Slow-Cooker Chicken Bog

The famous South Carolina recipe called chicken bog gets a slow-cooker makeover here. Shredded rotisserie chicken and smoked sausage, along with converted rice, produce a simple, filling dish. This is a crowd-pleasing dish, whether that crowd is your family or a much larger group of people.

Chicken bog is meant to feed many and began in the 1920s as a one-pot dish that could feed several people who had just finished picking tobacco. The origin of the name is unclear. However, the final dish is very moist, much more so than other rice dishes common in the region. The geographical region it started in has a lot of bogs. It’s been suggested that either this extra moisture in the dish or the bogs in the region are the source of the “bog” in the name. No matter the origin, though, the fact remains that this dish is tasty and easy to make.

Chicken Bog Ingredients

• Onion and garlic cloves: These are your aromatic additions. They emphasize the overall savory flavor of the dish.
• Smoked sausage: Any smoked sausage will do. Slice the sausage at a slight angle; diagonal slices expose more surface area and help with browning and cooking.
• Chicken broth: Use low-sodium broth if possible to help control the amount of salt in the final dish. You’ll have a chance to add salt during cooking.
• Uncooked converted rice: Converted rice, also called parboiled rice, is the slightly tan or yellowish rice you see at the supermarket. It’s brown rice that’s been blanched, dried and milled (so the husk is gone, and it looks like a slightly off-color form of white rice), and it tends to have a higher B-vitamin content than plain white rice. It’s excellent for use in slow-cooker recipes.
• Rotisserie chicken: You could cook your own chicken, but save yourself the trouble. Get a 3-pound rotisserie chicken and shred the meat well.
• Green onions: Sliced green onions as a garnish add a little bit of pungent flavor.
• Hot sauce: Hot sauce is optional, but it’s a great garnish if you want some spice in the dish.

Directions

Step 1: Make the sausage and aromatic mixture

Heat some canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sausage, and cook them until the sausage has been lightly browned. Add the garlic; continue cooking for only one more minute. Place the mixture in a 5-quart slow cooker.

Step 2: Slow-cook the chicken bog

Add 4 cups of broth to the mixture in the slow cooker. Stir in the rice, plus salt and pepper. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook the mixture on low for four to five hours. The rice should be tender. At this point, add in the chicken and the rest of the broth, and stir all to combine. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook the mixture on low for another 30 minutes. The chicken should be heated through when done. Garnish the finished dish with green onions and hot sauce, if desired.

Chicken Bog Variations

• Add a few diced vegetables: If you don’t mind straying from the traditional ingredients list, add a handful or two of diced carrots or other vegetables to the rice mixture.

How to Store Chicken Bog

Store leftover chicken bog in airtight containers in the refrigerator for no more than three days. It’s better to eat the leftovers sooner rather than later because the rice can turn mushy as it absorbs the remaining moisture in the dish. The leftovers need to cool before you put them away, but be sure to get them into the refrigerator in an airtight container within two hours of cooking.

Can you freeze chicken bog?

Yes. Follow the recipe until just before adding the green onions and hot sauce. Let the dish cool and divide into freezer containers. To reheat, let the chicken bog thaw partially overnight in the refrigerator, and then reheat the mixture in the microwave. Use a covered microwave-safe container and heat on high until heated through. You may have to add more water or broth during the reheating time. When it’s done, add the green onions and hot sauce.

Chicken Bog Tips

Can you make this if you don’t have a slow cooker?

Chicken bog recipes are usually made in a heavy pot on the stove. Try this South Carolina chicken & rice recipe, which is a stovetop version of chicken bog. There’s also a way to make pressure-cooker chicken bog, too. And if you decide to get a slow cooker, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to use it, along with a collection of slow-cooker recipes.

Can you use regular white rice instead of converted rice?

Yes, you can substitute white rice for the converted rice. White rice takes slightly less time to cook, so the rice in the finished chicken bog (if you keep the same cooking time) could be a little softer than the converted rice would be. The total amounts of nutrients would also be a bit different. But you won’t notice much change in the flavor and texture of the dish as a whole. If you want more recipes that use converted rice, check out this collection of converted-rice recipes.

Can you use other types of meat or sausage?

You can use other types of sausage as long as they’re cooked by the time you start making the chicken bog. Technically, slow-cooking could cook the sausage. But in this recipe, you want the flavor that comes with sausage that’s been browned. If you plan to use sausage meat that isn’t formed into sliceable links, browning the meat beforehand helps it hold together instead of falling apart in the slow cooker. As for replacing the chicken, it wouldn’t be chicken bog with other meat, of course. But you could make a similar pilaf or slow-cooked casserole with other meat. Justa djust the cooking time appropriately so the final dish has cooked through completely.