Description
This classic Chicken Fried Steak Recipe with creamy homemade gravy offers tender, crispy cube steaks coated in a seasoned flour dredge and fried to golden perfection. Paired with rich, velvety milk gravy seasoned with salt and pepper, this Southern specialty makes for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Fried Steak
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt (such as Lawry's)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound cube steaks
- Vegetable oil for frying (about 1-2 cups)
For the Gravy
- ¼ cup unsalted butter or reserved cooking oil from steak
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the coatings: In a shallow bowl, whisk together ¾ cup whole milk and 1 large egg until combined. In a separate shallow bowl, mix ¾ cup all-purpose flour with 1½ teaspoons seasoned salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Dredge the steaks: Pat the 1 pound cube steaks dry with paper towels. Coat each piece in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip into the milk and egg mixture, then dredge again in the flour mixture, pressing to adhere a thick coating. Place the coated steaks on a wire rack while you finish coating all pieces. Let them rest briefly to help the coating set.
- Fry the steaks: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Fry the steaks in batches, cooking each side for 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Flip only once during cooking. Remove steaks to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking oil for the gravy.
- Make the gravy: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter or heat reserved cooking oil. Whisk in ⅓ cup all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the flour is golden and fragrant.
- Finish the gravy: Slowly whisk in 2 cups whole milk, continuing to stir to prevent lumps. Cook while whisking frequently for 6 to 8 minutes until the gravy thickens and becomes smooth. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the warm gravy generously over the crispy chicken fried steaks and serve immediately for a hearty meal.
Notes
- If cube steak is unavailable, use a meat tenderizer to flatten regular beef steaks evenly for best tenderness.
- Pat steaks dry before dredging to help the coating stick better and get crispier.
- Ensure your frying oil is hot before adding steaks to prevent greasy, soggy coating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- For a richer gravy, use butter instead of cooking oil, or combine both.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
