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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Kay
What a flavorful and delicious recipe to try for dinner. Thanks for sharing.
Angee
Sounds delicious, thanks for sharing! I’ve been looking for a recipe that will keep the steaks crispy (like at an old mom-and-pop restaurant I visited years ago – it was the best!). I’m anxious to try this and see if it’s similar. It sounds like it might be what I’ve been missing 🙂
Is the 20 minutes in the fridge set in stone? Meaning, I’d like to make this as time permits earlier in the day. Would it hurt if it were breaded and in the fridge for several hours?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delay! Yes, you can bread them up several hours in advance. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Mary Pidgeon
Chicken fried steak is my favorite food for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I’m making this recipe tomorrow night for dinner and will come back to let you know how we like it. I have to cook so much chicken, because it’s my husband’s favorite, that I am always looking for new ways to make it. But this one’s for me . Thanks for sharing
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Mary! I sure hope you enjoy it!
Kenzie
Such a yummy recipe and so easy to follow! Definitely will be making it again for the family!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Kenzie! So glad that you liked it!
Des
Easy and yummy
Denay DeGuzman
This recipe reminds me of childhood. My mom loved making chicken fried steak. Your recipe tastes just like hers: so delicious!
Claudia Lamascolo
My husband loved this. The chicken stays crispy not soggy and the gravy is wonderfully seasoned!
Marlynn
This is such a yummy dish to make when we have guests over. So comforting and easy to make!
Pam
We call it country fried steak, but by any name you are correct. This right here is the ultimate comfort food!
Bintu
This sounds incredible, real comfort food! I love the sound of that gravy!
Adrianne
My mouth is watering and I reckon I can taste that crunchy coating just looking at the pics. The gravy sounds like a good combo also. Got to love green beans, I could eat them everyday!
Anjali
Yum!! This is comfort food at its best! So satisfying and delicious!
Jamie H
This is homemade goodness right here! I always feel like chicken fried steak sounds hard to make, but you make it sound easy!
Dannii
This isn’t really a thing here in the UK, but it looks amazing. Super comforting and I can’t wait to try it.
Diane Benson
This was my first time making chicken fried steak and it was amazing! Even better than my favorite restaurant!
Katie
Tastes just as good as our favorite restaurant. So crispy and tender!
Kristyn
I have always loved chicken fried steak! The gravy is creamy & delicious. It tastes great paired with any side!