This week’s recipe is unique for a couple reasons. First, it is the result of collaboration with my new friends at American Kitchen Cookware, who sent me a set of their American-made cast aluminum cookware to test and share with you folks – be sure to keep scrolling for more info on their products, and a giveaway for a set of your own.

The second reason this recipe is unique is because it is actually two dishes in one. Both the Boneless Fried Chicken and Carolina Shrimp Bog would be excellent on their own, but a) I wanted to highlight two distinct pieces of cookware, and b) I was drawn to the challenge of writing you through the process of building two dishes at once. Crafting a single recipe is relatively easy, but balancing multiple dishes to create one whole meal is more reflective of how most of us spend time in the kitchen; I hope this week’s recipe will give you some insight into how I tackle multiple tasks simultaneously.

When it comes to frying chicken, I’ve made a few breakthroughs over the years, and this Boneless Fried Chicken is like a culmination of those efforts. To start, we’re going to use the seasoning I developed in last year’s Seasoned Southern Fried Chicken recipe, which has a flavor not unlike what you’d find from Colonel Sander’s secret 11 herbs and spices. Next, we’re going to use boneless thighs to speed up the cooking process. Finally, we’re going to use a traditional 3-step breading for the chicken, but with potato starch, eggs, and crushed pork rinds for the different coatings – a technique I use in my Tonkatsu/Chicken Katsu recipes in Paleo Takeout – which gives the chicken a crispy crust and unforgettable bite.

Joining the chicken is Shrimp Bog, a simple, thick Southern stew of rice, veggies, and (you guessed it) shrimp. While “Bog” isn’t the most appealing word to describe food, it is a little fitting, since this dish is a more liquidy version of another Carolina staple, Perloo (which is sometimes spelled Purloo, Perlo, Poilu, or Pilau – the latter definitely linked to its Pilaf origins). In the Carolinas, these two dishes were traditionally made with Carolina-grown rice, which fell out of favor as other Southern rices dominated our grocery shelves over the past couple centuries. Recently, Carolina Gold heirloom rice has been making a bit of a comeback among foodies and historians (here is an excellent writeup), and for good reason – the rice is creamy and nutty in a way that’s seldom found in long-grain rices – well worth the extra expense to try it once, if only to experience a bit of American history.

I had recently noticed my friend and fellow cookbook author Jenni Hulet using American Kitchen Cookware products on her Instagram page, so I was excited when the company contacted me (at Jenni’s suggestion, no less). American Kitchen is the premium brand of parent company Regal Ware, who has been manufacturing cookware since 1911. Handcrafted in West Bend, Wisconsin, their cookware is made in small batches with responsibly-sourced stainless steel and aluminum, and engineered for performance and durability.

Personally, I was interested in trying American Kitchen’s thick-cast aluminum pieces, and their PFOA-free nonstick coating, so I grabbed their 12-inch Cast Aluminum Sauté Pan and 5-quart Cast Aluminum Dutch Oven.

In hand, the cookware just feels American, with its hefty handles and utilitarian balance. In particular, I appreciated their glass covers, which allowed me to peek at the food without having to lift the lid (both the cookware and lids are oven safe to 400F, as well). The Sauté Pan turned out to be the perfect depth for pan-frying or searing foods, so I used it when crafting the Boneless Fried Chicken recipe below. Similarly, the Dutch Oven was well-suited for a rice dish, since I could monitor the rice without disturbing the cooking environment.

American Kitchen Cookware was kind enough to allow me to give away a set of their Sauté Pan and Dutch Oven (a $319.98 value) for you folks. CLICK HERE to enter – please note that the giveaway is limited to US residents, and I will randomly select a winner once the giveaway ends on April 10th.

Look at that crust!