This Chicken Fried Steak is perfectly seasoned with a crispy coating and a mouthwateringly juicy and tender interior. Fried to golden perfection and topped with a homemade gravy.
Why Make This Recipe
This chicken-fried steak is the ideal dinner, especially if you’re looking for a down-home, stick-to-your-ribs, southern comfort food meal! Made with a short list of simple, kitchen staples, this crispy steak drizzled in a homemade gravy will knock your socks clean off!
The crispy coating on the steak is infused with simple spices that really amp up the flavor profile in this dish. The best part in my opinion, is the gravy!
Ingredient Notes
- Steak – Cube steak (tenderized round steak.) Cube steak refers to a cut of beef, usually top round or top sirloin, tenderized and flattened out by pounding with a meat tenderizer! You can usually find this in your local grocery store or butcher.
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour which is a must for the breading, you can also use gluten-free flour for this recipe!
- Seasoning – We are using garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika!
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Believe it or not this aids in getting that extra crispy coating.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own using 2 cups of regular milk, and 2 tbsp of either lemon juice or white vinegar. You need this to help tenderize the meat.
How to Make Chicken Fried Steak
- Prep dredge and batter: Set up an assembly line of dishes. In one dish combine the flour with 1 tsp of salt. In another dish add the remaining salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, baking soda, baking powder, buttermilk and eggs. Whisk well. Place a cooling rack next to the plates.
- Dredge the steaks: Working with one steak at a time, dredge the steak through the flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk mixture, and finally back into the flour mixture. Place the steak on the cooling rack. Repeat with remaining steaks. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour mixture.
- Prepare oil and fry the steaks: Heat the cup of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Using tongs, add 1 or 2 steaks to the skillet, depending on how big your steaks are and how many can fit and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Flip the steaks and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes or until browned. Transfer steaks to a paper lined plate. Repeat with remaining steaks.
- Make the gravy: Carefully pour the frying oil into a heatproof bowl, making sure to save most of the brown bits left in the skillet. Return ¼ cup of the grease back to the skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the reserved ¼ cup of flour mixture. Whisk continuously until it starts to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the 2 cups of milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and continue whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.
- Serve: Serve the steaks drizzled with the gravy over mashed potatoes.
FAQs And Tips
- Do not overcrowd the pan, it’s better to fry one steak at a time like I did, since my steaks were quite big.
- To keep the steaks warm while making the gravy, keep them in a preheated oven at 250°F or if your oven has one, in the warming drawer.
- Baking soda and baking powder are a must in the breading to get the steaks extra crispy.
Is it chicken? Is it steak? Well I’m here to clear up any of your questions! Chicken fried steak, often referred to as “country-fried steak” (I’ll get to that in a minute) is a true “southern comfort food” dish, easiest recognized as a breaded cutlet, comparable to a schnitzel. The “chicken fried” part of the name comes from using a similar cooking method to fried chicken, but instead of poultry, a beefsteak is coated with seasoned flour, pan-fried to golden brown perfection and served with a rich and creamy gravy. In short: It’s a crispy coated fried steak with a creamy gravy!
They are in fact quite similar, and some food historians actually believe that they’re regional names for the same thing. They are both essentially a breaded pan-fried steak served with gravy. The other difference is that country fried steak is flour-dusted and usually served with brown gravy and onions and chicken fried steak is breaded with eggs and served with a white gravy.
Buttermilk comes from the slightly acidic liquid left behind after heavy cream is churned into butter. The acidity in the buttermilk helps create that crispy coating, makes our meat extremely tender and adds a little extra oomph and tang, levelling up the flavor profile of the entire dish! It truly is a “jack of all trades” when it comes to fried meat.
Storing Leftovers
Your leftover chicken fried steaks will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge!
Reheating
Fried leftovers can be tough to keep crisp, therefore its necessary to have the right reheating method!
To Reheat: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the chicken fried steaks on it. Lightly place another sheet of foil over the steaks. Bake for 20 minutes, then let them cool for 5 minutes. Check for crispiness and bake for another 5 minutes uncovered, if necessary.
Freezing
Leftover chicken fried steak will last 4 months in the freezer stored in an airtight container.
Reheating From Frozen
Allow the chicken fried steaks to thaw in the fridge overnight, then let them sit at room temp for 30 minutes before following the reheating steps listed above.
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Chicken Fried Steak
Ingredients
- 4 cube steak tenderized round steak
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
For Gravy
- 2 cups milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep dredge and batter: Set up an assembly line of dishes. In one dish combine the flour with 1 tsp of salt. In another dish add the remaining salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, baking soda, baking powder, buttermilk and eggs. Whisk well. Place a cooling rack next to the plates.
- Dredge the steaks: Working with one steak at a time, dredge the steak through the flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk mixture, and finally back into the flour mixture. Place the steak on the cooling rack. Repeat with remaining steaks. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour mixture.
- Prepare oil and fry the steaks: Heat the cup of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Using tongs, add 1 or 2 steaks to the skillet, depending on how big your steaks are and how many can fit and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Flip the steaks and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes or until browned. Transfer steaks to a paper lined plate. Repeat with remaining steaks.
- Make the gravy: Carefully pour the frying oil into a heatproof bowl, making sure to not scrape any of the brown bits left in the skillet. Return ¼ cup of the grease back to the skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the reserved ¼ cup of flour mixture. Whisk continuously until it starts to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the 2 cups of milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and continue whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.
- Serve: Serve the steaks drizzled with the gravy.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Your leftover chicken fried steaks will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge!
- To Reheat: Preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the chicken fried steaks on it. Lightly place another sheet of foil over the steaks. Bake for 20 minutes, then let them cool for 5 minutes. Check for crispiness and bake for another 5 minutes uncovered, if necessary.
- Leftover chicken fried steak will last 4 months in the freezer stored in an airtight container.
- Allow the chicken fried steaks to thaw in the fridge overnight, then let them sit at room temp for 30 minutes before following the reheating steps listed above.
Made this with elk (husband is a hunter) & it was AMAZING!! Will definitely make again.
Loved this recipe…so delicious!