Chicken Fried Steak
(Country Fried Steak, Pan-Fried Steak)
One of the staples of the Southern U.S. cuisine called chicken fried steak contains no chicken at all, contrary to what one might think upon seeing the name of the dish. It consists of a thin, breaded, and fried cut of beef that is traditionally served with a side of mashed potatoes and drizzled with cream gravy.
The dish got its name due to the fact that the method of preparation is very similar to that of fried chicken. Originally, the first recipes for batter-fried steaks had appeared in Southern cookbooks during the early 1800s. In the old days, the cut of beef was inexpensive and tough, usually round steak, but today many restaurants use more expensive cuts such as tenderloin and rib-eye.
It is believed that the dish stems from German immigrants who brought an Austrian dish called Wiener schnitzel to Texas, a meal that is quite similar to chicken fried steak. What started as making use of meat of questionable quality evolved into a unique Texas delicacy, a perfect combination of meat, grease, and batter.
Recipe variations
Chicken Fried Steak
READY IN 1h 40minThis one is the go-to recipe for chicken fried steak. Unlike the traditional chicken fried steak, in this case, the meat is dredged in flour and a mixture of milk and eggs to make a crispier crust when fried. The said method of preparation is the most typical of today, and very rarely will you find a strictly traditional chicken fried steak where the meat is only dredged in flour and fried in lard.
Cowboy Classic Chicken Fried Steak
READY IN 30minThe following recipe is for an extremely crispy yet tender, cowboy-style chicken fried steak. The meat should come from the beef round, have zero gristle, and be very tenderized. The meat is double coated: dipped first in the buttermilk and egg mixture, then in the flour mixture. Because the flour mixture has baking powder and cornstarch, the crust, once fried, will be thick and stick to the meat. The recipe is courtesy of Kent Rollins, a cowboy and a chuck wagon and cowboy cook specializing in outdoor cooking. He beat the famous Bobby Flay following this recipe in Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay TV show.
Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
READY IN 1hThe following recipe shows you how to make a chicken fried steak with a very seasoned coating, plus gives instructions on how to make the gravy to go with the steaks. The recipe is courtesy of Ree Drummond, an American blogger, author, food writer, photographer, and television personality, which she showcased on her TV show The Pioneer Woman. She recommends serving the steaks and the gravy with mashed potatoes.
Chicken Fried Steak Authentic recipe
This one is the go-to recipe for chicken fried steak. Unlike the traditional chicken fried steak, in this case, the meat is dredged in flour and a mixture of milk and eggs to make a crispier crust when fried. The said method of preparation is the most typical of today, and very rarely will you find a strictly traditional chicken fried steak where the meat is only dredged in flour and fried in lard.
WHERE TO EAT The best Chicken Fried Steak in the world (according to food experts)
"This Park Cities restaurant in a gleaming old-school diner churns out some of the city’s best fried chicken, but don’t miss the savory delights of the chicken-fried steak."
"Killen's offers true Texas cuisine — right down to the Smoked Pork and Black-Eyed Pea Gumbo and Chicken-Fried Sirloin Steak."
"To be perfectly honest, this steak blew our minds a little: perfectly thin, tender beef; an unexpectedly light, fresh, flaky “breading” (courtesy of seasoned flour); creamy, slightly peppery gravy."
"Dot Coffee Shop serves up large portions of comfort food in a way that only Dot can do. Where else can you get a chicken fried steak at 4 in the morning?"
"Chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes and greens -- tourists don't deserve food this good."
"Head to Jack Allen's Kitchen for the unbelievable, homestyle brunch buffet and you might just be lucky enough to sample chicken-fried chicken, steak and pork all at once."
"Norma's chicken-fried steak plate is the ideal comfort-food dinner. It's not a really nice cut you'd get at an upscale place like Tillman's, but it's not tough and chewy and it's not soft like processed school cafeteria CFS."
"However you describe it, it's pretty perfect. In the annual Best of Houston® issue, Barbecue Inn has also won for Best Chicken-fried Steak and Best Fried Shrimp."
"Florida’s Kitchen in Livingston serves a CFS that is the stuff of legend."
"This hand-battered monstrosity of a steak is so perfectly seasoned and cooked, there should be a holiday to celebrate its amazingness."
Chicken Fried Steak festivals
