Better Than Bojangles Dirty Rice

A copycat recipe for Bojangles iconic Cajun dirty rice, made with sausage and a favorite throughout Southern states, especially the Carolinas!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground pork sausage
• 1 1/2 cups finely diced celery
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/3 cup butter
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook and crumble sausage in a wide skillet or pan (you will need to use something with a tight fitting lid) until sausage is nicely browned. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon; set aside.
2. Add celery, bell pepper, onion and butter to pan then cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add cooked sausage, broth, garlic, salt, sage, thyme, pepper and cayenne then bring to a boil. Once boiling, add rice and parsley.
4. Return to a gentle boil then cover, reduce heat to low or medium-low (wherever your dial gives you a gentle simmer) then cook for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender.
5. Stir rice once or twice with a fork to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot but don’t overwork the rice. Don’t stir the rice or open the lid the last 5 minutes of cooking.
6. Remove from heat then let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Note

• Jimmy Dean or Swaggerty’s breakfast sausage is my favorite in this recipe.
• You can use Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage in this recipe and omit the 1/2 teaspoon of rubbed sage.
• I don’t know how to convert this recipe to make it with instant rice or brown rice.
• Substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground sage for the 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage if needed.
• Substitute 1 tablespoon dried parsley for the 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley if needed.