Old Fashioned Chicken Fried Steak
Say hello to classic comfort food! Old-Fashioned Chicken Fried Steak starts with cube steak, double-breaded for a perfectly crispy crust, then topped with a creamy white gravy. It’s a hearty, satisfying dish that’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser.
Growing up in the Midwest, chicken fried steak wasn’t on my radar. We didn’t have it at family gatherings, or at church potlucks, or for Sunday dinner.
And boy, were we missing out! This Old Fashioned Chicken Fried Steak is a true comfort food dish, and GOSH is it good. This recipe is from a newspaper clipping. The recipe submitter is the daughter of a now-retired chef of a “well known restaurant in Wichita, Kansas”. She shared that the restaurant was always a full house on Wednesdays when her mom’s special, Chicken Fried Steak, was served.
It’s easy to see why it was such a hit. The cube steak is breaded twice for an extra crispy exterior, and the easy white gravy is made with the drippings from the meat. It’s comfort food perfection. Here are a few tips for making it!
- Don’t skip letting the breaded cube steaks rest before frying. The time allows the batter to adhere to the meat.
- The oil should be approximately 325°F. Hotter oil will result in a dark brown exterior and raw meat. Oil less than 325°F may result in the dish getting soggy.
- Place the freshly fried chicken fried steaks on a wire rack, set on top of a sheet pan, if you have one. This will help the whole piece of meat stay crispy (even on the bottom).
Jump to:
Ingredients
- You can use either cube steaks or round steak (pounded thinly) for this recipe. I used cube steaks since they are already thin and tenderized. If you buy a big package of them, give these Crockpot Cube Steaks a try next!
- The cube steaks will get dipped in a mixture of eggs and buttermilk.
- The seasoned flour is made with all purpose flour, baking powder, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- You can use vegetable oil, corn oil, canola oil, etc.—any neutral tasting oil works for shallow frying the steaks.
How to Make Old Fashioned Chicken Fried Steak
- Start by whisking the eggs and buttermilk in a shallow dish, and the dry ingredients (flour and spices) in another shallow dish.
- Coat the steak in the egg mixture, then the flour mixture twice (egg, flour, egg, flour).
- Repeat with the remaining cube steaks and let the steaks rest for 15 minutes.
- Fry in 325°F oil for 2–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack while you make the gravy.
You can head to the easy white gravy post for step-by-step photos with instructions and more info; the ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this recipe with just the buttermilk and no eggs.
Regular cow’s milk or a milk substitute will work just fine. The buttermilk adds a slight tanginess that complements the batter, but it’ll be good without it, too.
The resting time allows the batter to adhere to the meat. Otherwise it may come off as it cooks.
Overcooking will make chicken fried steak tough and chewy.
What to serve with chicken fried steak
I’m partial to mashed potatoes and green beans as a side dish for chicken fried steak, but buttered egg noodles would be a nice stand-in for mashed potatoes.
Dinner rolls such as Homemade Potato Rolls, Bisquick Cheddar Biscuits, or Flaky Biscuits are always an excellent addition to the dinner table.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Chicken Fried Steak
Ingredients
For the chicken fried steak:
- 1½ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 cube steaks (about 1½ lbs)
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the gravy:
- ¼ cup drippings (from making chicken fried steak, or use bacon grease or butter)
- ¼ cup flour
- 2–2½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
For the chicken fried steak:
- Place the flour, baking powder, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Stir to combine.1½ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Place the eggs and buttermilk in a separate dish. Whisk to combine.3 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk
- Dip one cube steak in the egg mixture, then the flour mixture. Dip the cube steak again in the egg mixture, then in the flour mixture.4 cube steaks
- Repeat with the remaining steaks.
- Place the cube steaks on a baking sheet or parchment paper to dry for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat ½ inch of oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Fry the steaks for 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown, working in batches as needed.Vegetable oil for frying
For the white gravy:
- Measure ¼ cup of the drippings and place in a skillet over medium heat. Pour the flour over the drippings, and stir to combine. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until light golden brown.¼ cup drippings, ¼ cup flour
- Whisk in the milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Let cook for 3–4 minutes, or until thickened.2–2½ cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Spoon gravy over the chicken fried steak.
I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Thank you. I will enjoy this old favorite.