Chicken Bog (South Carolina Chicken and Smoked Sausage Rice)
A Pee Dee, South Carolina one pot of chicken, smoked sausage and rice, cooked in stock until moist and savoury.
Made with Homemade chicken stock. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time55 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.27 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Brown the sausage for 4 minutes and lift it out. Brown the chicken in the same fat for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, then remove.
9 min - 2
Add the onion and pepper to the pot and cook for 6 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, paprika, thyme and cayenne for 30 seconds.
6 min 30 s - 3
Pour in your ready made homemade chicken stock (see the base recipe), scraping up the browned bits. Return the chicken and sausage, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
20 min - 4
Lift out the chicken and shred it. Stir the rice into the stock, return the chicken, then bring to a simmer, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and has soaked up the liquid.
15 min - 5
Rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Scatter over the spring onions and serve with hot sauce.
Tips
- A bog is meant to be moist, somewhere between a pilaf and a risotto. Add a splash of hot stock if it looks dry.
- Do not lift the lid while the rice cooks. The steam is what cooks it.
- Check the smoked sausage label if you need gluten free. Many smoked sausages contain rusk or wheat.
- Add a few dashes of hot pepper sauce at the table, as is traditional in the Carolinas.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours. Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat once only until steaming hot all the way through, with a splash of stock, as rice can carry harmful bacteria if left warm.
Questions
What is a chicken bog?
It is a South Carolina speciality, a one pot of chicken, sausage and rice. The name comes from the rice being moist and loose like a bog. It is often made for community fundraisers.
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes, but thighs stay juicier. If you use breasts, simmer them for only 15 minutes before shredding so they do not dry out.
Is it gluten free and dairy free?
Yes, when made with gluten free sausage. It uses oil, not butter, and has no dairy, wheat or egg.
More made with homemade chicken stock
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.