When it comes to comfort food, Chicken Fried Steak is the real deal. Tenderized cubed steak is breaded and pan-fried and then topped with a creamy milk gravy made from the pan drippings.
Serve over mashed potatoes for an economical and filling meal the whole family will enjoy.
In addition to Chicken Fried Steak I also love making these Chicken Fried Steak Fingers. Comfort food gets even better when it becomes finger food!
To get a nice coating on the cubed steak, I first coat it in flour, then dip it in an egg and milk mixture, and then coat it a mixture of flour and crushed saltine crackers with a little seasoned salt and cayenne pepper mixed in.
I like to cook Chicken Fried Steak in my cast iron pan
. It retains heat so well and makes cooking this classic southern meal a breeze. I put almost an inch of oil in the pan, heat it over medium heat, and add the cubed steak in 2 batches. It only takes 3 to 4 minutes per side to cook.
After the meat is done cooking, I drain off all the oil and pour it through a sieve to remove any of the browned bits. Then I add about 1/4 cup of the oil back to the pan, add flour and then milk plus black pepper to make a thick and creamy gravy.
In no time at all, you have a delicious meal that can easily fill a hungry family, including teenagers.
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How to Make Chicken Fried Steak Video
Chicken Fried Steak
Ingredients
- 6 pieces cube steak,, about 2 pounds
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup all purpose flour,, divided
- 25 Saltine crackers,, crushed
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- Vegetable oil
Gravy
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups whole milk
Instructions
- Season cubed steak lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place 1/2 cup flour on a plate.
- Mix remaining 1/2 cup flour, Saltine crumbs, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk together eggs and 1/3 cup milk in another shallow bowl.
- Dredge cubed steak in flour, dip in egg mixture, and then coat with Saltine mixture.
- Heat about 1/2-inch oil in a large pan (preferably cast iron) over medium heat.
- Cook steak in 2 batches for about 3 minutes per side. Remove steak to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Pour oil that is left in pan through a fine-meshed sieve into a heat-proof bowl. Measure out 1/4 cup and return it to pan.
- Add flour to pan and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Comfort Food
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Why is it called chicken fried steak? I don’t understand putting the word chicken for a BEEF dish. Is there a such thing as chicken fried shrimp? Or chicken fried pork chops?
I never use cube steaks because they are always grizzly and tough. I wait until petite sirloin goes on sale, have the butcher put it through the tenderizer three times and it’s delicious. Otherwise, this is my go to recipe.
Used this recipe but used flattened filet mignon for the steak……. absolutely over the top in flavor…… so delicious!!!!!!
A couple of suggestions just for kicks!
I use either flour and saltines or my new fav, garlic Ritz (may need to add a pinch more salt bc Ritz are “sweeter”.) For gravy, I add a little chicken stock to milk for extra flavor.
For breakfast version, I take a small amount of bulk breakfast sausage, saute it and use the “fat” from that. If having link sausage with your breakfast, just take 1 or 2 and squeeze the meat out of the casing! This is the greatest recipe EVER, thanks for posting it!!
OOOPS! I said, “chicken stock”, but I meant, roast chicken flavor, “better than bullion”…about a 1/2t.
Sorry about that!
I made this with venison, it was very good,
Made this tonight and my husband and I really liked it!
I was a little nervous to make this recipe. But it turned out so well!
Great day in the morning, this looks good!
Just curious, why the crackers? I have never known anyone to do that, does it make the crust crunchier?
There’s also a new kitchen device – Fast Cutlet Maker V2. It flattens the meat and create a cube pattern on it. It’s popular in Germany.