Low Country Chicken Boil

A Southern-style Low Country Boil is delicious, but the seafood ingredients can be expensive. Substituting chicken for the seafood results in a dish that produces a huge pile of food, but at a much lower cost. Because chicken takes longer to boil than seafood, it needs to be prepared in advance – but this is still an easy meal that will give you more than enough food to satisfy you and your party.

• 3 tablespoons cooking oil (canola, vegetable, olive oil, etc.)
• 4 pounds chicken pieces with skins and bones (a whole chicken cut into pieces)
• 4 ounces Old Bay seasoning
• 3 pounds red potatoes
• 2 pounds cooked kielbasa or cooked sausage
• 3 onions, cut into halves
• 4 ears corn on the cob
• 10 to 12 ounces whole mushrooms

Prepare the dish by cutting the chicken into pieces. Slice potatoes in half for faster cooking. Slice kielbasa into 1-inch pieces. Break corn cobs into halves, or chop into thirds.

Heat up a large pot of at least 8 quart (2 gallon) size or bigger. When the bottom of the pot is hot enough to evaporate a few drops of water, add 3 tablespoons of oil and heat the oil for one minute. Add chicken pieces and sear them so that all sides of the chicken are browned.

Once the chicken is browned, fill the pot 3/4 full with water. Add Old Bay spice to water. Cover the pot, and on a medium-high heat bring the water to a roiling boil. Add potatoes. Boil potatoes and chicken for 25 minutes. Add kielbasa, onions, corn, and stir. Lower heat to prevent the pot from boiling over. Cover pot and cook for another 15 minutes. Add mushrooms, cover pot, and cook for another 10 minutes.