Chicken fried steak | The satisfying, indulgent, and delicious dish that will make you feel like a king

Chicken fried steak was born to go with American food classics like mashed potatoes and black-eyed peas.

A slab of tenderized steak breaded in seasoned flour and pan fried, it’s kin to the Weiner Schnitzel brought to Texas by Austrian and German immigrants, who adapted their veal recipe to use the bountiful beef found in Texas.

Chicken-fried steak, also known as country-fried steak, is an American breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of beefsteak (most often tenderized cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and either deep-fried or pan-fried. It is sometimes associated with the Southern cuisine of the United States. It is breaded and fried with a technique similar to the more common fried chicken, hence “chicken-fried”. When deep-fried, it is usually referred to as “chicken-fried steak”. Pan-fried versions are typically referred to as “country-fried steak.

Chicken-fried steak resembles the Austrian dish Wiener schnitzel and the Italian dish cotoletta alla milanese, which is a tenderized veal or pork cutlet, coated with flour, eggs, chicken stock cube, and bread crumbs, and then fried. It is also similar to the recipe for Scottish collops.

Course: Main course
Created by: Multiple claims
Main ingredients: Tenderized cube steak, flour
Region or state: West Texas/Oklahoma

Ingredients

Chicken Fried Steak

1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that’s been extra tenderized)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
Gravy:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mashed potatoes, for serving

Directions

For the steak: Begin with setting up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.
Work with one piece of meat at a time: Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Finally, place it back in the flour and turn to coat (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat: Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it’s sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it’s ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl: Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.
For the gravy: When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.
Pour in the milk, whisking constantly: Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.
Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes: Pour gravy over the whole shebang.

What kind of meat is chicken-fried steak?

Chicken-fried steak is just a cut of steak (usually tenderized cube or round steak) that’s coated in seasoned breading, and then panfried or deep-fried, depending on where you get it. Since it’s breaded and fried like fried chicken, early cooks dubbed the dish chicken-fried steak, and the name clearly stuck.

Why do they call it chicken-fried steak?

Chicken Fried Steak gets its name from the breading used on the outside of the steak before it’s fried in the same manner as traditional fried chicken — but instead of chicken, a tenderized piece of beef steak is used instead.

What is the difference between chicken-fried steak and chicken fried chicken?

Chicken-fried steak gets its name because it is prepared in the same manner as traditional fried chicken. To make matters more confusing, some restaurants serve a dish called “chicken-fried chicken” which is a boneless filet of chicken prepared in the manner of chicken-fried steak.

Which part of chicken is called steak?

Chicken steaks are cut from the top-blade, or infraspinatus, that rests on the cow’s scapula–what’s known as the “paddlebone” in meat rooms.

How unhealthy is chicken fried steak?

Chicken fried steak is high in calories, fat, and sodium, which can contribute to weight gain and high blood pressure. Moreover, the added gravy can further increase the calorie and fat content of the dish, making it a less than ideal choice for those trying to maintain a healthy diet.

Is steak healthier than fried chicken?

Chicken is a healthier alternative to red meat because it contains less saturated fat and is high in protein. A study found that fried chicken consumption increased the risk of early death by 13%. A serving of steak has 33% of your daily iron requirement.

Is chicken fried steak breakfast or lunch?

Chicken fried steak is often served as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner because it’s a great dish any time of the day. When we talk about Southern comfort food, this dish is top on the list. For breakfast, it often comes with a side of eggs, hash browns, biscuits, and of course the classic white gravy.

Is chicken steak good for health?

The lean protein in chicken is an excellent source of amino acids. Our bodies use amino acids to build muscle tissue, something that is particularly important as we age. Studies have also shown that higher protein intake helps to maintain bone mineral density