These comforting southern food innovations do away with the common concern for calories. Waffles, meat and savory biscuits have been preferred by those with a love for the American region and its traditional delicacies. Chefs like Paula Deen are now heralding the full-bodied flavors that are inherent in these recipes, supporting the hefty use of butter, oil and sweet syrups.
Dessert chicken hybrids and bold buttery bites are cropping up on the menus of restaurants wishing to emulate the distinctive southern taste. Foreign culinary experts have also been a part of this movement, bringing the flavors of Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas to European and Asian tables. Creole, Cajun and Appalachian approaches to cooking have brought authentic barbecuing techniques to the fore and are now a main staple of many of these dishes.
20 Comforting Southern Food Innovations
20
Tiny Savory Treats
These Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes Will Keep You Snacking Sensibly
19
DIY Exotic Meals
Destination Dinners Recipe Kits
18
Bacon Breakfast Cones
The Bacone is Sure to Start Your Day Off Right
17
Dessert Chicken Hybrids
American Cupcake Introduces the Red Velvet Fried Chicken
16
Nutty Soda Cakes
These Cocoa-Cola Peanut Butter Cupcakes Pay Tribute to a Classic Southern Snack
15
Clever Biscuit Bakers
Cookie Keeper Serves Up a Convenient Way to Make, Store and Transport Treats
14
Fractional Fryers
The One Tablespoon Deep Fryer for Healthy Southern Goodness
13
Cholesterol-Boosting Burgers
The Fried Chicken Luther Double Down Sandwich
12
Southern Comfort Restaurants
The Park Slope Chip Shop Will Deep-Fry Anything You Want
11
Miniaturized Southern Dishes
The Chicken Waffle Wings are Soul Food Without the Guilt
10
Sausage Gravy Dispensers
Bob Evans Offers a Quick Topping for Biscuits
9
Illusory Crispy Confections
These Chicken Fried Cookies are Finger-Lickin' Good
8
Fire-Infused Alcohol
Southern Comfort's 'Fiery Pepper' Whiskey Reaches Another Level of Heat
7
Deep-Fried Butter
Ultra Fatty Southern Snack Debuts at Texas State Fair
6
Pork-Flavored Caffeine
Boca Java Makes Maple Bacon Coffee for Meat Lovers
5
Vegan Recipe Blogs
The Blooming Platter is Full of Creative Foods for Vegan Foodies
4
Bold Buttery Bites
These Chicken Pot Pie Poppers are a Petite Remix of the Classic
3
Chip Taco Shells
Taco Bells' Doritos Locos Tacos Experiments With Nacho Cheese-Flavored Shells
2
Crazy Confections Coatings
The Ketchup Chocolate is a Taste Sensation No One Will Like
1
Crispy Poultry Kits
The Ad Hoc Fried Chicken Can Now Be Prepared at Home
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All-in-One Fried Chicken Bowls
Mary Brown's Melty Mash-up Bowl is Comforting and Satisfying
Decadent Body Scrub Bars
Butter & Me Makes Indulgently Scented Dessert-Like Exfoliating Body Bars
Hybrid Cookie Croissants
Crumbl Cookies is Testing Out a Hybrid Treat Called the Crookie
Butter Chicken QSR Menus
These Burger King Butter Chicken Menu Items are Arriving in Canada
Maple Butter Breakfast Sandwiches
Starbucks Has Added a New Chicken, Maple Butter & Egg Sandwich
Delectable Dumpling Bites
bibigo® Recently Introduced the New Crispy Dumpling Bites
Sleep-Friendly Cookies
Nightfood's Sleep-Friendly Cookies Satifsy Evening Cravings
Comforting QSR Dessert Pies
The McDonald's Japan Butterscotch Pie is Arriving for Winter
Cranberry-Topped Chicken Sandwiches
KFC Introduces the Seasonal 'Festive Chicken Sandwich'
Heat-and-Eat Breakfast Sandwiches
Mason Dixie's Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches Elevate Fast Food
Lobster-Shaped Chocolates
Bixby Chocolate's Chocolate Lobsters Turn Dinner into Dessert
Spicy Fried Chicken Wraps
KFC is Testing an All-New KFC Twister Wrap in the Nashville Area
Casserole-Inspired Chocolate Bars
This Gourmet Chocolate Bar Plays with Sweet Potato & Marshmallow
Festive Fried Chicken Meals
The Mary Brown's Team Feast is Arriving for the Holidays
Upside-Down Pastries
This Viral TikTok Recipe Layers Honey, Fruits or Veggies and Cheese
Bold Burger Lineups
Huddle House Has Begun Testing a Bold Burger Lineup and a New Sandwich Lineup
Hybrid Cookie Dough Croissants
Janie's Life Changing Baked Goods Has a New Cookie Dough Croissant
Peanut Butter Dessert Jars
Jar Joy's Peanut Butter Cup Jars are Viral TikTok Desserts
Spicy Appetizer Sandwiches
The Potbelly Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich is Crispy and Cheesy
Remixed Classic Breakfast Dishes
The Cracker Barrel Biscuit Benny Comes Served with Two Sides
Giant Family-Sized Brownies
Kfc's New Family-Sized Colonel's Homestyle Brownie is Supersized
Spicy-Sweet Chicken Sandwiches
The McDonald's McCrispy Sandwich Comes in Two New Hot Honey Options
Indulgent Diner Dessert Dishes
These IHOP Desserts Come in Two Tasty Varieties
Boneless Wing Ads
Whataburger Cleverly Launches Its Boneless Wings with This Ad
Prepackaged Artisan Dessert Products
The Delicious Dessert Company Added Four New Products
Caribbean-Spiced Chicken Wings
Caribbean Spice is the Latest Fusion Flavor to Hit bb.q Chicken
Crispy Butter Chicken Sandwiches
Burger King Canada Has a New Butter Chicken Crispy Sandwich
Bourbon-Specific Snacks
The Sweetery's Bourbon Buddies Enhance the Drinking Experience
Savory Croissant-Waffle Dishes
'Croffle House' Debuted 12 Variations of its Savory Croissant
Savory Snacking Pastries
These New Ginsters Products Come in Two Tasty Varieties
Indulgent Dessert Cocktails
Bardinet Inspirations Recreates the Flavors of French Desserts
Superfood Jelly Snacks
These Vegan-Friendly Jelly Desserts are Flavorful Textured Snacks
St. Patrick's Day Desserts
Sugar Bowl Bakery Boasts Imaginative and Playful Desserts
Spicy Virtual Restaurants
The Hot Ones Pop-Up Restaurant Puts Taste Buds to the Test
Low-Cost QSR Family Meals
The KFC Taste of KFC Meal is Available in Select Locations
Savory Bubble Waffle Cafes
Honey Moon Coffee Offers a Wide Selection of Flavored Bubble Waffles
Jalapeño Buttermilk Chicken Nuggets
Taco Bell is Testing New Crispy Chicken Nuggets in Houston, TX
QSR-Inspired Grocery Products
Aldi Launches the New McDonald’s Inspired Burgers
Summer Food-Themed Protein Chips
WILDE Barbeque Protein Chips Have a Sweet, Smokey Flavor
Extra-Cunchy Chicken Sandwiches
Popeyes is Testing Out a New Signature Hot Crispy Sandwich
Grab-and-Go Waffle Sandwiches
Stewart's Shops Just Unveiled the New Spicy Chicken Wafflewich
Barbecue-Inspired Chicken Sandwiches
The KFC Ultimate BBQ Fried Chicken Sandwich Arrives This July
Breakfast Menu Fusions
Wendy's Debuts its Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks Bundled Together
Chicken-Topped Macaroni Waffles
TGI Fridays Mac & Cheese Waffle with Hot Honey Chicken is Savory
Syrup-Free Waffle Bites
MyMochi™ Launches the New Waffle Bites for Easy Snacking
Southern Heritage-Inspired Whiskeys
Dixie Vodka Hails from Charleston, South Carolina
Southern Chef Frozen Foods
Delicious Eats by Kardea Brown are Arriving at Walmart
Hearty BBQ Lunch Platters
Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Just Added the New Tour of BBQ Special
Premium Barbecue Seasonings
Lillie's Q Unveiled Six New High-Quality Seasoning Flavors
Spiced Cheddar Butter Biscuits
Church's Chicken Cheddapeño Biscuits are Sweet, Spicy and Cheesy
Cooking Sauce Bars
Bar to Cook Infuses Meals with Globally Inspired Flavor
Small Side Meals
Popeyes Created Its Own Version of the Viral "Girl Dinner"
Spicy Seafood Glazes
Five Star's Glazing Butter Enhances Fish, Vegetables, Pasta & More
International Cuisine Simmering Sauces
These Tasty Bite Simmer Sauces Come in Five Varieties
Cornbread-Flavored Chocolate Bars
Compartés' Corn Bread Chocolate Bar is a Decadent Seasonal Treat
Digital QSR-Backed Cookbooks
Chick-fil-A Unveils a Cookbook to Support its Shared Table Program
Limited-Edition Swicy QSR Menus
The Shake Shack Sweet and Savory Menu is Korean Cuisine-Inspired
Reimagined Cheesesteak Sandwiches
Zaxby's Has a New Fried Chicken Philly for a Limited Time
Restaurant-Inspired Frozen Comfort Foods
The Boston Market At Home Frozen Foods Has Been Expanded
Asian-Inspired Snack Cups
These Sun-Butter Chocolate Cups Feature Globally Inspired Fillings
Savory BBQ Sundaes
Smokey Bones Serves Savory Sundaes with Brisket and Barbecue Pork
Cookie-Stuffed Belgian Waffles
IHOP Just Unveiled a Oreo Cookie Crumble Belgian Waffle
Asian-Themed Burger Debuts
White Castle Introduces the New Asian-Inspired Flavors for its Sliders
Spiced Side Dish Bites
The Sonic Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites Have an Empanada-Like Form
Savory Egg Croffles
Spoke & Hub Added Savory Croffles to its All-Day Breakfast Menu
Southern Recipe Plant-Based Products
The Vegetarian Butcher’s ‘Hentastic’ is Tender and Juicy
Molten Cheese Hand Pies
KFC Japan is Serving Up a Ooey Gooey New Cheese Pie
Kid-Friendly Dissolvable Bites
Crispy Melts are Clinically Proven Dissolvable Finger Foods
Buttery Mardi Gras Cookies
McAlister’s Deli Dropped a New Mardi Gras Cookie Ahead of Fat Tuesday
Ready-to-Cook Restaurant-Inspired Products
Tesco Taste Shack Has Chicken Dishes, Sides and More
Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuits
Biscuitville is Testing Out a New Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuit
Signature Recipe Chicken Tenders
Original Recipe Chicken Tenders are Coming to KFC
Sweet Smoky Breakfast Sandwiches
The Burger King Smoky Maple Chicken Biscuit is Arriving Soon
Sweet-Savory Breakfast Pairings
Wendy’s Canada Has a New Chicken Strips & French Toast Sticks Duo
Savory Snacking Donuts
These Mini Donuts are Stuffed with Chicken and Cheese
Spirit-Inspired Food Seasonings
These Weber Seasoning Blends Come in Three Varieties
Spicy-Sweet Restaurant Menus
The Huddle House Sweet Heat Chicken Menu Has a Range of Options
Beignet Bun Burgers
Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux Just Revealed New Beignet Cheeseburger Sliders
Wing Brand Chicken Sandwiches
Wing Snob is Introducing New Crispy Chicken Sandwiches
Flavorful Veggie Side Dishes
Bob Evans Farmhouse Favorites Vegetable Sides Come in Three Options
Liège-Style Diner Waffles
Denny's Berry Waffle Slam is made with Brioche Dough
Flavorful Fried Chicken Wraps
Red Robin Has Just Added a New Crispy Chicken Wrap for Summer
Tasty Convenience Retailer Snacks
The Rutter's Lover's Inspired Food Menu is Available 24/7
Buffalo-Flavored QSR Items
Popeyes Canada Debuts a Buffalo Crispy Chicken Wrap and Loaded Poutine
Extra Crispy Chicken Combos
Chili's New Chicken Crisper Combos are "Bigger, Crispier, and Juicier"
Southern-Style Seafood Sauces
Duke's Newest Sauces Were Inspired by Southern Bodies of Water
Apple Pie-Flavored Croissants
The Texas Apple is the Newest Pastry at the Kolache Factory
Cell-Cultured Chicken Dishes
Bar Crenn Serves Upside Foods' Cultivated Chicken with Edible Flowers
Alcohol-Inspired Food Flavorings
These Alcohol-Inspired Flavors Have a Delicious Profile
Artisan-Inspired Diner Menus
Denny's Permanent Menu Now Has Nine New Options
Bourbon-Sauced Chicken Wings
Charleys Cheesesteaks is Serving Up New Kentucky Bourbon Wings
Regionally-Inspired Barbecue Menus
City Barbeque Just Kicked Off its Flavors of America Road Trip
Melty Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Chicken Salad Chick's New Chick Melt is a Cheesy Creation
QSR-Backed Sandwich Trials
Chick-fil-A is Testing a New Chicken Sandwich with Maple Pepper Bacon
Crispy Caramel Pastries
The Delicious Desserts Company Caramelised Biscuit Yum Yums are Flavorful
Honeyed Buttermilk Biscuits
Rise's Hot Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit Brings the Sweet Heat
Convenient Chicken Waffle Meals
Jack in the Box Chicken & Waffles are Being Test Marketed
Allergy-Friendly Alt Puddings
WayFare Makes Dairy-Free Puddings with Butter Beans and Oats
All-New Wing Marinades
Popeyes Unveils Three New Wing Flavors to Expand Signature Menu
Savory-Sweet Seasonal Donuts
McCormick & Dough Doughnuts Collaborated on Holiday Doughnut Bites
Buttery Plant-Based Spreads
Wesson Plant Butters Come in Two Varieties
Spicy UK Chicken Menus
Popeyes Introduces a New a Spicy Chicken Menu for UK Customers
Deep-Fried Pickle-Topped Sandwiches
The Roy Rogers Restaurants Wild Dill Sandwich is Savory
Sweet Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
A New Maple Pepper Bacon Grilled Chicken Sandwich is Coming
Convenience-Focused Pastry Products
These New Pukka Savory Pastry Products Come in Two Varieties
Festive Snack Cake Desserts
The Mr Kipling Signature Collection Has Been Updated for the Holidays
Crispiness-Preserving Chicken Products
Wayne-Sanderson Farms Launches the New 'Kosmic Krunch' Line
Sweet-and-Saucy Chicken Sandwiches
The Wayback Burgers Mango Habanero Chicken Sandwich is Piquant
Griddled Food Fairs
The 2023 Iowa State Fair's Introduces 64 New Foods
Buttery Texas Toast Sides
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is Introducing a Craveable New Texas Toast Upgrade
BBQ Chicken Brioche Sandwiches
Denny's Just Added a Flavorful New BBQ Bacon Chicken Sandwich
Premium Specialty Butter Products
These New Danish Creamery Products are Arriving for the Holidays
Indian Cuisine-Inspired QSR Menus
The Taco Bell Desi Menu is Arriving in India
Savory Fast-Food Pies
Popeyes Released a Fried Pie with Cream Cheese and Blueberries
Savory Smoky Bourbons
Food Smoked on an Open Flame Inspired Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon
Dedicated Hashbrown Casserole Menus
Huddle House is Serving Up Four Hashbrown Casserole Dishes
Hand-Battered QSR Wing Flavors
Popeyes Wings Now Come in Five Permanent Flavors in Canada
Southern Cuisine-Themed Meals
Cracker Barrel Golden Carolina BBQ Tenders are Crisp and Tangy
Resurrected Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits
Whataburger's Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits is Making a Comeback
Crispy QSR Chicken Sandwiches
The A&W Chicken Cruncher Sandwiches Come in Three Flavors
Chicken Tender-Topped Salads
Cowboy Chicken's New Southern Fried Salad is a Hearty Summer Meal
Bite-Sized Churro Desserts
Church’s Chicken Just Added a New Mini Churros Dessert Options
Savory Ice Cream Treats
Milk Bar’s Seasonal Summer Offerings are Available at Bakeries Nationwide
Collaboration Southern Cuisine Chips
Mister Bee Biscuits & Gravy Potato Chips Support Make-A-Wish
Honey-Drizzled Cornbread Cookies
Crumbl is Serving Up a New Cornbread Cookie That's Served Warm
Crispy Cheesy Waffles
Brazi Bites' Cheesy Waffles Take Cues from Brazilian Cheese Bread
Southern Recipe Chicken Menus
Hardee's Nashville Hot Chicken Menu Has Three Options
Seasonal Summer Cobblers
Cotton Patch Cafe's Seasonal Cobbler is a Summer-Ready Dessert
Southern Recipe Cake Desserts
The Beatrice Bakery Grandma’s Southern Pecan Cake is Comforting
Mustard-Infused Chicken Sandwiches
Bojangles Just Added a New Bo's Carolina Gold Chicken Sandwich
Caramelized French Toast Dishes
Eggs Up Grill is Serving Up Crème Brulée French Toast This Winter
Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies
Buffalo Wild Wings Has a New Ghirardelli Chocolate Chunk Brownie
Indulgent Diner Waffle Menus
The IHOP Seasonal Waffle Menu is Available Now
Southern Recipe Chicken Wings
Bojangles Southern Chicken Wings are Marinated in Spices
Melty Cheese Chicken Sandwiches
The Chick Melt from Chicken Salad Chick is a First from the Brand
Biscuit-Focused Breakfast Menus
The IHOP Biscuits Menu Includes Sandwiches and More
Bite-Sized Sweet Chili Chicken
New Sweet Chili Chicken Bites Have Arrived at Chester’s Chicken
Jalapeño-Topped Brisket Sandwiches
Cowboy Chicken Just Dropped a Juicy New Brisket Sandwich
Saucy Spiced Chicken Bites
Chester's Sweet Chili Chicken Bites Feature Frank's RedHot
Pickle Fry Chicken Sandwiches
Roy Rogers Has Just Added the Savory Wild Dill Chicken Sandwich