These recipes deliver the authentic Southern flavor of their labor-intensive counterparts with super short prep time.
When we think of Southern food, we think of comfort food and the classics. These southern dinner recipes bring the tastes of the South to your table. From Crunchy Pan-Fried Chicken to Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice, these quick Southern recipes make fixing delicious meals a breeze. So if you are in the mood for Shrimp and Grits, think you might like a Stovetop Chicken Pie, just filled a pan with Pork Chops with Pepper Jelly Sauce, or know its time to dig into a sandwich slathered with Bacon Pimiento Cheese, these easy Southern recipes will have you sitting down and filling your plate faster than you can say lickety-split.
Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Smoked turkey sausage, bell peppers, and red beans come together in this classic, easy slow-cooker recipe. Serve over long-grain rice for an amazing meal.
Cooking Video: Quick-Fix Red Beans and Rice
Classic Fried Catfish
Recipe: Classic Fried Catfish
Red pepper and garlic seal the flavor of the cornbread mixture that coats these catfish fillets. For an extra-crispy crust, use stone-ground yellow cornmeal.
Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Recipe: Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Deli-roasted chicken, cream of chicken soup, and canned biscuits make a quick-and-tasty version of classic chicken and dumplings.
Step-by-Step Video: Our Easiest Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken-fried Steak
Recipe: Chicken-fried Steak
Make this iconic Southern chicken-fried steak recipe and savor every bite of this simple and delicious dish. Serve with green beans, mashed potatoes, and plenty of gravy.
Shrimp and Grits
Recipe: Shrimp and Grits
This dish mixes flavor-packed shrimp, bacon, mushrooms, green onion, and garlic with creamy cheese grits. It’s perfect for brunch or for dinner. The original recipe for this hearty shrimp and grits dish is from Bill Smith, executive chef at Crook's Corner, the landmark Southern restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Easy Brunswick Stew
Recipe: Easy Brunswick Stew
Nothing is more comforting than a big bowl of hearty Brunswick stew. Sop up every flavorful last bit with crusty bread or crispy cornbread crackers.
Pork Chops with Pepper Jelly Sauce
Recipe: Pork Chops with Pepper Jelly Sauce
The sweet and spicy pepper jelly sauce creates a beautiful glaze on the pork chop and keeps the meat moist and tender.
Easy Chicken Gumbo
Recipe: Easy Chicken Gumbo
Cajun seasonings make the flavor of this gumbo complex, but the prep work is easy enough for a weeknight dinner. The gumbo and our Okra Pilau can be ready in 48 minutes. This easy chicken gumbo calls for a flavorful roux made by cooking flour in hot oil.
Chicken Cobbler Casserole
Recipe: Chicken Cobbler Casserole
This dish combines the robust flavors and cheesy bread topping of French onion soup with chicken pot pie. It’s so quick and easy to make you’ll hardly notice it requires ten ingredients. Substitute an equal amount of buttermilk for wine, if desired. Serve with a green salad tossed with fresh citrus, sliced avocados, toasted pecans, and bottled raspberry vinaigrette.
Chicken-and-Artichoke Salad
Recipe: Chicken-and-Artichoke Salad
For a hot weeknight supper, bake Chicken-and-Artichoke Salad spread on thick-sliced Texas toast and topped with shredded Colby-Jack cheese.
Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy
Recipe: Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy
This ground beef recipe helps you make the most of your busy weeknights. You can make the patties ahead, then simply thaw them in the fridge overnight before using. You’ll love how the gravy keeps these moist and tender, while the onion adds just the right hint of sweetness and the garlic adds that little bit of spice. Mushrooms make this burger even richer, and sop up that gravy to make your burger even better. We love ground round for this burger. So get your skillet ready to brown this burger and cover it in sweet onion-mushroom gravy. You’ll love how good this burger tastes.
Crunchy Pan-Fried Chicken
Recipe: Crunchy Pan-Fried Chicken
Seasoned breadcrumbs and self-rising cornmeal give Crunchy Pan-Fried Chicken a crisp golden-brown crust without a skillet full of extra oil. This crispy coating is also terrific on skinned and boned chicken thighs or pork chops.
Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches
Make your favorite creamy coleslaw to serve with or on this barbecue sandwich. Freeze any leftover meat for up to one month.
Turnip Greens Stew
Recipe: Turnip Greens Stew
Frozen vegetables provide a shortcut to making this savory stew. Sautéed ham and chicken broth give the greens plenty of flavor.
Bacon Pimiento Cheese
Recipe: Bacon Pimiento Cheese
Spread homemade Bacon Pimiento Cheese on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato. Use leftover spread on crackers or celery for a snack.
Honey Barbecue Chicken
Recipe: Honey Barbecue Chicken
Crank up the grill and get cooking to savor this sweet-and-tangy chicken dish. The Honey Barbecue Sauce, made with Worcestershire, lemon juice, and honey, adds bold flavor to the grilled chicken pieces.
Bayou Fried Shrimp
Recipe: Bayou Fried Shrimp
For these Cajun-flavored fried shrimp, peel the shrimp but leave the tails on and coat the shrimp in fish fry mix to get a crispy brown coating.
Stovetop Chicken Pie
Recipe: Stovetop Chicken Pie
Update your chicken pot pie with this recipe that includes buttermilk biscuits for the crust and sauteed mushrooms and baby peas. A family-size rotisserie chicken yields the perfect amount of chopped cooked chicken for this recipe.
Pan-Fried Pork Chops
Recipe: Pan-Fried Pork Chops
You only need five ingredients to make these old-fashioned fried pork chops. Serve with turnip greens, mashed potatoes or grits and biscuits for a down-home dinner.
