This is a twice-a-year steak dinner for me, but it’s more like once-a-month meal for Ladd. It’s crispy. It’s creamy. It’s sinfully indulgent. My word served next to a pile of mashed potatoes with the gravy poured over the whole thing, it’s country comfort food at its finest!
Why is it called chicken fried steak?
Don’t be confused! There’s no chicken in this recipe. The reason it’s called chicken fried steak is because it has a breading on it that resembles fried chicken. Now, if you want to make chicken fried chicken, be my guest!
What kind of meat is chicken fried steak made with?
This recipe uses cube steak which is just tenderized round steak that’s been extra tenderized. Tenderized round steak works fine, too. Heck, you could even buy non tenderized round steak and beat it to smithereens yourself. Do what you want!
What’s the difference between country fried steak and chicken fried steak?
Not much except the gravy its smothered in. Country fried steak is served with brown gravy, and chicken fried steak is all about the gorgeous white gravy. Each is their own thing, and each is exceedingly divine.
YIELDS:
6 serving(s)
PREP TIME:
25 mins
COOK TIME:
35 mins
TOTAL TIME:
1 hr
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN FRIED STEAK:
1 1/2 c. whole milk
2 large eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 lb. cube steak (tenderized round steak that’s been extra tenderized)
Kosher salt
1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil
1 tbsp. butter
FOR THE GRAVY:
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
4 c. whole milk
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mashed potatoes, for serving.
Directions
1
For the steak: Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Beat the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.
2
Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat. Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture).
3
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it’s sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it’s ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
4
After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.
5
For the gravy: When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden-brown color.
6
Pour in 3 to 4 cups milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure the gravy is sufficiently seasoned.
7
Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!