Here’s an easy chicken fried steak recipe that’s perfect for any night of the week. Thin tender pieces of cube steak are coated in seasoned flour and fried to golden perfection and then served with creamy white gravy. On the table in about 30 minutes, this meal is one to keep.
This is a Southern classic comfort meal that is simple to make. The steak is dredged in cornstarch, eggs, buttermilk, and seasoned flour to create an addictive golden brown crust. It’s then smothered in a deliciously smooth and thick white pepper gravy to make the ultimate satisfying dinner.
You may recognize this dish from Cracker Barrel’s menu, but they serve it with Sawmill gravy usually made with either sausage or bacon fat. So good, but we’re keeping ours a little (I mean a little) lighter than that by making our gravy using flour, milk, and a bit of seasoning.
I usually serve this recipe with some creamy mashed potatoes and green beans or broccoli on the side.
It truly is comfort on a plate!
What is Chicken Fried Steak?
So, what is with the name Chicken Fried Steak? Is it steak? Is it chicken? What is the deal?
The term ‘chicken fried’ refers to the cooking style of making fried chicken, but instead in this recipe, you’re applying the same method to steak. Steak fried in a crispy seasoned coating? Yes, please!
Originating in Texas, it is thought to have been created by German immigrants based on the traditional veal schnitzel but made without breadcrumbs, and made with chicken instead. If you’re interested in learning more about schnitzel, check out Chicken Schnitzel recipe.
Sometimes you’ll see this chicken fried steak recipe referred to as ‘country fried steak’. It’s basically the same thing except the country fried version is often served with brown gravy instead of white gravy as in this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender steak: Cube steak is already tenderized, and I pound it even further, so the meat is melt-in-your-mouth soft. You can also use cube steak to make a non-breaded but equally delicious Swiss Steak meal!
- Crunchy coating: The seasoned coating is fried to a perfect golden brown.
- Easy gravy: The milk gravy is made with the pan drippings from frying the steaks so it’s not only quick to make but loaded with amazing flavor.
- It’s quick: This steak recipe is ready in about 30 minutes which makes it perfect for any night of the week.
key ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this scrumptious dish!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cube steak: This is an inexpensive cut of meat that has been tenderized with a meat tenderizer which makes it very easy to chew. It is sometimes also referred to as minute steak or Swiss steak. It’s an excellent cut for frying. If you can’t find cube steak, pounding round steak is another good option.
- Coating: Cornstarch, eggs, buttermilk, optional hot sauce (I use Tabasco, but you can omit it or replace it with cayenne powder), all-purpose flour, and baking powder. Both baking powder and cornstarch are the secret ingredients that help to absorb excess moisture but also give it a lighter, crispier crust.
Tip!
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 10 minutes.
- Seasonings for the coating: Smoked or regular paprika, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Go ahead and use your favorite seasonings here.
- For the gravy: All-purpose flour, milk (I use 2%), and salt and pepper. You’ll also use some of the same oil you used to fry the steaks.
How To Make Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy
All you need is a few minutes of preparation and 5 minutes or so to fry each steak. It couldn’t get any easier!
- Pound the steak. Even though cube steak is already tenderized, I suggest pounding it further with a meat tenderizer to about ¼ “thickness. You can do this in a plastic bag or between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Season the steak with salt which will help to tenderize it even further.
- Prepare a dredging station. Grab 3 bowls and put the cornstarch in one, the egg, hot sauce, and buttermilk in the second bowl, and the flour, baking powder, and seasonings in the third one. Drizzle more buttermilk into the flour mixture and rub everything together with your hands until you have a wet sandy consistency.
- Dredge. First dip the steak into the cornstarch, shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off into the bowl, and finally place it in the flour mixture and use the palm of your hand to press the mixture firmly onto the steaks.
- Fry. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, a large heavy-bottomed frying pan, or wok to 350°F/180°C. The best way to keep an eye on the temperature of the oil is to use an instant-read thermometer. Cook the steaks one at a time until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels.
Tip!
Always wait until the oil is hot to add your cutlets! If you add them while the oil is still heating up, by the time it does it’ll have absorbed too much of the oil making them soggy.
- Make gravy. Pour ¼ cup of the oil from the frying pan into a saucepan and add some flour. Whisk while cooking for one minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring the gravy to a simmer until it thickens. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Plate the steaks while still warm and serve with the gravy either over the top or on the side.
Recipe Tips
- Bring cutlets to room temperature. You never want to add cold meat to a hot pan. By the time it heats up, the coating has absorbed too much of the oil resulting in a soggy outer layer. Bring them out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead of starting the recipe.
- Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. The coating will stick better.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. It’s best to fry the steaks one at a time to ensure you get a nice crunchy crust.
- Make sausage gravy. Some people like to add crumbled-up breakfast sausage to their gravy for added flavor and texture. It’s amazing both ways!
- Keep the first batch warm. As you fry the steaks, keep the ready ones in a 225°F/110°C oven to keep them warm.
- Add the browned bits from the bottom of the pan you fried the steaks into the gravy saucepan. They’ll give it lots of great flavor!
Storing Tips
Serve immediately. That way, you can enjoy the crispy coating at its best. You can, however, safely store leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the gravy separately.
To reheat, heat your oven to 400°F/200°C and place the steaks on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook until warmed through. This will take about 10–15 minutes.
Reheat the gravy in the microwave. Use a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, covered, for 30-second bursts until it is heated through. I don’t recommend using the microwave to reheat the steaks as you’ll end up with a soggy coating.
What To Serve With
Potatoes are a go-to side dish to serve with these steaks. Try my crockpot mashed potatoes recipe for any easy make-ahead option or my Whole30 mashed potatoes are good if you’re looking for something vegan and dairy-free.
Texas Roadhouse Rolls or cornbread are also great for mopping up delicious gravy.
More Easy Dinners To Try
FAQs
It’s heartbreaking when all that glorious coating falls off your steaks while you’re cooking them! To avoid this problem, make sure that you firmly press the flour into the steaks, so it really adheres before frying. Also, make sure you only flip the steaks once after the bottom side has turned golden and crispy. Flipping them too soon and too often will cause the coating to fall off.
The key to making a smooth gravy is to slowly whisk the milk into the oil and flour mixture. Continue to whisk the gravy well after each drizzle of milk. If you pour all the milk in at once, you run the risk of lumpy gravy.
This is a dish you want to prepare just before serving. The deliciously seasoned coating will be at its crispiest when it is freshly fried. You could combine the dry ingredients for the floury coating ahead of time and store them in a zip-top bag so that it’s ready for when you want to dredge the steaks.
This is traditionally deep fried and I recommend doing this for best results, but if you prefer shallow frying you can. The steaks won’t be as crispy or have even browning, and the breading can get smashed against the pan, but it will still be delicious. It’s definitely worth it if you’re looking for a healthier type of frying.
I normally use vegetable oil. It’s a neutral-tasting oil that has a high smoke point. You can also use peanut oil, grapeseed oil, or canola oil.
Bring some comfort to your dinner table tonight with this delicious chicken fried steak with gravy. Save this recipe for the next time you have some chicken breast to use up. Pin it for more people to enjoy too!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chicken Fried Steak
Equipment
- Meat tenderizer
Ingredients
- 4 (900 grams) cube steaks about ⅓ to ½ pound each, about 2 pounds (900g) in total
- 1 teaspoon salt to season the steaks
- 1 cup (120 grams) cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon tabasco hot sauce or any other hot sauce
- 2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Oil for frying. Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil
For the gravy
- ¼ cup (30 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 ¼ cups (530 ml) milk 2% (semi-skimmed milk)
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, then pound into ¼ inch thickness (either in a ziploc bag or between 2 pieces of plastic wrap). Then season with salt.
- Prepare a dredging station. In one shallow bowl place the cornstarch, in a second bowl combine the egg with ¾ cup of buttermilk and hot sauce. And in a third bowl, combine the flour with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder.
- Drizzle the remaining buttermilk in the dry flour mixture that was made in step 2, and then using your hands rub the mixture until it’s coarse like wet sand.
- Dredge the steaks one at a time: coat in cornstarch and shake off any excess, then dip in the egg mixture and let any excess drain off, and finally press into the flour mixture so the mixture adheres well to the steak. Shake off any excess, and place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining steaks.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a dutch oven, or a large frying pan, or a wok to 350°F/180°C. Cook the steaks one at a time, drop in oil and cook until crispy and golden 4-6 minutes in total. Then remove from oil, and drain on paper towels.
- To make the gravy, add ¼ cup of oil to a saucepan (use oil from frying the steaks). Add flour, whisk and cook for 1 minute (it will become a little brown). Then slowly whisk in milk, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and allow to thicken. Remove from the heat, and serve it over the steaks.
- Serve steak with mashed potatoes and green beans or peas.
Notes:
- Bring cutlets to room temperature. You never want to add cold meat to a hot pan. By the time it heats up, the coating has absorbed too much of the oil resulting in a soggy outer layer. Bring them out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead of starting the recipe.
- Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. The coating will stick better.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. It’s best to fry the steaks one at a time to ensure you get a nice crunchy crust.
- Make sausage gravy. Some people like to add crumbled-up breakfast sausage to their gravy for added flavor and texture. It’s amazing both ways!
- Keep the first batch warm. As you fry the steaks, keep the ready ones in a 225°F/110°C oven to keep them warm.
- Add the browned bits from the bottom of the pan you fried the steaks into the gravy saucepan. They’ll give it lots of great flavor!
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Melissa says
Wow – your recipe was out of this world delicious. Everyone in the family love it. Can’t wait to make it again.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
That’s so wonderful to hear, Melissa! Thank you!
Abeer says
That gravy really took this meal over the top. Yum! Can’t wait to make it again.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thanks for the great review, Abeer! Glad you enjoyed this dish!
Carol R says
One of our favorites. This was the first time I’ve made it and I am so happy I did! Thank you!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so happy to hear that this is a favorite, Carol! Thank you for the kind review!
Darlene says
Love reading new recipes and ingredients, can you make ahead of time a fry and freeze, like you can buy at the super-market. Is the ones you but at store flashed frozen, would like to keep ready to reheat in freezer.
Diana says
Yes! The best way to reheat frozen crispy foods is in the air fryer. Enjoy!