Chicken Bog

Chicken Bog

Chicken thighs, smoked sausage, and Carolina Gold Rice simmer together into the coziest chicken stew.

Ingredients :

• 1 cup carolina gold rice
• 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 8 ounces smoked sausage, such as andouille, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 fresh bay leaves or 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• hot sauce (such as tabasco)
• lemon wedges

Directions

1. Rinse rice under cold running water until water runs clear, 1 to 2 minutes; drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin is golden brown, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Add sausage to drippings in Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage using a slotted spoon to a bowl or plate lined with paper towels.
3. Add onion, carrots, celery, bell peppers, thyme, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to drippings in Dutch oven. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and bay leaves. Return sausage and chicken thighs along with their accumulated juices to Dutch oven; bring to a simmer over high.
4. Cover Dutch oven, and transfer to oven. Bake until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 170°F and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove Dutch oven from oven; transfer chicken thighs to a plate, and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken into large bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones.
6. Stir shredded chicken and any accumulated juices into Dutch oven. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and butter. Serve with hot sauce and lemon wedges.