Chicken Fried Steak
On April 08, 2024 (Updated September 24, 2024)
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Sink your teeth into this incredibly flavorful and crispy Chicken Fried Steak, smothered in a creamy white gravy. Each bite is pure comfort food perfection that will have your guests coming back for more.
Chicken Fried Steak
If you want savory steak with the crispiest coating covered in a white pepper gravy, then you’re ready to experience my incredible Chicken Fried Steak. This classic Southern dish features tender cube steak, breaded to golden perfection and smothered in a rich gravy so good you’ll be sopping it up when your steak is gone. Get ready to wow your tastebuds, your guests, and yourself. Let’s make some steak.
The Best Steak for Frying
Cube steak is the perfect cut for chicken fried steak. The tenderizing process creates tiny pockets that soak up the flavors of the breading and gravy. When fried, the exterior becomes super crunchy while the interior stays juicy and tender. The texture alone will have you coming back for bite after bite. If you can’t find cube steak, you can use a meat mallet or rolling pin to tenderize a top round or sirloin steak, then slice it into thin cutlets.
Breading for Steak
The key to a perfectly crispy and flavorful chicken fried steak lies in the breading. We’ll be using a two-step wet and dry dredging process. First, we’ll start with a seasoned flour mixture that includes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
After coating the steaks in this savory mixture, we’ll dip them in a wet dredge of buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce. The buttermilk tenderizes the meat while adding tangy flavor, the eggs help the flour mixture stick, and the hot sauce gives a subtle kick of heat. Finally, we’ll return the steaks to the flour mixture for a last coat to ensure a shatteringly crisp crust.
Chicken Fried vs Country Fried
While often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference between chicken fried steak and country fried steak. Chicken fried steak typically uses a flour-based breading, while country fried steak may use breadcrumbs or crushed crackers. Most argue the difference lies in the gravy. Chicken fried steak is usually served with a peppery white gravy, while country fried steak comes with a brown gravy. Both dishes are fried to deliciousness and guaranteed to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.
Chicken Fried Gravy
No chicken fried steak is complete without a generous helping of white, pepper gravy. This gravy is a simple mixture, made from your frying lard, dry dredge, and a couple easy ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons cooking lard (or vegetable shortening)
- 2 Tablespoons dry dredge
- 2 cups half and half (or milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Serve your steaks with a hearty spoonful (or more) of this incredible gravy for the full chicken fried experience. Be sure to have sides on hand, because once you taste this gravy, you’ll want to smother everything in it. If you prefer a brown gravy, you can substitute beef broth for the half and half, and add a splash of Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor.
How to Make Chicken Fried Steak
Now that your mouth is watering, let’s dive into how to make this crispy, flavor-packed dish in a just a few simple steps:
- Season steaks. Season cube steaks on both sides with salt and pepper, then set aside.
- Make dredges. Prepare the wet dredge by whisking together buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce in a shallow dish until small bubbles form. For the dry dredge, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in another shallow dish.
- Dredge steaks. Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour, pressing gently to ensure the flour adheres to the meat. Shake off excess, then coat steaks in the buttermilk mixture. Return steaks to the flour for a final coat, then place on a wire rack.
- Fry steaks. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat lard or vegetable shortening to 350°F. Carefully place the breaded steaks into the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes per side, until they’re a perfect golden brown. Drain the fried steaks on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Make gravy. For the gravy, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the frying oil. Whisk in an equal amount of the seasoned flour to create a roux. Cook this mixture for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually add half and half to the roux, whisking continually to prevent lumps. Cook the gravy for 2-3 minutes until thickened, then season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Smother, serve, and enjoy. Serve the crispy chicken fried steaks hot, smothered in the peppery cream gravy, and enjoy your golden fried feast.
What to Serve with Chicken Fried Steak
This hearty dish pairs perfectly with classic Southern sides that balance the richness of the fried steaks and gravy. No matter what you choose, this dish is sure to stick to your ribs and feed your soul. Some of my favorite pairings include:
More MouthWatering SteakS
If you’re like me and can’t get enough steak, then make sure you check out the Hey Grill Hey app. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic preparation or an internationally-inspired dish, we’ve got a steak recipe for every occasion. Here are a few of my personal favorite steak recipes, as well as my guide on all things steak:
Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
Don’t be too chicken to try this recipe, and don’t be surprised when this one-of-a-kind comfort food becomes a favorite with all your friends and family. If you want to learn how to truly master this crowd-pleasing cut of beef, then be sure to check out our steak class in The Grill Squad.
If you still can’t get enough BBQ in your life, then be sure to follow Hey Grill Hey on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. We’re always sharing new recipes, tips, and tricks, to help you become the backyard BBQ hero to feed the ones you love.
Chicken Fried Steak
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cube steaks
- 11/2 Teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups lard or vegetable oil for frying
Wet Dredge
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
Dry Dredge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Gravy
- 2 Tablespoons lard or vegetable oil from frying
- 2 Tablespoons dry dredge
- 2 cups half and half or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Season steaks. Season cube steaks on both sides with salt and pepper, then set aside.4 cube steaks, 11/2 Teaspoons Kosher salt, 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
- Make dredges. Prepare the wet dredge by whisking together buttermilk, eggs, and hot sauce in a shallow dish until small bubbles form. For the dry dredge, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in another shallow dish.1 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup hot sauce, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Dredge steaks. Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour, pressing gently to ensure the flour adheres to the meat. Shake off excess, then coat steaks in the buttermilk mixture. Return steaks to the flour for a final coat, then place on a wire rack.
- Fry steaks. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat lard or vegetable shortening to 350°F. Carefully place the breaded steaks into the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes per side, until they're a perfect golden brown. Drain the fried steaks on a paper towel-lined plate.2 cups lard or vegetable oil
- Make gravy. For the gravy, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the frying oil. Whisk in an equal amount of the seasoned flour to create a roux. Cook this mixture for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually add half and half to the roux, whisking continually to prevent lumps. Cook the gravy for 2-3 minutes until thickened, then season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.2 Tablespoons lard or vegetable oil, 2 Tablespoons dry dredge, 2 cups half and half, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Smother, serve, and enjoy. Serve the crispy chicken fried steaks hot, smothered in the peppery cream gravy, and enjoy your golden fried feast.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I frequently had a version of this growing up. Brings back memories. We also had something very similar using thin pounded chicken breast meat.(also very good). Thanks for your version!
Yum and yum and yum
I will have to (secretly) make the country fried steaks for my husband an I. We love these so much. But not as healthy as our normal diets. I can’t wait and I enjoy guilty pleasures.
Cube steaks don’t exist in UK …. I can use a tenderising mallet.
2 questions … what steak should I use, sirloin, rump ?
What weight should I aim for … for each steak. ….so I know how much to buy.
You can go with a top round or sirloin and then use a meat tenderizer or rolling pin, then slice into thin cutlets. This is in the post as well.
It’s very close to a German Schnitzel. (with many variations).