Chicken Fried Steak

This Chicken Fried Steak, also known as Cube Steak and Gravy, is a Southern recipe my family has been making for decades. It’s a thin and tender steak, breaded and fried to perfection for a crispy, golden brown bite. I promise it’s so easy to make at home with my family’s foolproof tips, it’s sure to become a favorite in your house too.

Chicken Fried Steak is always a special occasion meal in our house. My grandma loved to whip up a big batch for the whole family and serve it with all the Southern fix-ins. If you’ve never had chicken fried steak, oh boy, you’re in for a treat! It melts in your mouth with each bite and is rich in flavor.

They key to this recipe is using a thin, tenderized steak like a cube steak from the butcher department at the grocery store. It’s an affordable cut of meat and when fried, becomes ridiculously tasty. Try a similar twist on this classic, with my Cube Steak Fingers and Gravy or my Mini Chicken Pot Pies.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Classic tried-and-true Southern recipe. There’s not many more entrees that are classically Southern than a chicken fried steak and my family’s recipe has been around for generations.
• Minimal ingredients with maximum flavor. It’s as easy as 1-2-3 to make this steak and will always be a family favorite recipe.
• Serve with all sorts of sides. We love it with gravy, creamed corn, collards, mashed potatoes, and more. The list goes on and on.

Ingredients

Scroll Down to the Bottom of this Post for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card

Cube Steak Fingers

• Cube steaks: This is a tenderized cut of beef usually from the top round or shoulder of the cow. The butcher tenderizes it for you which takes out a lot of the prep work!
• Oil: Use a neutral oil here for frying.
• All purpose flour: Best for dredging to create that coating.
• Paprika: Adds both color and warmth to the dredge.
• Tony Chachere’s seasoning or other cajun seasoning: My favorite seasoning to add to the flour, adds rich flavor and a kick of heat.
• Eggs: Part of the dredging ingredients to help the flour mixture stick to the outside.
• Buttermilk or milk: Whisked with the eggs to help with dredging. Creates a flavorful fried crust and tender bite.

Gravy

• Butter or oil: Use some of the butter and/or oil from frying the steak. The “drippings” as we call them in the South. It infuses the gravy with flavor.
• Reserved flour mixture: Some of the seasoned flour from dredging the cubed steaks.
• Milk: Adds creaminess and richness, plus makes the gravy the correct consistency.

Tools You’ll Need

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Dredging Bowls
• Roasting Pan or Large Skillet
• Whisk
• Liquid Measuring Cups
• Thermometer

How to Make Chicken Fried Steak

For the Cube Steaks:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Season both sides of the cube steaks with seasoning salt or salt and black pepper.
2. Set up a dredging station with 2 bowls: Bowl 1: whisk together flour and seasonings; Bowl 2: whisk together eggs and buttermilk or milk. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture for the gravy.
3. Working with 1 steak at a time on both sides, dip in the seasoned flour, the egg mixture, then put back into the flour. Shake off the excess between each dip.

4. Once the oil is hot (350°F), fry the steaks 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and an internal temperature of 145°F is reached. Cook in batches if necessary.

5. Transfer to a cooling rack and hold in a warming oven while making the gravy.

For the Gravy:

1. In a medium skillet on medium-high, use 3 tablespoons of the reserved grease from the cube steak fingers or butter. Whisk in the reserved seasoned flour into the grease and cook 2-3 minutes.

2. Add 1 cup of the milk to the mixture and whisk quickly. This initial mixture will thicken and cook quickly. Once well combined, add an additional cup of milk, and stir until well combined.

3. Allow mixture to come to a light simmer then turn heat to medium-low. As the mixture thickens, add milk to desired consistency and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 3-5 minutes.
4. Serve the chicken fried steak with gravy on the side as well as your favorite southern side dishes.

Expert Tips

• Make sure your steak is even thickness. This is key for cooking the steaks at the same rate so they don’t overcook and also helps to make them tender. With cube steaks, the butcher usually tenderizes them for you, but if they didn’t then use a meat mallet to tenderize them yourself.
• Preheat your oil to the correct temperature. This guarantees a golden brown fry every single time. The oil is ready when it’s 350°F.
• Drain the steak after you’ve fried it. A key techqniue to remove any excess grease so each bite is tender and crispy, not soggy and greasy.
• Shake off any excess flour when dredging. It’s super important whenever you are frying to shake off any excess coating so that you have a thin layer to fry rather than thick – a pro tip for a perfect crust.
• Use the drippings from pan-frying the cube steaks for the base of the gravy. If you’ve learned anything about Southern cooking from me, it’s to keep using those drippings since they are full of insane flavor.

What to Serve with cube steaks and gravy

Like I mentioned before, there are too many delicious options! Here are some more:

• Hoecakes
• Jiffy Corn Casserole
• Cheesy Cabbage Casserole
• Squash Casserole
• Colesalw
• Whipped Mashed Potatoes

Storage

When it comes to storing chicken fried steak, it can be placed in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or the air fryer for best results. If you use the microwave, the outside could become a little soggy.

You can also freeze chicken fried steak for up to 2 months, just be sure to thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating as mentioned above.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Great Southern Recipes

• Chicken and Dumplings
• Hot Chicken Salad
• King Ranch Chicken Casserole
• Kentucky Fried Chicken