Clicky
health meal, low carbs meals, keto meal
All Recipes

Classic Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

Classic Chicken Fried Steak is a Southern comfort food staple that features tenderized beef cutlets coated in a seasoned flour mixture, fried until crispy, and smothered in creamy country gravy. This dish is perfect for a hearty dinner that brings warmth and satisfaction to the table. Serve it alongside mashed potatoes and green beans for a true Southern feast.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

For the Chicken Fried Steak

  • 4 beef cube steaks (about 1/2 inch thick)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Country Gravy

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Steaks

  1. Place the beef cube steaks between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them to about 1/4 inch thick if necessary.
  2. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper (if using).
  3. In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk.

Step 2: Coat the Steaks

  1. Dredge each cube steak in the seasoned flour, then dip it in the egg mixture, and dredge it again in the flour mixture, pressing the flour onto the steak to ensure it is well coated. Set aside on a plate.

Step 3: Fry the Steaks

  1. In a large skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C).
  2. Carefully place the coated steaks in the hot oil, frying 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.
  3. Remove the steaks from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Step 4: Make the Country Gravy

  1. Drain all but 2-3 tablespoons of the oil from the skillet, leaving the browned bits in the pan.
  2. Stir in the flour and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
  3. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 5: Serve

  1. Serve the chicken fried steaks smothered in country gravy. Enjoy with your favorite sides!

Cooking Tips & Notes

  • Cube Steaks: Cube steaks are typically used for chicken fried steak because they are tenderized, but you can also use round steak and tenderize it yourself with a meat mallet.
  • Oil Temperature: Maintaining the oil temperature at around 350°F (175°C) is crucial for getting a crispy coating without making the steak greasy.
  • Gravy Consistency: If the gravy is too thick, add a little more milk until the desired consistency is reached.

Variations

  • Spicy Chicken Fried Steak: Add extra cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce to the egg mixture for a spicier version.
  • Buttermilk Soak: Soak the cube steaks in buttermilk for an hour before coating to add extra tenderness and flavor.
  • Herbed Gravy: Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or rosemary to the gravy for an herbal twist.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I Use Chicken Instead of Beef?

Yes! You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pound them to an even thickness, and follow the same coating and frying process.

2. How Do I Store Leftover Chicken Fried Steak?

Store any leftover chicken fried steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through to maintain crispiness.

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox.

Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!

3. Can I Make the Gravy Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make the gravy ahead of time and reheat it on the stovetop, whisking in a little extra milk if needed to reach the desired consistency.

4. What Is the Difference Between Chicken Fried Steak and Country Fried Steak?

Chicken fried steak is typically served with a white, creamy gravy, while country fried steak is often served with brown gravy.

Serving Suggestions

  • Mashed Potatoes: Serve the chicken fried steak with creamy mashed potatoes to soak up all the delicious gravy.
  • Green Beans: Pair with sautéed or steamed green beans for a well-rounded meal.
  • Biscuits: Freshly baked biscuits make a perfect accompaniment to this classic dish.
  • Coleslaw: Add a side of coleslaw for a refreshing contrast to the rich flavors of the steak and gravy.

Classic Chicken Fried Steak is a beloved Southern dish that’s perfect for any comfort food craving. The crispy coating, tender beef, and rich country gravy make this recipe a favorite for both family dinners and special occasions. Serve it with mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits for a hearty meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds. Give this recipe a try, and enjoy the comforting flavors of Southern cooking at its best!

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox.

Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!

 

13,706 Comments

  1. Worth saying that this is one of the better things I have read on the topic in months, and a stop at clickforbusinessinsights reinforced that ranking, the topic is well covered by many sources but few do it with this level of care and the few that do deserve to be flagged so other readers can find them.

  2. Top tier post, the kind that makes you want to share the link with friends working in the same area, and a stop at plorix only made me more confident in doing that, this site is one of the better resources I have seen on the topic recently across both new and older posts.

  3. A piece that suggested careful editing without showing the marks of the editing, and a look at professionaltrustalliances continued that invisible polish, the best editing disappears into the prose and this site reads as having been edited with skill that does not announce itself which is the highest compliment I can offer any blog content.

  4. In the middle of an otherwise scattered day this post landed as a moment of focus, and a stop at velixobuy extended that focused feeling across more pages, content that anchors a fragmented day rather than contributing to the fragmentation is content with real centring effect and this site is providing that anchoring function for me.

  5. Thanks for putting in the work to make this approachable, plenty of sites cover the same ground but most do it badly, and a quick visit to professionaltrustalliances confirmed this one stands apart, simple language and useful examples without anyone trying to sell me anything along the way which I really appreciated.

  6. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a sensible take on this topic without the usual marketing nonsense, and a look at velixobuy kept that grounded approach going, sites that stay focused on serving readers rather than monetising every click are rare and this is clearly one of those rare ones I really appreciate finding.

  7. Will be passing this along to a few people who would benefit from the perspective shared here, and a stop at prixo only added to what I will be sharing, this kind of generous content deserves to circulate widely rather than getting buried in some search engine algorithm tweak that pushes it down the rankings.

  8. Excellent post, balanced and well organised without showing off, and a stop at prixo continued in that same vein, this site has clearly figured out the formula for content that works for readers rather than for search engine ranking signals which is harder than it sounds today and worth real recognition from anyone.

  9. Even from a single post the editorial care is clear, and a stop at klyvo extended that care across more pages, the kind of attention to quality that shows up in every paragraph is what separates serious sites from the rest and this one has clearly invested in that paragraph level attention across what I have read.

  10. Generally my attention drifts on long posts but this one held it through the end, and a stop at sustainablebusinesspartnerships earned the same sustained focus, content that defeats my drift tendency is content with substantive pulling power and this site has demonstrated that pulling power across multiple pieces in a session that has now run quite long actually.

  11. Liked that there was nothing performative about the writing, and a stop at plorix continued that genuine quality, performative writing tries to be witnessed rather than read and the difference between performance and substance is huge for the careful reader and this site has clearly chosen substance every time clearly.

  12. Liked the way the post got out of its own way, and a stop at klyvo extended that invisible craft, the best writing you barely notice while reading because it is doing its work without drawing attention to itself and this site has clearly mastered that disappearing act across the pieces I have read.

  13. Glad the writer did not feel compelled to cover every possible angle of the topic, focus is a virtue, and a stop at plorix reflected the same disciplined scope, knowing what to leave out is half of what makes good writing good and this post has clearly been edited with that principle in mind.

  14. Reading this on the train into work was a better use of the commute than my usual choices, and a stop at xeviroholdings extended that commute reading well, content that improves transit time rather than just filling it is content with practical benefit and this site has earned its place in my morning commute reading rotation.

  15. Glad the writer kept this short rather than padding it out, the points stand on their own without needing extra context, and a look at qelaroshop kept the same approach going, brevity is a sign of confidence in the substance and the team here clearly trusts their content to land without filler.

  16. Reading this in a quiet coffee shop matched the calm energy of the writing, and a stop at quixo extended that environmental match, content that has its own ambient quality which can match or clash with surroundings is content with a personality and this site has the kind of personality that suits calm reading.

  17. Started reading and ended an hour later without realising the time had passed, and a look at sustainablebusinesspartnerships produced the same time dilation effect, when content makes time feel different the writer has achieved something well beyond the average and this site is producing that experience for me reliably across multiple readings.

  18. Gram na 888starz juz dobre kilka tygodni i w koncu postanowilem, ze rzuce tu pare slow. Szczerze mowiac — dorwalem link na jakims forum i zostalem na dluzej. W Polsce nie ma zbyt wielu sensownych opcji, wiec cos takiego od razu testuje na spokojnie.

    Przede wszystkim siedze w slotach i tego dobra jest tu naprawde sporo. Spokojnie ponad dwa tys. automatow, poczawszy od Pragmatic Play przez NetEnt, Play’n GO czy Yggdrasil. Standardowe Gates of Olympus i Book of Dead masz od reki, ale prawde mowiac zwykle siedze na jednego czy dwoch ulubiencow. Grafika jest ok na mobilce.

    Dla tych co lubia klimat kasyna na zywo — jest sekcja od Evolution, na realnych ludziach, a jeszcze rozne game show typu Crazy Time. Wciaga niesamowicie. Jesli chodzi o forse — korzystam z BLIK-a i crypto, da sie tez Mastercard. Pierwsza wyplate mialem na koncie po jakichs pol dnia, Skrillem sa najszybsze. Jesli komus zalezy na swieze oferty zaraz na 888starz application przed rejestracja, bo sie zmieniaja.

    Powitalny jest calkiem niezle — dostajesz do 1500 euro i do tego jakies 150 zakrecen. Obrot wynosi okolo x40, co no jest standardem, choc jak zawsze warto doczytac regulamin. Prog jest niski, zapis zajela mi doslownie dwie minuty. Aplikacja na androida dziala i jest znosna, sciagalem apk z ich stronki.

    Zeby nie bylo za rozowo — support potrafi mieli wolno, szczegolnie w nocy. KYC delikatnie wkurzyla, choc to chyba z powodu licencji inaczej sie nie da. Tak po calosci — jestem raczej zadowolony, zdania na forach sa rozne, dlatego zobacz na spokojnie, zanim wrzucisz kase.

  19. Bookmark earned and folder updated to track this site separately, and a look at sustainablebusinesspartnerships confirmed the folder upgrade was the right call, organising my reading list so that good sites do not get lost in a sea of casual bookmarks is something I do more carefully now and this site warranted its own spot.

  20. Felt energised after reading rather than drained, which is unusual for online content these days, and a look at ulvarionet continued that good feeling, content that leaves you better than it found you is rare and worth bookmarking when you stumble across it for the first time today or any other day really.

  21. A small thank you note from me to the team behind this work, the post earned it, and a stop at xaneropact suggested more thanks would be in order over time, recognising the people who do good writing online is something I try to remember to do because the alternative is silence and silence rewards mediocrity unfortunately.

  22. A clear cut above the usual noise on the subject, and a look at securebusinessrelationships only made that gap wider in my view, the kind of place that earns its visitors through quality rather than through aggressive marketing or sponsored placements which is increasingly the only way most sites stay afloat across the modern web.

  23. Excellent post, balanced and well organised without showing off, and a stop at xeviroholdings continued in that same vein, this site has clearly figured out the formula for content that works for readers rather than for search engine ranking signals which is harder than it sounds today and worth real recognition from anyone.

  24. Really like that there are no exclamation marks or all caps shouting throughout the post, and a quick visit to qelarocapital maintained the same calm voice, restraint in punctuation signals confidence in the content and this site clearly trusts its substance to do the persuading rather than relying on typographic emphasis.

  25. Really liked the calm tone running through the post, no shouting and no urgency forced into the writing, and a look at qelaroshop kept that quiet confidence going, the kind of voice that makes the reader feel respected rather than yelled at which is depressingly common across most modern blog content these days.

  26. Picked a single sentence from this post to remember, and a look at xeviroholdings gave me another to keep, content that produces memorable lines is doing more than just transferring information and the small selection of sentences I keep from each reading session is one of the actual returns I get from reading carefully.

  27. Excellent execution from start to finish, the post never loses its rhythm and the points stay sharp, and a quick stop at quixo kept the same level going, consistency like this across a site is the marker of a serious operation rather than a casual side project running on autopilot somewhere else.

  28. Honestly this was a good read, no jargon and no padding, and a short look at qelaroshop kept that same feel going which I really appreciated, the writer clearly knows the topic well enough to explain it without hiding behind big words or filler that often gets used to seem clever.

  29. Excellent execution from start to finish, the post never loses its rhythm and the points stay sharp, and a quick stop at quixo kept the same level going, consistency like this across a site is the marker of a serious operation rather than a casual side project running on autopilot somewhere else.

  30. Reading this between two meetings turned out to be the highlight of the morning, and a stop at zorivoshop continued that highlight quality, content that outshines the structured parts of a working day is doing something well beyond ordinary and this site has produced multiple such highlights for me already this week alone.

  31. Honestly this kind of writing is why I still bother to read independent sites, and a look at ulvarionet extended that broader reflection, the few sites that justify continued attention to non algorithmic content are sites like this one and finding them periodically is enough to keep my reading habits oriented toward independent rather than aggregated content.

  32. Following the post through to the end without my attention drifting once, and a look at xaneropact earned the same uninterrupted attention, content that holds attention without manipulating it is content with substantive pull and this site has demonstrated that substantive pull across multiple pieces in a single reading session reliably here today.

  33. Bookmark moved to my permanent reference folder rather than the casual maybe later folder, and a look at xaneropact earned the same upgrade, the distinction between casual interest and lasting reference is something I track carefully and very few sites cross that threshold but this one did so without much effort apparently.

  34. A genuine pleasure to find a site that publishes at a sustainable cadence rather than chasing the daily content treadmill, and a look at ulvarionet confirmed the careful publication rhythm, sites that prioritise quality over frequency are rare and this one has clearly chosen the slower pace which I appreciate as a reader.

  35. Granted I am giving this site more credit than I usually give new finds, and a look at securebusinessrelationships continued earning that credit, the calibration of how much trust to extend after limited exposure is something I do carefully and this site has earned more trust on shorter exposure than most due to consistent quality across.

  36. If the topic interests you at all this is a place to spend time, and a look at enterprisevaluealliances reinforced that recommendation, the broader question of where to invest topical reading time is one this site answers convincingly through the consistent quality across multiple pieces I have sampled during the current reading session today.

  37. Excellent post, balanced and well organised without showing off, and a stop at nextlevelshoppingexperience continued in that same vein, this site has clearly figured out the formula for content that works for readers rather than for search engine ranking signals which is harder than it sounds today and worth real recognition from anyone.

  38. The pacing of the post was just right, never rushed and never dragged out unnecessarily, and a look at securebusinessrelationships maintained the same rhythm, you can tell the writer has experience because the difficult skill of pacing is something only practiced writers manage to handle well in long form content over time and across formats.

  39. Probably this is one of the better quiet successes on the open web at the moment, and a look at zorivoshop reinforced that quiet success quality, sites that are doing well without making a noise about doing well are the sites I most respect and this one has clearly chosen the quiet success path consistently throughout.

  40. Liked the balance between depth and brevity, never too shallow and never too long, and a stop at zorivoshop kept the same balance going across the rest of the site, this is one of the harder skills in writing and the team here clearly has it figured out very well indeed across every page.

  41. Solid little post, the kind that does not need to be flashy because the substance is doing the work, and a look at clickforpracticalsolutions kept that quiet confidence going across the site, this is what writing looks like when the writer trusts the content to land on its own without theatrics or unnecessary attention seeking behaviour.

  42. Now thinking about how to apply some of this to a project I have been planning, and a look at easyonlinepurchasecenter added more material for the planning, content that connects to my actual creative work rather than just being interesting in the abstract is the kind that earns priority placement in my reading rotation consistently going forward.

  43. Now adjusting my mental list of reliable sites for this topic, and a stop at ravlo reinforced the adjustment, the small ongoing curation work of maintaining trusted sources is one of the actual practical activities of careful reading and this site has earned a permanent place on my list for this particular subject.

  44. A piece that did not lean on the writer credentials or institutional backing, and a look at nextlevelshoppingexperience maintained the same focus on substance, content that earns trust through quality rather than through name dropping is the kind I find most persuasive and this site is clearly playing on the substance side of that distinction.

  45. Honestly this was the highlight of my reading queue today, and a look at nextlevelshoppingexperience extended that across more pages I will return to, ranking what I read against what else I read each day is something I do informally and this site keeps moving up in those rankings the more I explore it.

  46. Without comparing too aggressively to other sources this one stands out for the right reasons, and a look at clickforpracticalsolutions continued that distinctive quality, content that distinguishes itself through substance rather than style tricks is content with lasting differentiation and this site has clearly chosen substance based differentiation as its core editorial strategy.

  47. Felt a small spark of recognition when the post named something I had been struggling to articulate, and a look at enterprisevaluealliances produced more such moments, the rare service of giving readers language for fuzzy intuitions is one of the higher values that good writing can provide and this site offered several today instances.

  48. Picked something concrete from the post that I will use immediately, and a look at ravlo added another concrete piece, content that produces immediately useful output rather than just abstract appreciation is content that earns its place in my regular rotation without needing any further evaluation from me at this point honestly.

  49. Now thinking about how to apply some of this to a project I have been planning, and a look at easyonlinepurchasecenter added more material for the planning, content that connects to my actual creative work rather than just being interesting in the abstract is the kind that earns priority placement in my reading rotation consistently going forward.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *