Now that’s Southern comfort at its finest — chicken-fried steak. Crispy, golden, and smothered in creamy white gravy. 🍗🥩
Here’s a classic, from-scratch version that gives you that diner-style crunch.
Chicken-Fried Steak
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 4 cube steaks (about 1½ lbs total)
- Salt & black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk or buttermilk
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
For the Cream Gravy
- 3 tbsp pan drippings (or butter)
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- Salt & lots of black pepper
Instructions
1️⃣ Prep the steaks
- Pat steaks dry.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2️⃣ Set up dredging station
- Bowl 1: Flour + paprika + garlic powder + onion powder.
- Bowl 2: Whisk eggs with milk.
3️⃣ Bread the steaks
- Dredge in flour.
- Dip into egg mixture.
- Back into flour (press firmly for a thick crust).
- Let rest 5–10 minutes so coating sticks.
4️⃣ Fry
- Heat ½ inch oil in skillet to about 350°F (175°C).
- Fry steaks 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown.
- Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
Make the Cream Gravy
- Pour off excess oil, leaving about 3 tbsp in pan.
- Whisk in 3 tbsp flour and cook 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.
- Slowly whisk in milk.
- Simmer until thickened (about 3–5 minutes).
- Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Serve
- Spoon hot gravy over the crispy steak.
- Classic sides: mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits.
🔥 Pro Tips
- Buttermilk makes the coating extra tender.
- Add a pinch of cayenne to the flour for heat.
- Don’t flip too early — let the crust fully set first.
If you’d like, I can give you a super crispy double-dip method or a country-fried steak version with brown gravy instead.
