Lowcountry Chicken Bog In The Crock Pot With Sausage

This Lowcountry Crock Pot chicken bog with sausage is a South Carolina-style dinner with chicken, smoked sausage, and rice that turns out hearty, steamy, and comforting, with that smoky sausage flavor in every bite. This version uses chicken breasts, Hillshire Farm smoked sausage, chicken broth, instant rice, and Cajun seasoning, and the timing is what makes it work. If you’ve ever had Crock Pot chicken and rice go sideways, you’ll feel a whole lot better after reading the rice part below.

My grandma loved this recipe because it’s so easy, and she knew we’d be well fed!

 

Prep Time	Cook Time	Servings	Prep Level
5 minutes	7.5 hours	5-8	Beginner +

What Is Chicken Bog?

Chicken bog is a South Carolina classic, and it’s basically chicken and rice cooked together with smoky sausage until it’s thick and “boggy,” not soupy.

It’s not jambalaya, and it’s not gumbo. Jambalaya usually has more “separate grains” and often includes tomatoes, while gumbo is a stew served over rice. Chicken bog is rice-forward and spoonable, but it’s not meant to be brothy.

Julie’s Ingredient Notes

I’m sticking to the exact ingredient list here, but I’ll share helpful notes to help you shop smart.

• Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless. They cook up tender in broth and shred easily.
• Hillshire Farm smoked sausage – This is my go-to because it’s easy to find and consistently smoky. Any smoked sausage works if that’s what you’ve got.
• Instant rice – This is the key to a slow cooker version. It cooks fast and doesn’t have to sit in the crock pot for hours. And you don’t end up with a sticky mess or a hungry bunch waiting on rice to cook.
• Chicken broth – Use regular or low-sodium. If your Cajun seasoning is salty, low-sodium broth helps you control it.
• Cajun seasoning – Adds that peppery, garlicky kick without needing a pantry full of spices.

How To Make Crock Pot Chicken Bog

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the sausage and Cajun seasoning.

Next, add the broth to the cooker, place the lid on top, and cook for 7 hours on low heat. I like to keep the sausage under the liquid (I hadn’t stirred it yet in this pic).

Julie’s tip: LOW temperature gives you the best texture and tenderness on chicken breasts. HIGH works, but breasts can go from tender to dry quicker on high heat, depending on your slow cooker.

Once the chicken is done, shred it right in the slow cooker with two forks. You’ll have a flavorful broth in the pot, and that’s exactly what you want, because the rice is going to soak that up.

Stir in the instant rice, making sure it’s submerged in the liquid. Put the lid back on and let it cook 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Once it looks like a thick chicken-and-rice mixture, it’s ready.

Don’t walk off for an hour here. Instant rice is fast, and if it sits too long, it will get gluey.

Chicken bog is pretty much a full meal in and of itself. But you can always add some more Southern food on the side with moist Jiffy cornbread, or if you want a more traditional recipe for rolls, try my soft and easy homemade dinner rolls.

Rice Success Tips (So It Doesn’t Turn Into Mush)

This is the section I wish I had had the first time I tried “rice in the Crock Pot.”

• When to Add the Rice – Add instant rice only after the chicken is fully cooked and shredded. If you add it earlier, it will be overcooked and get gummy.
• What It Should Look Like Before Rice – Right before you add the rice, you want a hot, well-seasoned broth with sausage throughout and shredded chicken mixed in. It should look a little “soupy” at this point because the rice is about to absorb that liquid.
• If It Looks Too Soupy – Take the lid off for a few minutes to let a little steam escape, then add the rice.
• If It Looks Too Dry – Add a splash more broth before the rice goes in. Rice can only absorb what’s there.
• Stirring – Stir once after you add the rice, then again halfway through. Don’t stir nonstop, just enough to keep it from clumping.