Tenderized cube steak breaded and pan-fried until crisp, smothered in a peppery pan gravy, a classic Southern comfort dinner.
Chicken fried steak takes its name from the technique, not the meat — a tenderized beef cube steak is breaded and fried the same way fried chicken would be, resulting in a crispy, golden crust around tender, well-seasoned beef. The steak is dredged in seasoned flour, dipped in buttermilk, and dredged again for a thick, craggy crust that fries up deeply crisp, a double-coating technique that's essential for the dish's signature crunch. After frying, the pan drippings are used to build a rich, peppery cream gravy right in the same skillet, which gets ladled generously over the fried steak and the mashed potatoes traditionally served alongside.
Serves 4
Mix 1 cup of the flour with paprika, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Whisk buttermilk and eggs together.
Season the steaks with remaining salt and pepper, dredge in the seasoned flour, dip in the buttermilk wash, then dredge again for a thick, even coating.
Double-dredge each steak, flour then buttermilk then flour again, for the thickest, craggiest, crispiest crust.
Heat oil in a skillet to 350F/175C and fry the steaks 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp; drain on a rack.
Pour off most of the oil, leaving about 3 tablespoons of drippings, then whisk in the remaining flour and cook 2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in milk, cooking and stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes; season with black pepper and salt to taste.
Serve the fried steaks smothered in gravy alongside mashed potatoes.
Double-dredge the steak — flour, then buttermilk, then flour again — for the thickest, craggiest crust that fries up properly crisp.
Use the actual pan drippings from frying the steak for the gravy; this is where a huge amount of the dish's flavor comes from.
Keep fried steaks warm on a rack in a low oven while you make the gravy, so they stay crisp rather than sitting in their own steam.
A version made with chicken breast instead of beef cube steak is sometimes called country fried chicken.
Adding a dash of hot sauce to the buttermilk wash gives extra flavor and a bit of heat.
Serving with biscuits instead of mashed potatoes is equally traditional in some parts of the South.
Best eaten fresh and hot; refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and reheat in an oven to help re-crisp, since the coating softens considerably in the fridge.
Chicken fried steak has roots in German and Austrian immigrant communities in Texas, who adapted their tradition of wiener schnitzel using more readily available beef, and it has since become a defining dish of Texan and broader Southern comfort food.
It's a cut of beef, often top round or sirloin, that's been mechanically tenderized with a meat mallet or machine, leaving a distinctive cubed pattern on the surface.
Butter can substitute, though you'll lose some of the savory depth that comes specifically from the fond left in the pan after frying the steak.
The double-dredging step may have been rushed, or the oil wasn't hot enough — make sure each layer is fully coated and press gently to help it adhere.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 4 servings total
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