I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, this article is not going to be good for your health. Your cholesterol may rise just from reading it. Southern food has a reputation for being unhealthy, but so delicious you can’t help yourself. Well, without further ado, here are my top 5 Southern dinner ideas.
Fried Chicken
Come on, could I really lead with anything else? Fried chicken is to the south what the cheesesteak is to Philadelphia. What would a Southern Sunday dinner be without fried chicken? Does anyone actually dislike fried chicken? Anyone?
One need only look to the fast-food scene to see how dominant this dish has become. There may be more fried chicken joints than pizza or burger joints at this point. We have restaurants that ONLY sell chicken tenders. No legs, no thighs, just chicken tenders. Let that sink in.
While there are plenty of decent fast-food chicken shops, I always recommend checking out the local spots. You never know when you are going to find that gem that has been handed down for generations just waiting to reach your taste buds.
On top of the numerous restaurants sporting the fried bird, most people have their own recipes as well. Deep frying is a way of life in the south, though we’re not afraid to break out the cast iron skillet and go stovetop when we have to! Check out my recipe for real-deal Southern fried chicken.
Biscuits and Gravy
Another icon of the South is the mouth-watering biscuits and gravy. There are few things in life as amazing as buttery, fluffy biscuits covered in white sausage gravy. Just typing the words makes my mouth water!
I have to give a shout-out to Hardees on this one. For a fast-food chain, they make dynamite biscuits. Their biscuits and gravy are pretty amazing as well.
While fried chicken is something I enjoy frequently, biscuits and gravy are more of a rare treat. I simply don’t eat out often for breakfast, and making it properly at home is a big job in the morning. Have I mentioned I’m not exactly a morning person yet?
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If you have a craving, there are some simple home solutions at your disposal. You can get premade biscuits that just have to be baked. I recommend getting the frozen “hockey puck” style biscuits rather than the ones in a can. You can also buy frozen sausage gravy that is not too bad. It’s not going to beat homemade, but it’s better than nothing.
Red Beans And Rice
Red beans and rice has its roots in Cajun cooking, but it has spread across the south and is now popular all over. This simple dish is always good for an easy dinner idea. It packs a lot of flavor without needing a lot of ingredients.
You can make a simple red beans and rice with just sausage, beans, and rice. The key is in the sausage. If you have a good sausage with excellent flavor, you will have a good dish.
I’m partial to a Cajun-style of red beans and rice that utilizes the holy trinity of bell peppers, onions, and celery. Throw in some bay leaves and cajun seasoning and you have a bowl of spicy deliciousness!
Chicken And Dumplings
Few things will fill you up better on a cold winter day than a bowl of chicken and dumplings. This southern staple comes in many shapes and sizes, but one flavor: delicious!
I just recently got into making my own homemade dumplings. For years I just went with the frozen ones you can buy at the store. While they were good, I didn’t know what I was missing!
Look for more chicken recipes in our recipes section!
I know a lot of people are intimidated by making homemade biscuits and dumplings, but the dumplings couldn’t have been simpler. It literally added 10 minutes of cook time to our dinner, and the improvement over the frozen dumplings was well worth 10 minutes.
Aside from the dumplings, you need good broth to make the dish stand out. I always start with bone-in, dark meat chicken for the added flavor. I simmer the chicken with carrots, celery, onions, and a few seasonings. Put in the effort on the broth, and you will have fantastic chicken and dumplings.
Fried Catfish
I couldn’t finish this list without adding some seafood to it. There were a couple of contenders, like shrimp, oysters, and even crawfish. But the last entry on my Southern dinner ideas list has to go to fried catfish.
Catfish is without a doubt the fish of the south. You will find numerous Catfish restaurants dotted across the region. Many of them feature an all-you-can-eat option that is sure to leave you satisfied.
Like fried chicken, fried catfish is quite simple to make. All you need is a couple of fillets, some seasoned yellow cornmeal, and some hot oil. While I still prefer the efficiency of my deep frying, the thin nature of fish fillets makes stovetop frying a breeze.
You can’t beat a catfish dinner with french fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies. If that doesn’t fill you up, I don’t know what will!
Most of these dishes are relatively to make. They make for simple dinner ideas. You can pair them with some classic southern sides (list coming soon!) to make an amazing Sunday dinner!
Is southern food one of the 5 best cuisines in America? Check out my list to find out!
Those are my top 5 Southern dinner ideas, but I want to know what YOU think. What are your favorite Southern dishes? Let me know in the comments below!
