Southern · Lowcountry · main

Carolina Chicken Perloo

Carolina Chicken Perloo reads umami 7.7, richness 7.0 and salinity 5.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern · Lowcountry main, about 1 hr 4 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.7 · Richness 7.0 · Salinity 5.7 · Allium 4.5 · Smoke 3.7 · Heat 2.5 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Sweetness 2.3 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Fruity 1.7 · Sourness 1.7 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2 · Floral 0.8 · Nutty 0.8

What's in it (15)

• bacon — 112 g
• boneless chicken — 907 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• celery — 80 g
• green bell pepper — 100 g
• garlic — 9 g
• long-grain white rice — 266 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 710 g
• tomatoes — 411 g
• bay — 2 g
• thyme — 1 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• scallions — 200 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 4 min (54 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 99.3 kcal, 11.5 g protein, 2 g fat, 9.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat until crisp and the fat has rendered, 6-7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. Season the chicken thighs all over with the salt and pepper. Sear skin-side down in the bacon fat over medium-high heat until deeply golden and the skin releases easily from the pot, 6-7 minutes; flip and sear the second side until golden, 4-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the pot; saute, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the rice and stir to coat every grain in the fat; toast, stirring often, until the edges turn translucent, 1-2 minutes.
5. Stir in the broth, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and cayenne, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the rice, along with any juices from the plate.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer undisturbed until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165 F, 25-28 minutes.
7. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, still covered, 10 minutes so the rice finishes absorbing the liquid.
8. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bay leaves and fluff the rice with a fork.
9. Fold the shredded chicken and reserved bacon back into the rice. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Divide among bowls and top with the scallions.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Hoppin' John with Smoked Ham Hock — Southern
• Chicken Fricassee with Andouille — Cajun/Creole
• Feijoada à Portuguesa — Portuguese
• Cajun Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Gravy — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Cassoulet — French

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.