Published February 26, 2021.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
You will absolutely love this tender delicious breaded chicken fried steak recipe with homemade gravy that comes together in 30 minutes.
Occasionally we have a taste for beef, and if you’re looking to try out some new steak recipes then definitely check out my Flank Steak Tacos or Bistecca All Fiorentina.
Chicken Fried Steak
Chicken fried steak is thinly sliced cubed steak that is battered and fried in oil and is then served with a simple milk-based gravy. The history of this recipe is a little bit murky, but to tie things together you are essentially taking a fried chicken batter and applying it to steak.
The traditional meat in this recipe, cubed steak, can oftentimes be cheaper than chicken making it a great option. In addition, when recipes like this were created it all goes back to what was available and/or how much does it cost.
Is It the Same as Country Fried Steak?
The two recipes are similar in that they share breading and cooking procedures, however, the traditional gravy served with a country-fried steak uses beef stock and is cooked with caramelized onions, much like the sauce in my Smothered Pork Chops recipe.
What Cut of Meat is Best?
The most traditional cut of meat used in this recipe is cubed steak which is from a bottom round roast of the cow. This cut of meat tends to be a little tough without loads of flavor to it which is why it is tenderized through the cubing or mallet pounding process and is battered and fried. Here are some other cuts of meat you could use:
- Top Round
- Sirloin
- Ribeye
- Flank
- Skirt
How to Make It
Follow along with these easy-to-make instructions for making a chicken fried steak from scratch.
If you did not buy cubed steak, then slice, and pound the sliced steak until thin and set aside.
In a bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until combined.
Whisk together some flour, corn starch, paprika, onion granules, garlic granules, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl.
Dredge a sliced pounded-outsteak into the egg wash and then into the flour batter making sure it is completely coated and set aside on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until the steak is battered.
Cook the breaded steak on each side in a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat, or 350°, for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes per side or until browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towels or a rack.
In a medium-size pot, make a round combining butter and flour and then add milk and bring to a boil to thicken. Finish with salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken fried steak with the gravy and garnish with optional chopped parsley and chives.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished cooking.
How to Reheat: To reheat the steak, place it on a rack on a cookie sheet tray and bake at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until crisp and warm. If reheating the steak from the freeze, bake on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Heat the gravy in a small saucepot over low heat until warmed. You can also heat both of these in a microwave until warm.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Go straight from the freezer to the oven when reheating.
chef notes + tips
- Watch the video if you want to make cube steak at home.
- There will be plenty of gravy leftover.
- You can make the gravy with leftover oil instead of butter from the frying pan, but your meat can get soggy sitting while waiting.
More Steak Recipes
- Cheesesteak
- Steak Frites
- Pizzaiola
- T-Bone
- Chopped
- Ribeye Sandwich
Be sure to follow me onFacebook,YouTube,Instagram, andPinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!
Video
Save
Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
5 from 19 votes
You will absolutely love this tender delicious breaded chicken fried steak recipe with homemade gravy that comes together in 30 minutes.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Ingredients
For the Steak:
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion granules
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic granules
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 8 cube steaks
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cooking oil
For the Gravy:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Steak: In a bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until combined.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, corn starch, paprika, onion granules, garlic granules, pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt until combined.
Next, add 1 cube steak to the bowl with the whisked eggs and milk and completely coat.
Transfer the egg-washed steak to the bowl with seasoned flour and dredge to completely coat on each side. Place on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and repeat until all of the steaks have been breaded.
Add the breaded steak 2 or 3 at a time to a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat, or at 350°, and cook for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes per side or until browned and cooked through.
Drain on paper towels or a cookie sheet tray with a rack. Repeat the process until all of the steaks have been cooked.
Gravy: In a medium-size saucepot over low heat add in the butter until melted and then whisk in the flour until completely combined.
Pour in the milk while constantly whisking and turn the heat to medium-high until nappe, or very thick.
Finish the gravy with salt and pepper and serve with the chicken fried steak.
Serve with optional garnishes of chopped green onions and parsley.
Notes
Chef Notes:
- Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished cooking.
- How to Reheat: To reheat the steak, place it on a rack on a cookie sheet tray and bake at 350° for 4-5 minutes or until crisp and warm. If reheating the steak from the freeze, bake on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Heat the gravy in a small saucepot over low heat until warmed. You can also heat both of these in a microwave until warm.
- How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Go straight from the freezer to the oven when reheating.
- Watch the video if you want to make cube steak at home.
- There will be plenty of gravy leftover.
- You can make the gravy with leftover oil instead of butter from the frying pan, but your meat can get soggy sitting while waiting.
Nutrition
Calories: 496kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 39gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 580mgPotassium: 687mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 352IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 124mgIron: 3mg
Course: Main
Cuisine: American, southern
Author: Chef Billy Parisi
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29 comments
- sue
Thank you ChefBilly delicious 😋 recipe
- Reply
- sue
Thank you tastiest recipe ChefBilly😋😁😊👏
- Reply
- Lisa Pisano Henderson
Delicious take on a meal my mom used to make and called it steak fingers. Thanks for the updated recipe and good memories.
- Reply
- Dawn
Used this recipe today. Very tasty. The hot sauce added a different kind of flavor. I really enjoyed it and my husband loved it…ty for always giving me a hit
- Reply
- Rowena Tebaldi
I love the taste of this Chicken fried steak. It’s not as beautiful as yours but it sure taste very good! (I added ½ tsp of turmeric).
- Reply
- Sheila
And we did absolutely “love” this. Plan to use the gravy for many other recepies!! Thanks Billy !!
- Reply
- Kevin M
Turned out great, one of my favorite ones yet. The only thing I did different was used the seasoned flour from the breading as my gravy mix.
- Reply
excellent!
- Reply
- Jim
Was great!
- Reply
- Donna Christiansen
I made this and my husband went crazy lol. He loved it very much! I did buy cubed steaks and I was a little bit turned off by the texture tbh. I should’ve done what you said in your video. Next time I will! The flavor was on point! Will definitely be making it again.
- Reply
appreciate you trying it
- Reply
- Teresa Hixson
I’ve made this for years but when you posted your video for it, I knew I had to try it. The breading for this blew me away, Chef. Not only was the flavor out of this world, but the crust was perfect. I truly believe it’s the addition of cornstarch. Another off the chart recipe, Chef Billy.🌟
- Reply
fantastic
- Reply
- David M. Darrow
Better than restaurant quality.
- Reply
Love to hear it!
- Reply
- Joe Martin
Tried for years to get a chicken fry recipe that tasted right. This is definitely the one
- Reply
Fantastic!
- Reply
- Trent Mull
I am getting ready to make this recipe again this week! It is so great I am relly looking forward to it! Thanks Chef Billy
- Reply
- Cinder
This chicken fried steak is delicious.
- Reply
- Carin
I made this to ight. I don’t have a picture but it’s really good. I’d give this a 10
- Reply
- Sheree
I just made the chicken fried steak for dinner tonight.. it’s only me.. so I have lots of gravy left.. LOL.. It turned out fabulous.. i garnished with green onions. Also made a Orzo salad to go with it… Dinner was superb.. Thank you Billy!!
- Reply
- EARL&FRAN
Very best chicken fried steak give it a five star for us
Thank you very much.- Reply
- Eileen
Hi Billy do own your own restaurant or currently work at if so where is it located and what is the name I would definitely like to eat therev
- Reply
I do not.
- Reply
- CathyO
Each and every recipe is “over the top”and how can you go wrong when you can not only watch Chef Billy’s detailed instructions, he puts it in writing as well, makes ME look like a rock star in the kitchen.⭐️ Thank you Chef, you have taught an old dog some new tricks.
- Reply
- Rehab
Yum! Looks delicious.
- Reply
- TOM DELUCA
Hey, Billy…
Thanks for all of your great recipes and cooking assists. I do have a question, though… you frequently refer to your fans as “Comies”(?). Just curious as to what that means. Thanks again… I’ma big fan.- Reply
“commis” which is a French term that means chef in training.
- Reply
