Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside….Easy Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy is a dinner the whole family will love. Simple to make and ready in less than 30 -ish minutes from start to finish.

Chicken Fried Steak on a white plate with gravy on top and a side of green beans.


Chicken Fried Steak

Soooooo….nostalgia month continues? I don’t know what’s gotten into me, I’m totally binging on the comfort food. Which isn’t really doing me any favors in the shorts/swimwear area.

But right now, all I want is my old favorites like Salisbury steak and Oven Fried Chicken with heaping piles of mashed potatoes. Know what I’m sayin’? And nothing beats a Chicken Fried Steak smothered in creamy country gravy. It is THE ultimate in comfort food.

I’m a lover of southern food….so much that I sometimes wonder if I were actually raised there and somehow transplanted to the north without any recollection of living elsewhere.

Except for my lingering love of southern comfort foods, Spanish moss and sweet tea. If given the opportunity to pick just one food to eat for the rest of my life…it would be a toss up between crispy fried chicken or Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy. It truly is one of my absolute favorite thing to eat on the planet….besides a bowl full of chocolate ice cream, of course.

Chicken Fried Steak on a white serving platter and a steak on a white plate with gravy on top

What is Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak is actually just a really thin piece of beef or cube steak that’s dredged and fried like fried chicken. Contrary to what the name suggests, there’s no chicken in this recipe at all. “Chicken Fried” is actually the technique in which the steak is cooked just like fried chicken…..and that’s why it’s called Chicken Fried Steak.

It’s, then, drenched in a creamy country gravy that’s ready in just a few minutes making this the BEST Chicken Fried Steak recipe (at least north of the Mason Dixon line.)

How to Make Chicken Fried Steak

This Easy Chicken Fried Steak recipe with Country Gravy couldn’t be simpler to make. It all starts with a cube steak which is, essentially, a round steak that’s been tenderized into oblivion then dredged in a seasoned flour mixture, egg and then back into the flour before being lightly fried to a crispy golden brown.

The breading for chicken fried steak is just a simple mix of flour and seasonings that you can adjust to your own taste.

It’s actually quite genius if you ask me, and whoever created this beautiful thing decided that you MUST make a creamy pan gravy from the drippings to drape lovingly over your crispy fried goodness. How dreamy does that sound?

Chicken Fried Steak with a stripe of gravy on top and sprinkled with parsley.

What is the Difference Between Chicken Fried Steak and Country Fried Steak?

Chicken Fried Steak and Country Fried Steak are VERY similar being that they’re made by dredging and frying the steak in a pan. The difference comes as the Country Fried Steak is usually served with a brown gravy and fried onions while the Chicken Fried Steak is served with a creamy gravy like my Country Gravy used in this recipe.

Tips for Perfect Chicken Fried Steak Gravy

  • The flavor is already in the pan, don’t discard all those wonderful brown bits in the bottom of the pan after cooking your steaks. They’re like little flavor bombs that make your creamy gravy amazingly tasty.
  • Be sure to cook the flour until golden brown and it begins to smell a little nutty. This will ensure your country gravy doesn’t taste overwhelmingly like flour.
  • The chicken stock and milk help keep calories in check. Lots of Chicken Fried Steak gravy recipes call for heavy cream and milk but I my lighter version still tastes just as rich and amazing without adding even more calories to an already rib sticking dish.

What is Cube Steak and Where Can You Buy It

Cube steak is actually just a thin cut of beef, usually top round or top sirloin, that’s been tenderized by pounding with a meat tenderizer or an electric tenderizer. The name “cube steak” refers to the shape of the indentations in the meat from the tenderizing called cubing.

You can usually find cube steaks at your local grocery store, but if you can’t locate cube steak, you can make it at home buy buying thin sirloin steaks and pounding thin between two sheets of plastic wrap with a meat tenderizer.

Chicken fried steak with a bite on a fork.

Do you know what’s even better? Chicken Fried Steak is ready in less than 30 minutes. That’s right….30 minutes! Because the steaks are thin they cook quickly and evenly. They’re perfect for busy weeknights and always a huge hit with my family. 

I may not be from the south but I certainly try to channel my inner southern belle when I’m in the kitchen. And this recipe is simply fabulous. The best comfort food there is.

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Chicken Fried Steak on a white plate with gravy on top and a side of green beans.

Get the Recipe: Best Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

Dinner in a flash, this Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy is a stick to your ribs dinner that's the perfect comfort food.
4.72 from 7 votes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick butter, divided
  • 1 cup + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 large Eggland’s Best egg
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 cube steaks, or round steaks pounded thin with a meat tenderizer
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk

Instructions 

PREPARE THE STEAKS:

  • Heat olive oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until ripples begin to form.
  • While the oil heats, whisk 1 cup flour, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and water.
  • Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge one steak in the flour mixture, then the egg and then back in the flour mixture to coat.
  • Add the steak to the skillet. Repeat with the remaining steaks adding more oil as needed. Work in batches if necessary as to not overcrowd the pan. (Overcrowding will cause the steaks to steam and the coating will not get crisp.) Cook the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Flip the steaks and continue cooking for an additional 4 minutes until golden. Transfer the steaks to a platter or baking sheet and cover with foil to keep warm.

PREPARE THE GRAVY:

  • Add butter to the skillet and sprinkle with flour. Whisk together in the pan and cook until golden. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and continue cooking until thickened. Stir in the milk until smooth and beginning to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve the steaks immediately with the gravy.
Serving: 0g, Calories: 2780kcal, Carbohydrates: 114g, Protein: 174g, Fat: 177g, Saturated Fat: 70g, Cholesterol: 798mg, Sodium: 1090mg, Potassium: 3098mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 2940IU, Calcium: 503mg, Iron: 18.8mg