Chicken Fried Steak

Article by Emily Saladino

Whether you serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this chicken fried steak recipe never disappoints. The tender beef, crispy coating and creamy gravy are all a breeze to make, thanks to our recipe developers’ step-by-step instructions.

What Is Chicken Fried Steak?

A Texas staple, chicken fried steak is a thinly pounded cut of beef that’s coated in buttermilk batter and fried until crisp. It’s served beneath a creamy country gravy.

The gravy for chicken fried steak sets it apart from Southern fried steak. The latter is served with brown gravy, whereas chicken fried steak is slathered in a rich, cream-colored gravy made by whisking butter, flour, milk, salt and pepper together on the stovetop until it thickens.

Make Chicken Fried Steak Like a Pro

With these tips from Food Network Kitchen, your chicken fried steak will turn out perfectly every time.

Be bold with the salt and pepper. Liberally seasoning the steaks before you dredge and fry them allows the salt to penetrate the meat for better flavor.

Temper the steaks before you dredge and fry. When very cold meat hits hot oil in a pan, it brings the overall temperature down, which results in uneven cooking. To make sure your steaks are perfectly cooked with golden, crispy exteriors, give the steaks time to come to room temperature while you make the gravy before you dredge and fry them.

Cornstarch is key. Adding cornstarch to the flour mixture gives Food Network Kitchen’s chicken fried steak an extra-crunchy crust. That’s because cornstarch absorbs every last bit of moisture on the steak’s exterior.

Dredge the steaks in seasoned flour twice. The first dredge through seasoned flour creates a flavorful base and ensures that the second pass through that mixture plus buttermilk and hot sauce sticks to the steak.

Tenderize the steak. Our recipe testers find the best steak for chicken fried steak is cube steak. Also known as minute steak, it’s a pre-tenderized, inexpensive cut that comes from the top or bottom round. If you can't find cube steak, buy top round steaks and pound them with the rough side of a meat mallet until they're 1/4-inch thick.

What to Serve with Chicken Fried Steak

Serve this recipe for chicken fried steak with collard greens, potato salad and five-ingredient mac and cheese for a Southern-style feast. Pair it with iced tea or a spiked Arnold Palmer.

How to Store Chicken Fried Steak

Leftover chicken fried steak can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat it, bake the leftover chicken fried steaks on a foil-lined baking sheet in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes.

While this recipe for chicken fried steak is best served immediately, you can prepare the flour mixture for the first dredge in advance: combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika and garlic powder in a zipper-topped bag or airtight container and store in a cool, dark place for 6 to 8 months, or in the fridge for up to 1 year.