Chicken-fried steak
Chicken-fried steak is a tender beef steak, breaded and fried much like fried chicken, then typically topped with a creamy white gravy. It’s a classic Southern comfort food.
Ingredients
- 4 beef cube steaks (or tenderized round steak)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the gravy:
- 2 tbsp pan drippings or butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1–2 cups milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the coating
- Mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a shallow dish.
- In another bowl, beat eggs with milk.
2. Coat the steak
- Dip each steak into the flour mixture, then egg mixture, then flour again (double coating for extra crispiness).
3. Fry the steak
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fry steaks 3–5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Drain on paper towels.
4. Make the gravy
- In the same skillet, add 2 tbsp butter or use pan drippings.
- Stir in 2 tbsp flour and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in milk until thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve
- Pour gravy over the chicken-fried steak.
- Traditionally served with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Tips
- Tenderized cube steak is key for a soft, tender texture.
- Keep the oil hot enough to get a crispy coating without burning.
If you like, I can also give you a shortcut air fryer chicken-fried steak recipe that’s crispy without deep frying.
