This Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy is delicious Southern comfort food and easy to make at home. The seasoned, breaded cubed steak topped with a flavorful white country gravy is crispy and creamy perfection in the same bite. A side of mashed potatoes is highly recommended. This diner classic will be sure to please your meat and potato-loving family members and the cube steak is a steak choice that’s easy on the budget.
What we love about Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve thought chicken fried steak sounded interesting. Why is it called chicken fried steak? Was it steak or chicken? Well, now I know it’s called chicken fried steak because the steak is prepared like you would prepare fried chicken. Historically, cheaper cuts of meat were fried to save money and add flavor to the meat. Today, cube steak, which is a tenderized, thin cut of steak is the usual choice for this dish and it is a cut of steak that is easier on the budget than other kinds of steak. Not only is this steak easier on the budget, but this chicken fried steak with gravy is absolutely delicious comfort food and guaranteed to be a family favorite recipe.
My husband grew up on a dairy farm and loves meat and potatoes. When I make this dish at home, complete with mashed potatoes, my husband and kids devour it. It’s just gone. The crispy seasoned breaded steak combined with the flavorful creamy milk gravy is an amazing combination. The steak is double-dipped in a seasoned breading with flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika for extra crispiness, as well as a buttermilk egg mixture for flavor.
The tasty little browned bits of steak left in the pan after cooking (called the fond) are the base for the gravy which has some cooking oil, flour, milk, beef bouillon base, and onion powder. It is seriously finger-licking good and delicious over the steak and a side of mashed potatoes.
I highly recommend trying this Southern diner classic! It’s easy to make at home and saves money from eating out. For some other fun family dinners with beef, try our shredded beef sliders or our cornbread and chili casserole.
What you need to make this Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy Recipe
You will need the following ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds cubed steak, cut into 4-6 equal pieces
- 2 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups cooking oil for frying
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon beef bouillon base
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Mashed potatoes for serving, optional
Country Fried Cube Steak Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- You could use a different cut of tenderized steak like round steak, chuck steak or flank steak, they just need to be pounded thin.
- You can use a gluten-free or different flour for the breading.
- You could use cream or some buttermilk with the milk in the gravy.
- You can use a variety of cooking oils like canola, peanut or vegetable oil.
- Whole milk could substitute for the buttermilk.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. If the cubed steak is more than ⅛ inch thick, pound steaks to ⅛ inch thickness or less. Season steak with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Step 2. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Dip the seasoned steak into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the flour mixture again. Place breaded steak on a baking sheet and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to set the breading.
Step 3. Pour cooking oil into a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet until it is about an inch high and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using tongs, carefully place two pieces of steak, side by side, into the hot oil and cook steak on each side for 2 minutes. Using tongs or a skimmer for frying, carefully remove the steak from the hot oil and set it on a cooling rack resting on the cookie sheet.
Step 4. Measure ¼ cup of the cooking oil and return it to the pan you used to cook the steak. Warm the oil over medium heat and add the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Whisk together the flour and oil and let it simmer for about 2 minutes while stirring.
Step 5. Gradually, whisk in 2 ½ cups of the warm milk and let the gravy come to a boil. Reduce the heat and whisk in ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, bouillon, and garlic powder. Whisk frequently until the gravy is thickened, adding more milk if necessary to achieve the desired thickness of the gravy.
Step 6. Serve immediately with the chicken fried steak, gravy, and a side of mashed potatoes if desired. Sprinkle the gravy with additional pepper once plated if desired.
Tips
- Cubed steak is a thin, tenderized, flavorful cut of beef that is less expensive than other steaks. It is also called Swiss steak or minute steak. It has indentations in the meat due to the pounding and tenderizing process. Due to its cubed appearance, it holds marinades and breading well and is an ideal cut of meat for cooking quickly at a high temperature. It is the ideal meat for chicken fried steak.
- This is a perfect recipe for a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets retain heat so evenly and well. By maintaining that even temperature, it perfectly sears the meat and helps get a great crust on food. I highly recommend using a cast iron pan when making this recipe. The chicken fried steak won’t burn and the crust is amazing. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, I highly recommend this Lodge cast iron pan. I’ve had mine for 10 years and it is in excellent condition.
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Frequently Asked Questions
| Can chicken fried steak with gravy be made in advance? |
| a. The breaded steak can be assembled and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance before cooking. Cubed steak is meant to cook fast, it is pounded thin, and with the fried coating it is best served the day of cooking and really cooks in no time at all. b. The Food and Drug Administration says that gravy is good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator and can be made in advance. It will thicken in the fridge and will need extra milk when reheating. |
| How to store chicken fried steak and gravy? |
| a. The steak and gravy can be safely stored in the fridge, covered, for 3-4 days. The steak can be kept in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for about 3-4 months for best quality. Once the gravy has coated the steak, it will lose some quality and won’t be as crispy so try and store it separately. b. Gravy made with dairy may separate when freezing and may not reheat well at the same consistency. |
| How to reheat chicken fried steak and gravy? |
| a. For reheating fried food in an oven, place chicken fried steak on a wire rack inside a baking sheet in a single layer and reheat in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes. For an air fryer, heat in a 375-degree air fryer and cook for four minutes, turning once. Make sure the chicken is in a single layer. b. Reheat gravy slowly in a skillet in a cold pan and gradually warm over medium-low heat, whisking to remove lumps. The wide surface of the skillet helps the gravy to reheat evenly. Add additional milk to thin while warming. You can also reheat in the microwave by adding a few tablespoons of milk to the gravy before heating and heating it in 45-second intervals to see if it is warm. |
| What to serve with Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy? |
| Mashed potatoes are traditionally served with chicken fried steak and gravy. I like serving roasted or cooked vegetables that also taste good with a little gravy like green beans, broccoli, peas, or corn. Biscuits or cornbread are a great side, as well as other Southern side dishes typically served with chicken fried steak like collard greens, fried okra, coleslaw, or mac and cheese. It could also be served as a hearty breakfast over hashbrowns and with fried eggs. |
Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy
4
servings30
minutes8
minutes38
minutesThis Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy is delicious Southern comfort food and easy to make at home. The seasoned, breaded cubed steak topped with a flavorful white country gravy is crispy and creamy perfection in the same bite. A side of mashed potatoes is highly recommended. This diner classic will be sure to please your meat and potato-loving family members and the cube steak is a steak choice that’s easy on the budget.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds cubed steak, cut into 4-6 equal pieces
2 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon paprika
½ cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 cups cooking oil for frying
3 cups whole milk
½ teaspoon beef bouillon base
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Mashed potatoes for serving, optional
Directions
- If the cubed steak is more than ⅛ inch thick, pound steaks to ⅛ inch thickness or less. Season steak with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a cooling rack over a cookie sheet and put it near the stove.
- Using tongs, kitchen gloves, or one hand (to keep the other dry), dip steak one at a time into the flour mixture, thoroughly coating on both sides. Shake off any additional flour. Next, place the floured steak into the egg mixture, thoroughly coating on both sides and letting the extra egg mixture drip back into the bowl. Finally, return the steak to the flour mixture and coat a second time on both sides, shaking off any additional flour. Place steak in an even layer on a small cookie sheet or large plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set the breading.
- Pour cooking oil into a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet until it is about an inch high in the skillet, a cast iron skillet is best, and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat. Using tongs, carefully place two pieces of steak, side by side, into the hot oil and cook steak on each side for 2 minutes. Using tongs or a skimmer for frying, carefully remove the steak from the hot oil and set it on the cooling rack resting on the cookie sheet. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining steak.
- Place the cookie sheet with the steak in the oven to keep warm while you make the gravy.
- Very carefully, using oven mitts if you used a cast iron skillet or the pan is hot, place your hands on the handle and the opposite side of the skillet and carefully pour the hot oil into a medium-sized pot and set aside. Do not wipe out the pan.
- Microwave the milk in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 minutes or heat until just below boiling in a small pot.
- Measure ¼ cup of the cooking oil and return it to the pan you used to cook the steak. Warm the oil over medium heat and add the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Whisk together the flour and oil and let it simmer for about 2 minutes while stirring. Gradually, whisk in 2 ½ cups of the warm milk and let the gravy come to a boil. Reduce the heat and whisk in ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, bouillon, and garlic powder. Whisk frequently until the gravy is thickened, adding more milk if necessary to achieve the desired thickness of the gravy. The gravy will thicken as it sits.
- Serve immediately with the chicken fried steak, gravy, and a side of mashed potatoes if desired. Sprinkle the gravy with additional pepper once plated if desired.
Notes
- The gravy thickens quickly off the heat and will require whisking in additional milk to keep it the right consistency if not served immediately.
- The 15 minutes in the fridge helps so the breading stays on the steak. It can be longer than 15 minutes, but it does help to take a little time to do that.
- Country gravy is gravy where the roux is made with flour and the remaining fond and fat from cooking meat. It can also be called sawmill gravy, country white gravy, or white gravy. Keeping the little bits of the chicken fried steak in the pan adds more flavor to the gravy so I suggest not wiping the pan when making the gravy after pouring out the oil. You can wipe the pan, I have made it both ways, but the gravy tastes better when you don’t.
- Please be very careful when pouring the hot oil into a pot after cooking the chicken fried steak. Use two hands and two oven mitts. Cast iron pans retain heat and will be very hot after cooking the chicken. Use a heavy pot because it is less likely to slip or move when pouring in the oil. I usually wait a few minutes after cooking the steak before pouring the oil to let it cool down just a bit.
This Chicken Fried Steak with White Gravy looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you so much! It really is pure comfort food, we love this, the gravy with the steak just puts it over the top! Thanks for leaving a great review!
This is my husband’s absolute favorite! So yummy!
Thank you! It’s a favorite of my husbands as well, its such great comfort food! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Wow, now this looks incredible!! I cannot wait to try it.
Thank you so much! It is the best comfort food, everyone loves it here. So glad you like it, thanks for the positive feedback!