Chicken Fried Steak Country Gravy (Printable Recipe)

Golden, crisp steak smothered in creamy country gravy—classic Southern comfort, perfect with mashed potatoes.

# Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Steak

01 - 450 g tenderized cube steak (approximately 4 pieces)
02 - 1 teaspoon fine salt
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Coating

05 - 190 g all-purpose flour
06 - 1.5 teaspoons sea salt or seasoned salt
07 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - Pinch cayenne pepper
09 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 0.25 teaspoon celery salt
12 - 0.25 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
13 - 0.25 teaspoon paprika
14 - 1 large egg
15 - 120–180 ml whole milk (splash of buttermilk optional)
16 - 475 ml canola oil for frying

→ Country Gravy

17 - 56 g unsalted butter
18 - 32 g all-purpose flour
19 - 240 ml chicken broth, warmed
20 - 360 ml whole milk, at room temperature
21 - Salt, to taste
22 - Black pepper, to taste
23 - 0.25 teaspoon onion powder
24 - 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder
25 - Pinch dried thyme

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Combine salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Evenly season both sides of the cube steaks, pressing the seasoning into the meat. Set aside.
02 - In a large shallow dish, whisk together flour, sea salt, black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, Cajun seasoning, and paprika. In a separate bowl, combine approximately 65 g of this seasoned flour with the egg and 120–180 ml milk to form a thick batter.
03 - Dredge each steak in the seasoned flour, shake off any excess, then dip into the batter to coat thoroughly. Let excess batter drip off. Return steak to the dry flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere the coating. Place coated steaks on a plate and repeat for remaining steaks.
04 - Preheat oven to 95°C. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet in the oven to keep fried steaks warm and crisp between batches. Pour canola oil into a deep skillet to a depth of roughly 2.5 cm and heat oil to 175°C. Test readiness by sprinkling flour—oil should sizzle instantly.
05 - Working in batches, carefully place 1–2 coated steaks into hot oil. Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to wire rack in the warm oven. Repeat frying process for remaining steaks, avoiding overcrowding the pan.
06 - After frying, pour off hot oil from skillet. Wipe pan clean for classic white gravy or leave browned bits for extra flavor if desired. Return skillet to medium heat.
07 - Melt unsalted butter in skillet. Add flour and whisk constantly for 2–3 minutes until mixture is golden and fragrant. Gradually whisk in chicken broth to achieve a smooth paste, then slowly add milk, stirring frequently. Continue cooking, whisking, for 5–7 minutes until gravy is thickened. If needed, thin with extra milk or cook longer for desired texture.
08 - Add salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried thyme to gravy. Adjust seasoning to taste, ensuring flavors are balanced.
09 - Arrange chicken fried steak portions on plates and generously ladle country gravy over the top. Serve immediately, optionally alongside mashed potatoes, corn, or biscuits.

# Extra Tips:

01 - Cube steak typically refers to round steak tenderized by a butcher; substitute with pounded round steak if unavailable.
02 - Resting the breaded steaks on a wire rack for 10 minutes prior to frying enhances crispiness and ensures coating adherence.
03 - Cook the flour in the roux just enough to remove any raw taste—avoid over-browning to maintain a classic white gravy.

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