Growing up in Louisiana, Dirty Rice was one of those Cajun dishes that always felt like home. Since my mom was allergic to shellfish, a lot of traditional Louisiana favorites were off the table for her—but Dirty Rice was one authentic Cajun dish she could always enjoy.

This recipe is inspired by the Dirty Rice she made when I was growing up: savory meat, the Cajun holy trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery, plenty of seasoning, and rice cooked until it takes on that signature “dirty” color.  She never mentioned the chicken livers as kids because she knew we wouldn’t eat it.  

It’s simple, hearty Louisiana comfort food that’s just as good alongside fried catfish or barbecue, or as we often enjoyed it going up, piled into a bowl all by itself.  

Ingredients

2 cups long-grain white rice

4 cups chicken stock (low sodium), divided

1 lb ground pork

½ lb chicken livers, finely chopped

2 tbsp bacon grease or neutral oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

2 celery ribs, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp Cajun seasoning, plus more to taste

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1 tsp coarse black pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp cayenne pepper, optional

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2–3 green onions, sliced

Directions

Cook the rice with about 3½ cups of the chicken stock according to the package directions. Once done, fluff it and set aside

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon grease and ground pork. Cook until well browned, breaking the pork into small pieces as it cooks. Don’t drain it—you want that flavor.

Stir in the finely chopped chicken livers and cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking them up as they cook. They should almost disappear into the pork mixture.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is very soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

 Add the Cajun seasoning, salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne, and Worcestershire. Pour in about ½ cup chicken stock and scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Let the meat mixture simmer until most of the liquid has reduced but the mixture is still moist. Fold in the cooked rice a little at a time, making sure the meat and vegetables thoroughly coat the grains.

Fold in the green onions. Taste and adjust the salt, Cajun seasoning, and—especially—black pepper. Let everything cook together over low heat for another 3–5 minutes before serving.