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What is Chicken Bog?
What on earth is chicken bog, you ask? Chicken Bog is a hearty and comforting Southern dish, particularly popular here in the Carolinas. It’s a one-pot meal that combines tender chicken, flavorful sausage, and rice with a savory broth.
The dish gets its name from the word “bog,” which refers to the soft, wet consistency of the rice after it absorbs the rich cooking liquid. In other words, a delicious comfort food!
(AND, hug and kiss to my friend Kiera for telling me all about this chicken and rice deliciousness! In addition to telling me about amazing Southern cuisine, she also writes some amazing books – check them out!)
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
You take some bone-in chicken pieces and simmer them up in water or chicken broth (I like using chicken broth to ramp up the chicken-y flavor) until the chicken is fully cooked. Scoop it out and let it cool.
Now you want to chop up an onion and slice up some kielbasa or other smoked sausage and pour it into the leftover broth. Turn up the heat and once things are boiling, pour in some rice. Cover the pot and let things simmer until the rice is done.
At this point, the rice will absorbed all the liquid and it will be delectably soft and flavorful. Shred the cooked chicken and stir it into the rice mixture along with some salt and pepper.
At this point, you can get creative about what you want to add…barbecue sauce, shredded cheese, BUTTER. I decided to give the Southern husband his bowl of chicken bog with a drizzle of spicy Sriracha sauce, and he was about one hundred kinds of happy.
As for me? I put a dollop of soft homemade butter on mine, and I pretty much wanted to die of chicken bog happiness.
What to serve with this recipe
Other chicken and rice recipes we love!
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe.
Chicken Bog
Discover the deliciousness of chicken bog, a comforting Southern dish with tender chicken, flavorful sausage, and rice in a savory broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in chicken thighs or chicken breast halves
- 4 cups water or chicken broth
- 2 cups sliced kielbasa or other smoked sausage
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups rice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Your choice of toppings! Bbq sauce, shredded cheese, hot sauce or butter are all great.
Instructions
- Place chicken and broth or water in a heavy deep pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken and cool. When it is cool enough to handled, shred the chicken into bite sized pieces, discarding the bones.
- Add the sausage and onion to the broth and heat to a simmer. Add rice, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir the mixture periodically, adding a little water if needed as the rice cooks.
- When the rice is done, stir in the shredded chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as is, or with your choice of toppings.
- Eat way too much because you just can’t help yourself.
Al Britt says
Hi I read your article about chicken bog. I Am from southeastern South Carolina and this is where chicken bog originated. Matter of fact there is an annual chicken bog festival in Loris , S.C. (Not far from myrtlebeach). Your recipe is similar to the original old recipes and is a great dish but my recipe is better. I sell a packaged chicken bog seasoning and cook in a Crockpot brand 6 qt. electric pressure cooker. It is out of this world and I will be happy to send you more info if you are interested. I enjoyed your article.
Kim says
I was absolutely shocked when I found this recipe on your site! I grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and chicken bog was my favorite meal. It was hearty and fairly inexpensive to make and it went a long way. My parents and grandparents would cook this all the time. The only thing I do different is, I add the shredded chicken back into the pot when I add the rice so the chicken has a chance to soak up that buttery broth. Fortunately, my kids and husband love it so I get to cook it for my family. My friends all think it’s the weirdest name for a dish but they gladly eat it anyway. It’s also tradition in my family that this meal be prepared along side the collards and black-eyed peas affectionately known as “Hoppin John” every New Years Day. Thanks for posting the recipe and letting me know there are others that share my love for this dish.
mimi says
I must make this!!! Forget mac n cheese – this is my comfort food. Thanks!!!
Lisa Keys says
Just got finished watching Vivian Howard’s Chef and the Table and she features a chicken bog recipe in season 2. It must be an eastern North Carolina thing
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
You guys look great together, Kate. LOVE the sound of chicken bog! I have never heard of it, but it sounds similar to chicken fried rice. Absolutely divine. Loving all the comfy and delish flavors here. Will give it a go sometime soon.
Adina says
I’ve never heard of chicken bog, but we cook a rather similar chicken pilaf in Romania, I can imagine the taste and consistency are pretty similar. It is indeed the ultimate comfort food, I used to love that as a child and I make it myself for my kids nowadays. I should try this version with sausage as well.
Karen T. says
Oh my. This sounds divine. I’m making this ASAP! Thanks to Kieraa and her mom for sharing this recipe!! So hard to choose my favorite family recipe but I think I have to go with my grandpa’s stuffing/dressing. The smell of sautéed bacon and onions reminds me of my childhood.
Dara says
Simple recipe and sounds perfect for this family of choosy (didn’t say “picky”!) eaters with dairy intolerance (everything casserole has cheese or creamy sauces). Will have to try with spicy Italian sausage!
My favorite family recipe is my Nanny’s blueberry Jell-o mold. The only think I ever use that Tupperware mold for! Can’t imagine a Thanksgiving dinner without it
Brittany says
This sounds delicious! I love the Selection series! :D
A few family recipes we like to make are jambalaya, hachi parmentier, and oriental salad.
Miranda says
My favorite family recipe is my great grandmother’s peanut butter icing recipe. It’s super easy and amazingly tasty. The best way my grandma makes it is with chocolate cake. It reminds me of a Reese peanut butter cup.
Ms. Sword says
Hoping to win the box set! My favorite home recipe is Traditional Chicken Alfredo!
Marcia S. says
My Grandma’s peanut butter fudge and also her beef & homemade noodles are my favorite pass down meals! This recipe looks good and I will try it soon. Thanks for the giveaway, I love yo read!
Susan Fox says
Well, my favorite comfort food IS a pass-down recipe for cabbage and noodles . Haluski to the initiated.
Cook a bag of med to wide egg noodles in salted water till done but not mushy. Drain them, saving a little water.
Fry a half a pound of chopped up bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon. Save. bacon fat in the pan.
Chop an onion and add tho the pan. Begin to fry it.
Chop a smallish head of cabbage, removing very large leaf centers if you want, and fry with onion in bacon fat until soft. Flavors like garlic or curry are good but not essential. Essential is bacon, onion noodles and cabbage.
Mix this all together, reheat to blend flavors using a little of the saved water if necessary to keep it from being too, too dry, and taste for salt and pepper. Then eat, eat, eat A drizzle of siracha at the table for those who like it won’t hurt, either. And sour cream mixed in before serving takes it to another whole level. Company Haluski – with a capital H.