Chicken fried steak that can be fried, air fried or baked – tastes better than your favorite restaurant and is easy to make at home!

Chicken fried steak, also known as country fried steak, is a southern favorite that’s easy to make at home! Tenderized beef cutlets are battered in a buttermilk/egg wash and seasoned flour then fried to juicy, golden, crispy, crunchy perfection (that resembles fried chicken), then smothered in a rich and creamy white pepper gravy. In this recipe, you also have the option to air fry or bake the steaks with a panko breading that becomes shatteringly crispy! This dizzyingly delicious combo is comfort food at its most crave worthy, ready in under an hour! For a classic square meal the whole family will clamor for, serve chicken-fried steak with garlic mashed potatoes and cornbread.

If you love crispy, breaded recipes, don’t miss oven fried chicken, Nashville hot chicken, popcorn chicken or Parmesan crusted chicken.

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How to Make Chicken Fried Steak Video

showing how to make chicken fried steak by spooning gravy over top of the steak

what is Chicken Fried Steak?

Chicken fried steak (aka country fried steak) is a popular dish in the Southern United States. Confusingly, chicken fried steak is not made with chicken at all! Rather, it’s made with cube steak dredged in seasoned flour and a buttermilk-egg mixture before being fried like fried chicken (hence the name!). Chicken fried steak is topped with a creamy white gravy and most often served with mashed potatoes – comfort food at its finest!

What Cut To Use to Make Chicken Fried Steak

Cube steaks, sometimes labeled minute steak or swiss steak, is the traditional cut of beef for country fried steak. It’s an inexpensive, lean cut of beef taken from the top or bottom round, a tough portion near the rump of the cow. It’s mechanically tenderized by running through a machine called a meat cuber or swissing machine, a process that leaves the characteristic pattern of small indentations on the flattened surface of the meat (see video or photos in the “how to make” section).

serving chicken fried steak with gravy and mashed potatoes

Ingredients in country fried steak

This recipe is comprised of two parts – the homemade chicken fried steak and the creamy white gravy. Other than picking up the cube steak at the store (or keeping some stashed in the freezer), you should have everything you need to make this recipe right now!

FOR THE steak:

Cube steaks: You’ll need 4 cube steaks for this recipe, about 1 ⅓ pounds.
All-purpose flour: The steak is first lightly dredged in flour to give it a clingy surface for the buttermilk-egg mixture to bind to, then dredged again in the flour to create the coating that will crisp up when frying.
Cornstarch: A little cornstarch in the breading absorbs excess moisture and makes for a crispier recipe.
Baking powder: This magic ingredient also aids in moisture absorption and promotes browning and crispiness.
Spices: A blend of salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder are added to the flour for that characteristic flavor.
Buttermilk: This helps tenderize the steak and provides a surface for the second coating of flour (for extra crispiness!) to cling to. You may also substitute with DIY sour milk (a mixture of regular milk and lemon juice or vinegar).
Hot sauce: A little hot sauce in the buttermilk mixture makes for an ultra flavorful (but not too spicy!) country fried steak.
Eggs: Two eggs are whisked with the buttermilk to coat the steak. When the egg proteins cook and solidify, the breading is secured onto the steak.
Vegetable oil: You need a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying the steak. If you want to bake or air fry the chicken fried steak instead, see below ingredient substitutions.

For the country gravy:

Butter: This provides the base of the roux which makes the gravy rich and flavorful. Use unsalted butter so we can add chicken bouillon without the gravy being too salty.
All-purpose flour: This is melted with the butter to thicken the gravy. I’ve only made this recipe with all-purpose flour, but I imagine a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute could also be used.
Milk: You can use any milk here, although 2% or whole milk make for a richer and creamier gravy.
Chicken bouillon: This is a culinary changing ingredient that adds a rich, deeply satisfying flavor. You can use granulated bouillon (powder), bouillon cubes, or better than bouillon/chicken base all in equal amounts. Add the bouillon directly to the milk without dissolving in liquid first. If using cubes, crush it before adding to the gravy.
Spices: Garlic powder, dried parsley, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, paprika, and salt, flavor the gravy. It’s our time to add herbs to the mix, because they will burn if added directly to the fried steak.

showing how to make chicken fried steak by simmering gravy until smooth

can i bake or air fry chicken fried steak?

Absolutely! However, the breading needs to be slightly altered to achieve the same crispiness as fried. I first experimented with baking, shallow pan frying and air frying the chicken fried steak using the same batter as frying, and the results were disappointing. The baked version didn’t get remotely crispy and the air fried version didn’t get as crispy as expected and stuck/tore when I tried to remove it from the air fryer basket.

Therefore, to make truly crispy air fried or baked country fried steak, we need to add panko to the mix. Instead of dredging the steak for the second time in flour, it is dredged in seasoned panko. Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb sold in every grocery store next to the other breadcrumbs – you can’t make truly crispy air fried chicken fried steak without it!

Furthermore, the panko is first tossed in olive oil and baked before breading the steaks. This makes it supremely golden, crispy and taste almost buttery – just like your chicken fried steak had been fried!

what if i’m gluten free?

Use your favorite gluten free flour such as Bob Red’s Mill Baking Flour and gluten free panko which should be relatively easy to find. My favorite is Aleia’s Gluten-Free Panko made of rice and potato flour – it’s spectacularly crunchy!

HOW TO MAKE chicken fried steak

Both the country fried steak and the homemade gravy are easy to make! Below is an overview of the cooking process. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the recipe with ingredients.

Step 1: Prep the Steak

Place steaks between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness (about ¼ inch).
Pat steaks dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Drying the steaks helps the seasonings and flour stick.

a collage showing how to make chicken fried steak by pounding the steaks thin with a mallet then seasoning with salt and pepper

Step 2: Prep the Breading Stations

In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and spices.
In another dish, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, and eggs.
If you’re baking, pan frying or air frying the steaks, you’ll mix another bowl with the toasted panko and spices.

showing how to make chicken fried steak (country fried steak) by whisking flour and seasonings together in one bowl, and eggs and buttermilk together in a second bowl

Step 3: Bread the Steaks

Dredge the first steak in the flour mixture, then dip to coat in the buttermilk-egg mixture.
Let the excess egg drip off, then dredge again in the flour mixture, shaking off excess once more. For baking, pan frying, or air frying the steaks, you’ll coat in the panko instead of dredging in flour for the second time.

a collage showing how to make chicken fried steak (country fried steak) by dredging in flour, followed by eggs/buttermilk, followed by flour

Steak 4: Fry the Steaks

See sections below for baking, shallow pan frying and air frying instructions. To fry using the traditional method:

Add enough vegetable oil in a large skillet to reach ¼-inch deep and heat to 375-400 degrees F.
Add two breaded steaks to the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on both sides and they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. This will only take about 2-3 minutes per side.

a collage showing how to make chicken fried steak (country fried steak) by frying steaks in vegetable oil until crispy

Step 5: Make the Gravy

After the steaks have all been cooked, drain all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the skillet, then melt in a couple tablespoons of butter.
Whisk in the flour and cook until the raw flour smell is gone.
Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the milk, followed by the bouillon and all seasonings.
Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, and continue to simmer until thickened to desired consistency.

a collage showing how to make chicken fried steak (country fried steak) by making the roux, then adding the milk and seasonings, then simmering until thickened

Step 6: Serve the Steak

Place onto individual plates and spoon gravy over top – especially delicious over a bed of mashed potatoes!

how to air fry chicken fried steak

Air frying the chicken fried steak turned out super crispy with a panko breading! First, toss the panko with olive oil and toast in the oven until golden. This will give you that coveted “fried” taste and the crispiest panko. Next, dredge the chicken in the flour, buttermilk mixture and finally the panko.

Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and preheat on Air Fry to 370 degrees. Working in batches, add the steaks to the basket and air fry for 6-8 minutes, until the steak reach an internal temperature of 145 F on an instant read thermometer.

how to bake chicken fried steak

Baked chicken fried steak is the least crispy between baked, air fried and pan fried. However, it is still tasty if you are trying to save calories and don’t have an air fryer.

To bake, first, toss the panko with olive oil and toast in the oven until golden. This will give you that coveted “fried” taste and the crispiest panko! Next, dredge the chicken in the flour, buttermilk mixture and finally panko.

Top a baking sheet with a wire rack and spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 145 F on an instant read thermometer.

how to shallow pan fry chicken fried steak

Shallow pan frying also requires a panko breading and turns out super crispy – it tastes just as good as deep fried in my opinion. The trick with shallow pan frying is to use a nonstick skillet so you don’t have to use as much oil. Once the oil is hot, add two steaks and reduce heat to medium. Cook until golden and crispy on the bottom, about 3 minutes on each side, until steaks reach an internal temperature of 145 F on an instant read thermometer.

TIPS FOR making the best chicken fried steak

This recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are some tips and tricks to ensure the best country fried steaks every time!

Pound the steaks to an even thickness. This not only tenderizes the steaks, but ensures the steaks cooks evenly and quickly before the outside becomes too brown.
Keep one hand clean to avoid a gummy mess. Use one “dry” hand when dredging the steak in flour. Use one “wet” hand to dip the steak in the eggs/buttermilk. Wash your hands as needed if they start to get gummy.
Use hot oil. If your oil isn’t hot enough before you add the steaks, the breading can fall off of the steaks because the eggs (the “glue”) don’t cook instantly. It can also cause oily, gummy chicken fried steak because the breading soaks up the oil instead of becoming crispy upon contact.
Use a thermometer. To maintain the correct oil temperature, I highly recommend keeping an instant read thermometer handy and checking the oil all throughout the frying process, and adjusting the temperature as needed. It’s better for the oil to be on the hot side, then on the cold side.
Test the oil before frying. If you don’t have an instant read thermometer on hand, check to see if the oil is hot enough by sprinkling a little flour into the oil. If the flour immediately starts to sizzle — but doesn’t immediately brown — the oil is hot enough!
Fry the steaks in batches. Your skillet won’t be large enough to fry the steaks all at once. That’s okay! Cook the steak in batches to avoid overcrowding your skillet.
Don’t overcook the steak. Cook the steaks to about 145 degrees F, which is medium doneness, just the right temperature for a tender steak with a crispy shell.
Line on paper towels. You don’t want the freshly fried pieces touching because they will steam; you also don’t want them sitting in oil or they won’t be as crispy.
Keep the steaks warm while prepping the gravy. Place the freshly cooked steaks on a wire rack that’s been set over a baking pan. Place them in a 225 – degrees F oven.
Use those pan drippings! You’ll keep a few tablespoons leftover pan drippings for making the gravy, they are PURE FLAVOR gold! If you air fry, bake, or pan fry the steaks, simply replace the oil called for with butter (for the most flavor), or olive oil, a little of both.
Add the milk over low heat and whisk constantly. Slowly whisking the milk into the roux over low heat gives the flour a chance to dissolve first. f you add the milk when the pot is too hot, then the starch around each lump of flour expands when it comes into contact with hot liquid, forming a sort of waterproof gel that prevents the granules from dissolving properly.
Thin the gravy as needed. The gravy thickens up quickly once it is removed from heat. To thin, return to heat over low and add additional milk or even water until it thins to desired consistency.
Season to taste. As with all recipes, make it your own! Season the gravy to taste at the very end.

possible recipe variations

Fry, air fry, bake or pan fry the chicken fried steak. As detailed, you can choose the cooking method that works best for you, swapping some of the flour for panko as needed.
Use gluten-free flour. Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free alternative.
Use chicken. Use this same recipe/method for chicken fried chicken and increase the cooking times. Make sure to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Mix up the spices. Use your favorite spice blend such as Cajun seasoning in the flour breading.

how to make chicken fried steak by draining the steak on a wire rack

WHAT to serve with chicken fried steak

We love serving this easy chicken fried steak recipe with buttery mashed potatoes, salad or a roasted vegetable. Here are some tasty ideas:

Mashed potatoes: These garlic butter mashed potatoes are heavenly! However, you can go as simple as mashing your cooked potatoes with milk and a little salt.
Southern favorites: mac and cheese, baked beans, corn casserole, and potato salad make it a Southern feast!
Salad: Serve your meal with a simple garden salad, or company worthy strawberry broccoli salad, wedge salad, corn salad, or apple salad.
Veggies: I love to pop a sheet of roasted vegetables in the oven while I prep the steaks, favorites include Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Carrots, and Roasted Squash.
Bread: Mop up that tasty gravy with moist sweet cornbread, garlic bread, or dinner rolls,

can this recipe be made in advance?

I don’t recommend breading or frying the steak ahead of time because it will lose its crispiness in the fridge. However, you can prep all of the breading stations so it’s a simple dredge and cook at “go time.” You can also make the gravy ahead of time using butter instead of the pan drippings. The gravy will thicken significantly in the refrigerator, so be prepared to reheat it over low heat, thinning with milk or water as needed.

How do I reheat this recipe?

-Gravy: Reheat the gravy over medium-low in a saucepan. The gravy will have thickened in the refrigerator, so add additional milk or water as needed to thin to desired consistency, whisking until smooth.
-Air fryer: This makes for the crispiest leftovers! Place steak in a single layer in the basket; air fry using the “snack” setting for 4-6 minutes, or until warmed through.
-Microwave: The steak won’t be nearly as crispy if reheated in the microwave but it will still be flavorful. Transfer fried steak to a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 60 seconds, then in increments of 10 seconds as needed.
-Oven: Bake on a lightly greased baking rack set in a baking sheet at 325 degrees F for 6-8 minutes, or until heated through.

HOW long is chicken fried steak good for?

Homemade chicken fried steak should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When properly stored, it is good for 3 to 5 days. For best results, don’t stack your steaks directly on top of each other because this will make them more soggy. Instead, place a piece of parchment paper in between the layers.

HOW TO freeze country fried steak

The gravy does NOT freeze well because it is milk based which can split once frozen and become a funny texture. The steaks, however, freeze very well:

1. Let the cooked steaks cool to room temperature.
2. Space steaks apart on a baking sheet, then freeze for 1-2 hours, or until the steak is solid.
3. Wrap each steak in plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer size bag, squeeze out excess air, and label.
4. Freeze for up to 3 months.
5. Cook from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes cooking time to your preferred method.

taken a bite of chicken fried steak (country fried steak( showing how crispy it is

Looking for more American Favorite recipes?

Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
Oven Fried Chicken
Nashville Hot Chicken
Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
Beef Brisket Sandwiches
Philly Cheesecake Sandwiches
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

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Tools Used in This Recipe

Cast Iron Deep Fryer 12 in.

Instant Read Meat Thermometer

Meat Mallet

Baking Sheet and Rack Set

Air Fryer

Nonstick Fry Pan with Lid 12 in.

See Favorite Tools

Chicken Fried Steak

Servings: steaks

Total Time: 55

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 25

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Ingredients

Steaks

4 cube steaks, about 6 ounces each
1/2 tsp EACH salt, pepper
vegetable oil for frying (see notes for air fying/baking)

Seasoned Flour (SEE NOTES for Panko breading if NOT Frying)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp EACH paprika, garlic powder
1/2 tsp EACH chili powder, onion powder, salt, pepper

Buttermilk

3/4 cup buttermilk (or ¾ milk mixed with 1 TBS vinegar)
1 tablespoon hot sauce (like TABASCO® or Franks RedHot Original)
2 eggs

Gravy:

2 tablespoons reserved pan drippings (sub butter if not frying)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (powder, base or 1 ½ crushed cubes)
1 tsp EACH garlic powder, dried parsley
1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, dried thyme, paprika
1/4 tsp EACH salt, pepper

Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Place an oven safe wire rack in a baking pan; set aside. Set out parchment paper to receive the breaded steak.
Pound steaks: Place steaks between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound a 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or side of a can. Pat steaks very dry with paper towels, then season both sides using ½ teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Let rest while you prep the breading stations.
Dish 1 – Seasoned flour: Whisk all of the seasoned flour ingredients together in a shallow dish.
Dish 2 – Buttermilk: Whisk all of the buttermilk ingredients together in a shallow dish.
Bread steaks: Working with one steak at a time: 1) Dredge the steak in the seasoned flour and press firmly to adhere. 2) Dip the steak in the buttermilk mixture to coat, then let excess drip off. 3) Return the steak to the seasoned flour and dredge again, pressing firmly to adhere, shake off excess. Transfer to prepared parchment paper. Repeat with all steaks.
Prep oil: Add enough vegetable oil to a large cast iron skillet (I LOVE this fryer) to reach 1/4-inch deep. Heat to 375-400 degrees F. If you don’t have an instant read thermometer (HIGHLY recommend), heat over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium. Test the oil by dropping in some flour; it should sizzle right away but not turn brown right away).
Fry steaks: Add two steaks to the hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145˚-155˚F on an instant read thermometer.
Keep steaks warm: Transfer steaks to paper towels to drain briefly, then transfer to the wire rack. Place the pan in the oven to stay warm while you repeat with remaining steaks and make the gravy.

GRAVY

Make roux: Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the grease from the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons butter (increase to 4 TBS if air frying/baking and don't have drippings), and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the raw flour smell is gone.
Add milk: Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in 2 cups milk. Add the chicken bouillon and all seasonings.
Simmer: Heat over medium-high heat until it starts to thicken, then reduce to medium. Once thickened to desired consistency, remove from heat and stir in remaining ½ cup milk (this will help maintain the desired consistency because it thickens when removed from the heat). If the gravy becomes too thick, whisk in additional milk, if it’s too thin, then return to heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve

Serve the steaks with a ladleful of gravy overtop – delicious with mashed potatoes and sweet cornbread!

Video

Notes

Storage

Store chicken fried steak in a single layer separated by parchment paper in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

to reheat

Gravy: Reheat the gravy over medium-low in a saucepan. The gravy will have thickened in the refrigerator, so add additional milk or water as needed to thin to desired consistency, whisking until smooth.
Air fryer: This makes for the crispiest leftovers! Place steak in a single layer in the basket; air fry using the “snack” setting for 4 minutes, or until warmed through.
Microwave: The steak won’t be nearly as crispy if reheated in the microwave but it will still be flavorful. Transfer fried steak to a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 60 seconds, then in increments of 10 seconds as needed.
Oven: Bake on a lightly greased baking rack set in a baking sheet at 325 degrees F for 6-8 minutes, or until heated through.

to air fry, bake or shallow pan fry

Follow these instructions instead. We’ll need to replace part of the flour mixture with seasoned panko in order for the steaks to be as crispy.

FLOUR

¼ cup flour

BUTTERMILK

¾ cup buttermilk (or ¾ milk whisked with 1 TBS vinegar)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon hot sauce (like TABASCO® or Franks RedHot Original)

PANKO MIXTURE

¼ cup olive oil
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1tsp EACH chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder,
½ teaspoon salt, pepper

Prep Panko: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add panko to a large baking sheet and toss with ¼ cup olive oil until evenly moistened or spray with cooking spray (I highly suggest olive oil for a more “fried” taste). Spread panko into an even layer and bake at 425 degrees F for about 3-5 minutes, or until deeply golden, stirring at 2 minutes. Keep an eye on the panko the last few minutes so it doesn’t burn. Transfer toasted panko to a shallow dish.
Pound steaks: Place steaks between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound a 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or side of a can. Pat steaks very dry with paper towels, then season both sides using ½ teaspoon pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Let rest while you prep the breading stations.
Breading stations: Line up 3 shallow dishes. In BOWL 1: add ¼ cup flour, BOWL 2: whisk together the buttermilk ingredients, BOWL 3: mix together the panko ingredients.
Bread steaks: Working with one steak at a time: 1) Dredge the steak in the flour and press firmly to adhere. 2) Dip the steak in the buttermilk mixture to coat, then let excess drip off. 3) Dredge in the panko mixture and press it firmly into the steak. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper. Repeat with all steaks.

COOK STEAKs (CHOOSE ONE)

Pan Fry: Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add two steaks and reduce heat to medium. Cook until golden and crispy on the bottom, about 3 minutes, flip the steak over, and continue to cook another 2-3 minutes, until steaks reach an internal temperature of 145-155 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Transfer to paper towels. Wipe out skillet and repeat. See recipe to make gravy.
Air fry: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and preheat on Air Fry to 370 degrees F. Working in batches, add the steaks to the basket. Air fry for 5-7 until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 145-155 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. See recipe to make gravy.
To bake (the least crispy option): Top a baking sheet with a wire rack and spray with cooking spray. Space the steaks evenly apart so they aren’t touching. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 145-155 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.See recipe to make gravy.

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