Instant Pot – South Carolina Chicken Bog

Chicken Bog is one of my all time favorites. Just about every Low Country Southerner over the age of 25 has a “recipe” – unwritten know-how passed down from their granddaddy or grandmama. Most of the renditions are similar, and everyone believes their recipe is “the best.” Depending on your tastes and preferences, you’ll probably think they’re right. I’m always willing to taste a new version!

One of the best places to try all the different variations is the Loris Bog-Off held every October near Myrtle Beach. The basic ingredients are the same for each – chicken, rice, and sausage. It’s the spice selections that gives each recipe its uniqueness. The vast majority I’ve seen stick to the old-fashioned stove top way of cooking, but you can find the a few slow cooker recipes on the Internet.

If a slow cooker is unusual, using an Instant Pot might be downright blasphemous. I searched and searched for a decent recipe for the Instant Pot and never found one, so I decided to convert my recipe for the Instant Pot. The challenge was that I didn’t exactly know what I put in the traditional recipe. With Chicken Bog, you use the spices your grandparents used; however, there’s no “measuring” – you simply add the spices until it tastes the way it’s supposed to taste. So, step one – document the actual recipe; step two – document my modified version of the original recipe since I converted it to make it ever-so-slightly healthier (yeah, it’s what I do); and step three – convert for the Instant Pot.

Below is the result, which got thumbs up all around from the family. This version makes about 8 servings.

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
• 1 to 2 Tbs Olive Oil**
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp Seasoned Salt (I use Lawry’s)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 4 tsp Butter Buds or 4 pats of unsalted butter**
• 1 14-16 oz package of smoked sausage (I use Turkey Polska Kielbasa) sliced
• 3 cups fat-free chicken broth (optional you can use low-sodium)
• 1 1/2 c long grain white rice (do not rinse)

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add 2 Tbs Olive Oil. [**Note: if you prefer, you can use 1 Tbs oil plus butter, omitting the butter buds from the recipe. Using butter adds 50 calories and 5.5 grams of fat per serving.]

When the oil is hot, add garlic and onion. Just as the onion becomes translucent (but not browned), add chicken. Cook chicken for about 4 minutes, while adding the spices and stirring occasionally.

Add sliced sausage and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the Instant Pot. Add chicken broth and rice, stirring lightly (just enough to ensure the rice is completely covered by liquid). Install the lid and turn the vent to sealed. Push the Manual setting, ensure the pressure is on High, and set for 10 minutes. Once complete, allow to vent naturally for 10 minutes and then use Quick Release. Stir then set for 5 minutes before serving.

Some notes: If you’ve never had Chicken Bog, you may be surprised by the somewhat “mushy” texture of the rice. Don’t worry, you didn’t do anything wrong when it turns out that way. That being said, if you don’t like the texture, you can always decrease the liquid by 1/4 cup and use the Rice setting, instead… but know that you’ll be making Chicken and Rice, not Chicken Bog, and everyone from the Low Country of South Carolina will know it. 🙂

Also? As mentioned above, you can use low-sodium chicken broth, which reduces the sodium to 863 mg per serving… but whenever I do that, everyone just adds table salt because, well, because we’re Southerners. :::shrugs:::

The nutrition facts listed here are for the original recipe above. If you can find it, you can go one step even healthier and use HILLSHIRE FARM® Reduced Fat, Reduced Sodium, Endless Turkey Smoked Sausage, Fully Cooked for your sausage. It still takes great, but saves you 2 g of fat, 25 calories, and 60 mg of sodium per serving. I like the Turkey Polska Kielbasa enough that I find the extra bit of calories and fat worth it.