Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak with gravy also known as the best Country Fried Steak Recipe is a southern favorite that is guaranteed to please. Tender steaks with a crispy breading served with gravy for a family favorite meal.

How about some good ol’ comfort food, Southern style?  Well that’s what we have here.  Chicken fried steak is probably my favorite meal, especially with creamy country gravy. 

Why You Will Love this Country Fried Steak Recipe

• Delicious Comfort Food: Breaded steak deep fried to golden perfection is a family favorite.
• Kid Friendly: Slice the tender cube steaks into strips to make steak fingers making them easy for kids to enjoy.
• Quick Recipe: A simple recipe that makes a great dinner for busy weeknights and can be on the table in under an hour.

What is the Difference in Country Fried and Chicken Fried Steak

The steak is actually prepared the same way for both recipes. The difference is actually in the gravy. Country Fried Steak normally is served with brown gravy and Chicken Fried Steak is usually served with Cream or Milk Gravy. For the most part everyone uses the terms interchangeably

Step By Step Directions for Chicken Fried Steak

1. Prep the Steak: Slice tenderized steak into 2 inch wide strips for steak fingers or into bite-sized pieces.
2. Make a Dredging Station: Mix egg and milk together in a shallow bowl. In another shallow dish, mix flour, seasoning salt and pepper together.
3. Bread the Steak: Dredge steak pieces in seasoned flour mixture, into egg mixture, coating both sides and then back into flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. 
4. Layer on a baking sheet in a single layer. Line it with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
5. Heat the Oil: Place a large skillet or large frying pan over high heat and bring oil to 350° using an oil fry thermometer.
6. Fry the Steak: Add steak pieces to the hot oil a few at a time, cooking until golden brown on both sides. About 4- 5 minutes.

How to Make Cream Gravy

1. In an 8-inch cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat, add bacon grease or use pan drippings. 
2. When grease is melted, add flour, salt and pepper, whisking until all combined.
3. Whisk occasionally as flour mixture starts to brown. You want it to get golden brown, but be careful to not let it burn.
4. Gradually whisk in 3 cups of milk, and continue to whisk until it is thick and starts to bubble, adding more milk if it gets too thick. Lower heat and keep warm until serving.

How to Make Brown Gravy

1. Add butter or oil to a cast-iron skillet and whisk in flour.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a medium brown.
3. Whisk in broth and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook, continuing to whisk until gravy is thickened. Lower heat and keep warm until serving.

How to Serve Country Fried Steak

Spoon the creamy white gravy or brown gravy over mashed potatoes. We also love to serve French fries or Bacon Green Beans and always a batch of Buttermilk Biscuits. 

The Best Gravy for Chicken Fried Steak

The creamy gravy is the best if you make it with bacon grease. If you want the secret to the easiest way to cook bacon be sure to read my recipe for How to Cook Bacon.

Now, I can’t really fathom it, but I do realize not everyone eats bacon, and that leads me to believe that there may be folks who don’t keep a mason jar in the fridge full of leftover bacon grease. Crazy talk, but whatever.

So if you are one of those folks, just use a couple of tablespoons of the pan drippings. You lose a little flavor, but it will still make gravy. I always save all of the bacon drippings in a jar so I can make gravy on demand, even if I don’t have bacon.  

Gravy is very important around this outfit. Very important. This recipe also includes instructions for brown gravy if that is what you prefer.

How to Store and Reheat Country-Fried Steak

• Store leftover chicken fried steak in an airtight container or wrapped in a a few layers of plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Store gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
• Reheat steaks in a 350° oven on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a sheet of foil for 10-15 minutes. Gravy can be reheated in a pan over medium-low heat, adding additional milk if it is too thick. Stir until heated through.

If you are a chicken fried steak fanatic like I am you are also going to love my Chicken Fried Steak Sandwiches.  It’s my kind of comfort food, how about you?

This country fried steak recipe has been burning up the internet, so I think y’all love chicken-fried steak as much as I do, so let’s all get in the kitchen and make it happen!

If you love this Recipe as much as I do, please leave a comment and a five star review, and be sure to help me share on Pinterest!

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4.50 from 48 votes

Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy

Chicken Fried Steak Bites also known as the best Country Fried Steak Recipe is a southern favorite that is guaranteed to please. Tender steaks with a crispy breading served with gravy for a family favorite meal.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Additional Time20 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: best chicken fried steak, country fried steak, steak bites, steak fingers

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 1295kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

For the chicken fried steak

• 2 pounds cube steak cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons seasoning salt I use Lawry's
• 2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
• 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

For the Cream Gravy:

• 2 tablespoons bacon grease or drippings
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups whole milk substitute cream for some or all of the milk if you like

For Brown Gravy

• 3 tablespoons butter or drippings
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

Instructions

• Mix egg and milk together in a shallow bowl.
• Mix flour, seasoning salt and pepper together in another shallow dish.
• Dredge steak pieces in flour mixture, into egg mixture, coating both sides and then back into flour mixture.
• Layer on a baking sheet, I like to line it with parchment paper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet to 350°
• Add steak pieces a few at a time, cooking until golden brown on both sides. About 4- 5 minutes.
• Drain on paper towel lined baking sheet.

For Creamy Gravy:

• In an 8-inch cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat, add bacon grease.
• When grease is melted, add flour, salt and pepper, whisking until all combined.
• Whisk occasionally as flour mixture starts to brown. You want it to get golden brown, but be careful to not let it burn.
• Gradually whisk in 3 cups of milk, and continue to whisk until it is thick and starts to bubble, adding more milk if it gets too thick. Lower heat and keep warm until serving.

For Brown Gravy:

• In a saucepan, melt butter or drippings and whisk in flour.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a medium brown.
• Whisk in broth and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook, continuing to whisk until mixture is thickened.

Video

Notes

Store leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Store gravy in a separate container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Reheat steak in a 350° oven for 10- 15 minutes or in a skillet over medium-high heat, turning to heat from both sides.

Reheat gravy in a pan over medium-low heat, whisking in additional milk or broth, cooking until heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 1295kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 91g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 328mg | Sodium: 2554mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g