 🙂 I did learn a couple of things. Yes, wash your rice. I used a rotisserie chicken thinking I would save time. I really didn't save time, you are making your stock, you might as well put a whole chicken in that pot lol. We love mushrooms, I think next time I am going to add them to bog. The flavors are wonderful. Thank you Mike 😉 I look forward to trying your other recipes
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent!! Glad you both enjoyed it, Lori. This is definitely easy to customize. I think it will be great with mushrooms. Thanks for sharing!