The best Southern Chicken Fried Steak recipe is fried to golden perfect and topped with a creamy pan-sauce full of flavour.

Passed down through generations and now through entire continents, this couldn't remain a Southern USA secret forever!

But what does "Chicken Fried" really mean? Well, there's no chicken about it. It's simply steak cooked just like Southern Fried chicken is - it's not like a crumbed schnitzel, and has an amazing texture to it. It's simply something that needs to be tried to be believed!

Tips to Succullent Success

Season, Season, Season!

While you should be layering flavour in everything you do, much of it starts with simple salt and pepper.

By seasoning the steaks before you dredge them, seasoning the flour you dredge them with and then seasoning the sauce you're pairing with - you're ensuring flavour punches through the heaviness of the fry taking the beefiness with it.

Seasoned steak

Coat Evenly

It can be easy to run ahead of yourself and try to rush this recipe (especially if you're cooking for a family) - but to ensure this cooks evenly and isn't particularly floury or burned, ensure you're coating your steak evenly with the flour mixture and there are not any noticeable clumps.

Coated Steak with flour

Fry Low

While your oil should be hot enough to bubble when a little flour is added, ensure it is not taken too high. You want your steak to cook evenly and throughout before it starts to burn.

Chicken Fried Steak

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Ingredients

    Steak

  • 4 Thin Steaks (100 - 150g Each)

  • 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

  • 2 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper

  • 1/2 Cup Milk

  • 3 Tsp Salt

  • 2 Eggs

    • Gravy

  • 500ML Canola Oil or Peanut Oil, for frying

  • 2 Cups Milk

  • 4 Tbsp Flour

Directions

  1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, one teaspoon black pepper and one teaspoon salt. Set aside.

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together two eggs and milk. Set aside

  3. Trim any fat off steaks and pat dry with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as possible. Season with one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of pepper.

  4. Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dredge in the egg mixture, letting excess drip off, and then once again in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.

  5. As you coat each steak, set them aside lying flat on a baking tray or plate. Let sit for 10 minutes.

  6. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot, or large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. How much oil you need depends on the size of your skillet. You want the steaks to be 3/4 submerged when frying.

  7. Test the oil by dropping a bit of flour into it. The oil should sizzle and bubble around the flour. Look for the oil to be glistening but not smoking.

  8. Place two steaks into the pan at a time and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Do not flip more than once or the breading will fall off. Do not overcrowd the pan, for most size pans two steaks at once is the max.

  9. Set the steaks aside on paper towel to drain as you work your way through the batches. Then let's start on the gravy.

Gravy

  1. Dispose of the oil in your pan safely (not directly down the sink), reserving approximately 1/2 cup of the grease. Do not scrape the skillet clean. We want those bits at the bottom of the pan to remain to flavour the gravy.

  2. Return the pan to a medium heat and reintroduce the grease to the pan.

  3. Whisk in flour and continue whisking for two to three minutes or until nice and golden brown.

  4. Slowly drizzle the milk into the skillet, whisking constantly.

  5. Continue whisking and bring the gravy to a simmer. Cook until the gravy is smooth and creamy, about 5 to 7 minutes. If the gravy gets too thick, add in a little more milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  6. Serve chicken fried steak with gravy and your favourite green veggies. Enjoy!

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