Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinner 25 Quick and Easy Southern Comfort Food Classics for Dinner Tonight By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Southern Living When we think of Southern food, we think of comfort food and the classics. Fried chicken, shrimp and grits, casseroles packed full of whatever leftovers you've got on hand. These Southern dinner recipes, steadfast and soul-warming, bring the tastes of the South to your table. But on some nights, you simply don't have time to put together an opulent Southern feast. These recipes deliver the authentic Southern flavor of their labor-intensive counterparts with super short prep time. From crunchy Southern Fried Catfish to slow-cooker Red Beans and Rice, these quick Southern recipes make fixing delicious meals a breeze. So if you're in the mood for Shrimp and Grits, think you might like a Skillet Chicken Pot Pie, or know it's time to dig into a sandwich slathered with Homemade Pimiento Cheese, these easy Southern recipes will have you sitting down and filling your plate faster than you can say lickety-split. Just be sure to have some Banana Pudding or Easy Peach Cobbler ready for dessert. 01 of 25 Classic Fried Catfish Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Classic Fried Catfish This simple seafood supper comes together in just 20 minutes. For an extra-crispy crust, use stone-ground yellow cornmeal. 02 of 25 Chicken and Dumplings Recipe: Chicken and Dumplings If you've got leftover rotisserie chicken, feel free to use that instead of freshly-cooked chicken in this warming soup. 03 of 25 Shrimp and Grits Casserole Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Shrimp and Grits Casserole This hearty Lowcountry-inspired dish feeds 6, and it can be served for breakfast or dinner. 04 of 25 Smoky Mountain Brunswick Stew Southern Living Recipe: Smoky Mountain 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. 05 of 25 Fried Pork Chops with Potatoes and Peas Greg DuPree Recipe: Fried Pork Chops with Potatoes and Peas Meat, peas, and potatoes, all ready in 30 minutes. If you're looking for a square meal, this simple pork chop supper checks all the boxes. 06 of 25 King Ranch Chicken Casserole William Dickey Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Casserole All hail king ranch. With corn tortillas and two kinds of canned soups, this casserole is built on pantry staples. 07 of 25 Easy Southern Fried Chicken Southern Living Recipe: Easy Southern Fried Chicken No deep fryer? No buttermilk? No problem. Our Test Kitchen calls this Easy Southern Fried Chicken "a hurried cook's dream." 08 of 25 Basic Pimiento Cheese Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Basic Pimiento Cheese Spread homemade Pimiento Cheese on whole wheat bread with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Use leftover spread on crackers or celery for a snack. 09 of 25 Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken Recipe: Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken This delectable chicken dish comes together with barely any effort, thanks to an oven-roasting technique that keeps the chicken juicy and saucy. 10 of 25 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Your family will never guess that this pot pie is actually made with rotisserie chicken and frozen peas. 11 of 25 New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Southern Living Recipe: New Orleans 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. 12 of 25 Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Food Styling: Angella Sellers and Vanessa McNiel Rocchio; Prop Styling: Melanie J. Clarke and Sissy Lamerton Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese It doesn't get more comforting than a big pot of Southern-style mac and cheese. 13 of 25 Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole Every Southerner grew up with some variation of a poppyseed casserole—this is the perfect one to pass down to the next generation. 14 of 25 Ham Biscuits Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Ham Biscuits We've never met a ham biscuit we didn't like. This is our go-to dish when we just can't bring ourselves to spend more than 30 minutes in the kitchen. 15 of 25 Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole Egg noodles, ground beef, and plenty of cheese work together in the most delightful way in this Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole. 16 of 25 Southern Tomato Gravy Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Erin Merhar Recipe: Southern Tomato Gravy Pour this tomato gravy over fried chicken, biscuits, chicken-fried steak, or just about anything you'd like. 17 of 25 Easy Chicken Spaghetti Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Easy Chicken Spaghetti Cook and shred the chicken the day before to help this meal come together even faster. 18 of 25 Meatloaf Casserole Micah A. Leal Recipe: Meatloaf Casserole Southerners will take Mama's meatloaf in casserole form, thank you very much. 19 of 25 Squash Casserole Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Squash Casserole This summertime BBQ staple is substantial enough to serve as a whole meal (especially if you add in some bacon). 20 of 25 Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler Alison Miksch Recipe: Chicken-and-Biscuit Cobbler You've had a sweet cobbler, but this recipe will have you singing the praises of the savory, biscuit-topped cobbler. Use pre-made biscuit dough for added ease. 21 of 25 Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole You can make this casserole with leftover rice and rotisserie for a chicken for an easiest-ever family meal. 22 of 25 Broccoli Cheese Casserole Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole You can swap fresh broccoli for frozen in this simple, cheesy casserole—just don't forget the crushed cracker topping. 23 of 25 King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese If you thought mac and cheese couldn't get any better, try mixing it with cream of chicken soup. 24 of 25 Easy Chili Lee Harrelson Recipe: Easy Chili We're always looking for new uses for that pack of ground beef in the back of the fridge, and this Easy Chili fits the bill. 25 of 25 Shrimp and Okra Gumbo Southern Living Recipe: Shrimp and Okra Gumbo Although most gumbo recipes call for hours of time for all the flavors to simmer together on the stove, this Cajun seafood gumbo comes together in just an hour and a half. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit