This Chicken-Fried Steak is a delectable Southern classic. Tender cube steak is double-breaded, fried to golden perfection, and smothered in a creamy flour and milk-based gravy made from the pan drippings. There is nothing quite as delicious as chicken fried steak with gravy!
Rocking Chicken Fried Steak
Satisfy your comfort food cravings with this mouth-watering recipe for chicken fried steak. Using simple ingredients and easy techniques, this dish will surely be a hit with the whole family. This meal is always a huge hit with family and friends. It is the ultimate comfort food and hits that sweet spot just right. Plan or call your butcher ahead of time because sometimes cube steak can be difficult to find. Serve it for dinner with all your favorite Southern side dishes or for breakfast with eggs over easy, fried potatoes, and hot coffee. If you like this recipe, try chicken fried chicken, smothered pork chops, and cajun chicken.
What is Chicken Fried Steak
Chicken fried steak is a classic Southern dish made by breading and frying a beef cube steak similar to how one would bread and fry chicken. It is traditionally served with country-style white gravy, mashed potatoes, and a southern vegetable like southern green beans or collard greens.
Ingredients Needed
How to make Chicken Fried Steak
Start by salting and peppering the cube steak on both sides. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper in a large shallow bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce in a medium shallow bowl. Dredge the cube steaks in the seasoned flour mixture, into the egg mixture, and back into the flour mixture. Refrigerate on a clean baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Using a large skillet, fry the cube steaks in the oil until golden brown, turning once to brown the other side. Transfer the fried cube steaks to paper towels or a wire rack to drain for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a clean baking sheet and place them in the oven on warm.
Then, remove all but 4 tablespoons of the oil from the skillet. Please do not remove the pan dripping from the skillet, as they add depth and flavor to the gravy. Now, over medium-low heat, sprinkle the flour over the oil. Then whisk for 2-3 minutes while the mixture cooks and browns. Slowly add the milk, whisking as you do. Continue whisking until smooth and creamy. Now simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened—season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, pour the warm gravy over the crispy fried steaks.
Recipe Tips
- Cube steak, also known as round steak, is a cut of beef (usually top round) that has been tenderized and flattened with a meat tenderizing mallet.
- You can easily make your own buttermilk by combining one cup of milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Salt and pepper the cube steaks well before breading.
- There is no need to deep fry these. Fry them in about 1/8 – 1/4 inch oil in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
- Keep the fried steaks uncovered in the oven on warm while you finish them and make the gravy. This will keep them crispy until the meal is served.
- Let the steak sit after breading for about 20 minutes. This helps to ensure a good coating with the breading.
- If the gravy becomes too thick, add 1/4 cup milk at a time till the desired consistency.
What to serve with Chicken Fried Steak
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Southern green beans
- Oven-roasted corn
- Homemade biscuits
- Scrambled eggs
- Southern collard greens
- Turnip greens
- Roasted carrots
- Southern potato salad
- Texas toast
Store and Reheat
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, place on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Alternatively, reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes.
More Chicken Recipes
Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Fried Steak
- 4 cube steaks
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 dash hot sauce
- vegetable oil or canola oil
Gravy
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Salt and pepper the cube steak on both sides. In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper. In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce.
- Dredge the cube steaks in the flour mixture, and shake off the excess flour. then dip into the egg mixture and back in the flour mixture. Refrigerate in a single layer on a baking sheet for 20 minutes.
- Heat about 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Fry the cube steaks until golden brown, turning once to brown the other side. Work in batches. Move the fried cube steaks to paper towels to drain for a couple of minutes. Move to a clean baking sheet and place in the oven at 225 degrees.
- Drain all but 4 tablespoons of the oil from the skillet. Do not remove the browned bits from the skillet. Over medium-low heat, sprinkle the flour over the oil. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly add the milk while whisking. Continue whisking until smooth and creamy. Simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the warm gravy over the crispy fried steaks.
Notes
- Cube steak, also known as round steak, is a cut of beef (usually top round) that has been tenderized and flattened with a meat tenderizing mallet.
- You can easily make your own buttermilk by combining one cup of milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Salt and pepper the cube steaks well before breading.
- There is no need to deep fry these. Fry them up in about 1/8 – 1/4 inch oil in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
- Keep the fried steaks uncovered in the oven on warm while you finish them and while you make the gravy. This will keep them crispy until the meal is served.
- Let the steak sit after breading for about 20 minutes. This helps to ensure a good coating with the breading.
- If the gravy becomes too thick, add 1/4 cup milk at a time till the desired consistency.
Nutrition
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Justine
Delish! I love a great chicken fried steak – great for dinner OR breakfast!
Beth Pierce
So true, Justine!
rebecca
yum! what a comforting and tasty recipe. It’s so good with the mashed potatoes and gravy
Janie
I made this for my son and myself. I used almond milk for the gravy cause my son cant have regular milk. He totally smashed all of it. He wants this again so I need to run to the grocery store again! =)
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Janie! So glad that he liked it!
Andrea
One of my all time favorite Southern classics, this chicken fried steak is comfort food at its finest. Yum!
Sara
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; definitely, a new favorite recipe!
Lima
Such a great and easy chicken fried steak recipe. I served it with mashed potatoes and your southern green beans. So yummy!
Justine
This is comfort food! So delicious!
Anjali
This is comfort food at its best!! Hearty, filling, and so delicious!
Carrie
This is such a classic southern comfort food recipe. We really enjoyed it and will make it again.