Easy Chicken Fried Steak

This easy Chicken Fried Steak is full of flavor, making a hearty and satisfying meal the family will love!

We love Chicken Fried Steak – the hearty, crowd-pleasing comfort food that satisfies on so many levels! 

Tender cube steak, encrusted in a crispy flavorsome batter, and smothered in a creamy, peppery gravy – hungry yet? We know we are! 

Despite its name, this dish doesn’t have any actual chicken in it! ‘Chicken fried’ refers to the way the steak is cooked – just like fried chicken! You can serve it with gravy and green beans, or inside Chicken Fried Steak Sandwiches.

This Southern classic is always a hit and is quick and easy to put together. You’ll only need around 10 minutes preparation time and just 15 minutes to cook it – yet the flavors are as good as if you’d slaved over the oven all day! 

How to make easy Chicken Fried Steak

This recipe serves 4

For the steaks: 

4 cube steaks, approx. 1⁄4 lb each 

1 1⁄2 cups all purpose flour 

2 tsp black pepper, divided 

2 tsp salt, divided 

1⁄2 tsp smoked paprika 

1⁄2 tsp onion powder 

1⁄2 tsp baking powder 

1⁄2 tsp baking soda 

1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk 

2 eggs 

1 cup vegetable oil 

For the gravy: 

3 tbsp pan drippings 

4 tbsp all purpose flour 

2 cups whole milk 

1⁄2 cup heavy whipping cream 

Salt and pepper to taste 

To prepare the steaks

1. Start by mixing the dry ingredients from the steak ingredients, but only use 1 tsp each of the salt and pepper. 
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs. 
3. Pat dry the steaks and season each steak with the remaining tsp each of salt and pepper. 
4. Dredge the steaks in the flour. Shake off any excess and then dredge in the liquid mixture, then back in the flour one more time. This will help create a nice, thick batter that will crisp up perfectly. 
5. Lay the steaks on a wire rack and let them sit for 10 minutes. 
6. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees fahrenheit. 
7. Fill a heavy skillet or iron-cast skillet with vegetable oil and place over a medium heat. To keep these a bit healthier, we recommend shallow-frying the steaks, so only use enough oil to fill the pan about 1⁄4 inch deep. 
8. Test the temperature of your oil to see if it’s ready for frying – it should be anywhere between 320-240 degrees fahrenheit. You’ll want your oil to glisten, and not to be smoking (this is so that the meat will cook without the batter burning).
9. Fry steaks 2 at a time, 4 minutes on each side. Only turn once, otherwise the batter may fall off. 
10. Drain the steaks on paper towel to remove any excess oil. 
11. Place the drained steaks into the pre-heated oven to keep warm. 

To prepare the gravy

1. Drain the skillet of oil, reserving 3 tbsp, but do not scrape the pan! This will help create the base for a gravy full of flavor. 
2. Add the 3 tbsp of the oil back to the pan. 
3. Stir the flour into the oil and cook for a few minutes until golden. 
4. Combine the milk and cream and drizzle about 2 1⁄2 cups into the pan, whisking constantly. 
5. Keep whisking until the gravy comes to a simmer, which should take anywhere between 5-7 minutes. Your gravy should be creamy and rich, but not too thick. 
6. Season with salt and pepper (this gravy is meant to be quite peppery, so don’t be sparing on the seasoning).

Remove the steaks from the oven and place on a serving dish. Smother the steaks in the delicious, creamy gravy and serve alongside homemade mashed potatoes and buttered green beans – you’ve got yourself a winner! 

You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, but we wouldn’t recommend storing for any longer than this due to the fresh cream used in the gravy.