Here’s a classic Southern comfort food recipe for Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy — crispy, tender, and smothered in creamy, peppery gravy. Perfect for a hearty meal!
🥩 Chicken Fried Steak with Country Gravy
🍽️ Serves: 4
⏱️ Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min
🧂 Ingredients:
For the Steak:
- 4 tenderized cube steaks (about 4-6 oz each)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- Vegetable oil or canola oil, for frying
For the Country Gravy:
- 3 tbsp pan drippings or butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
👩🍳 Instructions:
- Prepare the Breading
- In a shallow bowl, mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs.
- Bread the Steaks
- Dip each steak into the flour mixture, then into the buttermilk mixture, then back into the flour mixture. Press the flour onto the steak to form a thick coating.
- Set aside on a plate.
- Fry the Steaks
- Heat about ½ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fry steaks 3–4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain on paper towels. Keep warm.
- Make the Country Gravy
- Pour off excess oil, leaving about 3 tbsp and the browned bits in the skillet.
- Whisk in the flour to make a roux, cooking for 1–2 minutes until lightly browned.
- Slowly whisk in milk, scraping up browned bits.
- Cook, whisking constantly, until gravy thickens (~5 minutes).
- Season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve
- Place the fried steaks on plates and generously spoon the gravy over them.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, green beans, or your favorite sides.
🍽️ Tips:
- For extra crispy coating, double dredge the steaks.
- Use a meat mallet to tenderize steaks if not pre-tenderized.
- For richer gravy, add a splash of heavy cream.
Want a make-ahead tip or a low-carb version?