Is this Tennessee's most iconic dish? Why Food Network's pick might leave some feeling the burn

This story has been updated to remove a link to an outdated Food Network story.

The Food Network listed its top pick for the most iconic dish in all 50 states, and Tennessee's may be polarizing.

Each state in the United States is unique and has its own distinct culture, but in the South, many dishes are shared across the region. Tennessee's pick, however, is native to the state, and there are not many outside that can replicate the same flavor in the way Tennesseans can.

The mild hot chicken is ready to be served at Moore's Spicy Fried Chicken in Hendersonville, Tenn., on March 7, 2024.

These iconic dishes, according to the Food Network, define each state by showcasing the local flavors that have a deep history with the area and shape each state's geography.

Here's what to know about Tennessee's most iconic dish, according to the Food Network:

What is the best dish in Tennessee?

The Food Network's pick for Tennessee's most iconic dish has no ties to barbecue whatsoever.

"Legend goes that Nashville Hot Chicken was invented in the 1930s when a scorned lover tried to exact revenge by spicing up Thornton Prince’s fried chicken with an insane amount of pepper until it was an infernally dark red color and blazingly hot in flavor," The Food Network wrote.

What are the best dishes in Tennessee?

The Food Network, along with its most iconic dish in each state, listed the top dishes for people to try if living in or visiting any of the 50 states.

In Tennessee, some of the top listed dishes are: dry ribs, meat and three, biscuits and gravy, fried bologna sandwiches, barbecue spaghetti, fried catfish, country ham and red-eye gravy, hot fish sandwiches, barbecue nachos, and many others.

What were the best dishes across the South?

These are the most iconic dishes across the South, according to the Food Network.

  • Alabama: Chicken and white barbecue sauce
  • Arkansas: Fried pickles
  • Florida: Key lime pie
  • Georgia: Boiled peanuts
  • Kentucky: Hot brown
  • Louisiana: Beignets
  • Mississippi: Biscuits
  • North Carolina: Lexington-style barbecue
  • South Carolina: She-Crab soup
  • Texas: Brisket

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Is this Tennessee's most iconic dish? Why Food Network's pick might leave some feeling the burn

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