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A plate with chicken fried steak topped with creamy gravy, served with mashed potatoes and green beans.
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Chicken-Fried Steak with White Gravy

A crust that crackles instead of going soft, and white gravy your family will fight over the last spoonful of. This is chicken-fried steak, no diner required.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Southern American
Servings: 4 servings (1 steak with gravy per person)
Calories: 743kcal
Author: Brittany Lauren

Ingredients

For the Steak

  • 1-1¼ lbs cube steaks about 4 steaks, or round steak pounded to ½-inch thickness
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • Avocado oil or vegetable oil, for frying

For the White Gravy

  • 3 tablespoons pan drippings or butter, if needed
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2-3 cups whole milk warmed
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

Prep the Steaks

  • Pat the cube steaks dry and pound to an even ½-inch thickness. Whisk egg, buttermilk, and hot sauce in one bowl; mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne in another.

Dredge and Rest

  • Dredge each steak in flour.
    A raw steak coated in flour sits in a black bowl on a wooden surface.
  • Next dip in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge again in flour.
    A cube steak in an egg wash.
  • Rest uncovered on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes.
    Four pieces of raw, flour-coated cube steak rest on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, ready for cooking.

Fry the Steaks

  • Heat ½ inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet to a true 350°F. Fry steaks for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp, and internal temp reaches 145°F. Carefully remove and drain on a wire rack over paper towels.
    Two breaded pieces of cube steak are frying in oil in a black cast iron skillet on a wooden surface.

Make the Gravy

  • Pour off excess oil, leaving 3-4 tablespoons of drippings in the pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux, scraping up browned bits, and cook 1-2 minutes until golden.
    The start of a roux as the flour absorbs the fat from the drippings - showing the flour starting to firm up and the liquid diminishing.
  • Slowly whisk in the warm milk and simmer 4-5 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
    A cast iron skillet with white gravy being whisked on a dark wooden surface.

Serve

  • Plate the steaks, smother in warm gravy, and garnish with parsley and black pepper.
    Chicken fried steak topped with white gravy on a black platter, surrounded by mashed potatoes, green beans, and condiments on a wooden table.

Notes

  • Store steaks and gravy separately; reheat steaks in a 375°F oven on a rack to keep the crust crisp. Microwaving kills the crunch.
  • Round steak pounded to ½ inch works if you can't find pre-cut cube steak.
  • Developed in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Make sure your skillet is big enough to hold all the steaks or work in batches. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 743kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 1127mg | Potassium: 875mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 765IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 277mg | Iron: 6mg