By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 22, 2021
Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy is my favorite Southern comfort dish that always hits the spot! I coated flavorful, crispy fried steaks in the most decadent creamy white gravy. The best part? It’s ready to serve in just 30 minutes!
What’s in This Chicken Fried Steak Recipe?
This classic Southern dish smothered in rich, creamy gravy is a staple that tastes just like home. I love to make it when I’m in need of some comfort food!
- Milk: Whole milk helps to create a rich batter for the steak and adds moisture and richness to the gravy.
- Egg: Helps the batter stick to the steak.
- Flour: All-purpose flour creates a crispy coating for the steak and helps to thicken the gravy.
- Seasoned Salt: A blend of salt, herbs, and spices that adds so much flavor to the steak. I used Lawry’s .
- Black Pepper: Adds a touch of spice to the steak.
- Cube Steak: Cube steak is an inexpensive cut of beef that is pre-tenderized so it’s super flavorful. It looks a bit like ground beef in the store, but it’s definitely not. If you can’t find cube steak, you can use flank or skirt and use a meat mallet to pound it down.
- Vegetable Oil : This neutral oil has a high smoke point , making it perfect for frying.
- Butter: Makes the gravy rich and flavorful.
Variations To Try
For a spicy chicken fried steak, I add some cayenne pepper, paprika, or chili powder to the breading. Or try adding some fresh or dried herbs, like thyme, rosemary, or sage, for an herby flavor. I sometimes also add a bit of shredded Parmesan or cheddar cheese to the breading for a cheesy version!
How to Store and Reheat
Once cooled to room temperature, I like to store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that once the gravy is slathered on the fried steak, it’s best served fresh! Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze chicken fried steak without the gravy for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. I recommend letting it slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this classic Southern dish with a side of mashed potatoes , and of course, the gravy, but any potato or veggie side will work well. Try it with Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes , Green Bean Bundles , or Creamed Corn .
Notes from the Test Kitchen
I always make sure the oil is up to temperature before cooking the coated steaks. It needs to be between 350°F-400°F for the crust to get crispy. If the oil isn’t hot enough, you’ll end up with oily, soggy steak.
5-Star Review
“Thank you for your delicious recipe. Means a lot to Texans and Southerners.” – Debra S.
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Chicken Fried Steak
- ▢ ¾ cup whole milk
- ▢ 1 large egg
- ▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt such as Lawry’s
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 pound cube steaks
- ▢ Vegetable oil for frying
For the Gravy
- ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter or reserved cooking oil from steak
- ▢ ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ▢ 2 cups whole milk
- ▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Video
Instructions
For the Chicken Fried Steak
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together milk and egg. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together flour, seasoning salt, and pepper. ¾ cup whole milk, 1 large egg, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place each piece of steak in the flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off the excess. Place the steak in the milk mixture, then dredge it through in the flour mixture, coating well. Place on a wire rack and repeat until all steak is coated. Allow to rest and make the gravy. 1 pound cube steaks
- When ready to cook, heat cooking oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Fry the steak in batches for 2 minutes on each side, flipping once, until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain while cooling. When the steak is finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the cooking oil. Vegetable oil
- Serve with warm gravy.
For the Gravy
- In a large saucepan set over medium heat, add the butter (or reserved cooking oil.) Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, adding more if needed, until golden. Slowly whisk in milk, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. ¼ cup unsalted butter, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 2 cups whole milk, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cook, whisking frequently, for 6-8 minutes until gravy is thickened and smooth. Taste and season as needed, then serve with steak.
Becky’s Tips
- If you can’t get cube steak, be sure to use a meat tenderizer to flatten your steaks so that the cook evenly and are nice and tender.
- Pat the steak dry before dredging it, this will help the coating to stick to the steak.
- Make sure the oil is hot before cooking the coated steaks. If the oil isn’t hot enough, they won’t get nice and crispy.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Chicken Fried Steak Step by Step
Prep the Dredging Station: In a shallow bowl, whisk together ¾ cup of whole milk and 1 large egg. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons of seasoning salt, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Dredge the Steak: Place each piece of 1 pound of cube steak in the flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off the excess. Place the steak in the milk mixture, then dredge it through in the flour mixture, coating well. Place on a wire rack and repeat until all steak is coated. Allow to rest.
Cook the Steak: When ready to cook, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Fry the steak in batches for 2 minutes on each side, flipping once, until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain while cooling. When the steak is finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the cooking oil.
Make the Gravy: In a large saucepan set over medium heat, add ¼ cup of unsalted butter (or reserved cooking oil.) Whisk in ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, adding more if needed, until golden. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of whole milk, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, whisking frequently, for 6-8 minutes until gravy is thickened and smooth. Taste and season as needed, then serve with steak.
Typically, the only difference is the gravy! Chicken fried steak is slathered in white gravy while country fried steak usually has brown gravy.
For the crispiest coating, serve this chicken fried steak immediately after cooking. The gravy, however, can be made ahead of time and reheated on the stovetop when you’re ready to eat.
If you let the breaded steak sit for too long before frying, the breading will absorb too much moisture and won’t cling to the steak. It’s important to work quickly with this recipe!
More Steak Recipes To Try
- Steak and Potatoes
- Steak in the Oven
- Steak and Lobster
- Ribeye Steak
Chicken Fried Steak Recipe with Gravy
Ingredients
For the Chicken Fried Steak
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt such as Lawry’s
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound cube steaks
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Gravy
- ¼ cup unsalted butter or reserved cooking oil from steak
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Chicken Fried Steak
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together milk and egg. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together flour, seasoning salt, and pepper. ¾ cup whole milk, 1 large egg, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place each piece of steak in the flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off the excess. Place the steak in the milk mixture, then dredge it through in the flour mixture, coating well. Place on a wire rack and repeat until all steak is coated. Allow to rest and make the gravy. 1 pound cube steaks
- When ready to cook, heat cooking oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Fry the steak in batches for 2 minutes on each side, flipping once, until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain while cooling. When the steak is finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the cooking oil. Vegetable oil
- Serve with warm gravy.
For the Gravy
- In a large saucepan set over medium heat, add the butter (or reserved cooking oil.) Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, adding more if needed, until golden. Slowly whisk in milk, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. ¼ cup unsalted butter, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 2 cups whole milk, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cook, whisking frequently, for 6-8 minutes until gravy is thickened and smooth. Taste and season as needed, then serve with steak.
Video
Notes
- If you can’t get cube steak, be sure to use a meat tenderizer to flatten your steaks so that the cook evenly and are nice and tender.
- Pat the steak dry before dredging it, this will help the coating to stick to the steak.
- Make sure the oil is hot before cooking the coated steaks. If the oil isn’t hot enough, they won’t get nice and crispy.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
