Chicken Perloo

Step 1

In a 6-quart pot, combine the chicken, broth, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Step 2

Take the chicken out of the broth. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces or pull it apart (which is the way my grandma Amelia preferred to do it).

Step 3

Remove the bay leaves and measure 4 cups of the broth, adding water if you don't have enough. Taste to be sure it's well-seasoned. Remember: You're going to add rice so a little extra seasoning won't hurt. If the broth isn't seasoned to your liking, now's the time to spice it up. Return the broth to the pot.

Step 4

Put the sausage in a dry skillet and set over medium-low heat. When the sausage has rendered its fat, add the onion. If there isn't enough fat in the pan to sauté the onion, add canola oil as needed. Sauté until the onion is caramelized and the sausage is a bit brown around the edges, 5 to 8 minutes. The kielbasa is already cooked, but if you're using the sage sausage, you need to be sure it's cooked all the way through.

Step 5

Add the chicken, the sausage and onion mixture and the rice to the broth in the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 6

Remove from heat and let the rice sit, still covered, for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 7

Remove the lid and you've got great country perloo, just like Grandma used to make!