From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...In some areas of the country, chicken fried steak is the queen of comfort food. Not surprisingly, the dish gets its name because it is prepared in the same manner as Southern fried chicken. While the origins of the dish are muddy, and claims of ownership are disputed, it's logical to conclude the dish was brought to the United States by Austrian immigrants, who then popularized it in the Southern and Western United States. The dish is quite similar to wiener schnitzel, a breaded and fried veal cutlet that comes from Vienna, Austria. There are, however, differences between the two. Chicken fried steak is made from tenderized beef rather than veal and its coated with seasoned flour rather than bread crumbs. The steak is pan-fried and its drippings form the base for a light gravy that is made with a well-seasoned chicken stock or milk. If you are interested, more background about this dish and its preparation can be found here. This is one of those delicious entrées that makes no pretense of being healthy or good for you. It rarely appears on my table, but when it does we thoroughly enjoy it. As an aside, I must tell you I have a friend from Kobe who insists that chicken fried steak is a copy of a Japanese creation called tonkatsu. Tonkatsu is a breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet and more information about it can be found here. It seems that breaded cutlets have joined the ranks of other foods, such as noodles and pancakes, that have spontaneously appeared on tables all over the world. While I love the thought of spontaneous generation, I suspect that these foods were carried by brave seamen and adventurers whom we should thank for the wonderful diversity on our tables. Here's my favorite recipe for Chicken Fried Steak.
Chicken Fried Steak...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Alton Brown
Ingredients:
2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 whole eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
2) Cut meat with grain into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour into a pie pan. Place eggs into a separate pie pan. Dredge meat on both sides in flour. Tenderize meat, using a jaccard type tenderizer, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Once tenderized, dredge meat again in flour, followed by egg and finally in flour again. Repeat with all pieces of meat. Place meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.
3) Use enough vegetable oil to cover bottom of a 12-inch skillet and set over medium-high heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd pan. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove steaks to a wire rack set in a baking pan and place in oven. Repeat until all meat is browned.
4) Add remaining vegetable oil, or at least 1 tablespoon, to skillet. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour left over from dredging. Add chicken broth and whisk until gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add milk and thyme and whisk until gravy coats a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the gravy over steaks. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chicken Fried Steak - The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Chicken Fried Steak - Amanda's Cookin'
Chicken Fried Flank Steak with Country Gravy - Chewing the Fat
Chicken Fried Steak - Carrie's Sweet Life
Country Fried Steak - Never Enough Thyme
Memories of Texas: Chicken Fried Steak at Massey's - Detroit Eats
Chicken Fried Steak - Seriously Good
Chicken Fried Steak - Cooking By the Seat of My Pants
Country Fried Steak with Brown Gravy - Eclectic Recipes
Chicken Fried Steak - Comfort Foodie
Fat Tommy's Chicken Fried Steak - The Daily Meal
Chicken Fried Chicken - Carrie's Kitchen
70 comments :
I have never tried chicken fried steak; it's definitely an American thing.
Though I think your friend in onto something...it does look a lot like tongkatsu! :)
Hmmm, yummy...
I love the sauce on top.
Omg, wat a irresistible steak and sauce, makes me hungry..
Hi Mary, this really sounds perfect!!!
Cheers.
Loved the click,looks delicious!
Ah, the food of choice in every diner on the prairie (which also comes with mashed potatoes, CORN, and bread!!!) Yours looks really good. And it is comfort food at it's best!
When I saw the title, I thought I was on the wrong blog - but we all just have to do this on occasion. I love this dish, but eat it rarely. I like the addition of chicken broth for the gravy and thanks for the background.
I haven't had chicken fried steak in too long. I'm a bad Texan.
I've never tried to make this Mary, it sure looks good:@)
Mary, this looks super duper delicious. The photo is mouth-watering. I think many cultures have their version of breaded and fried meat. Yum!
The crunchiness, the gravy...my mouth is watering right now, thanks Mary :) Your food always looks amazing!!
Mary,
I almost hate to admit this but this recipe is my love language.I think covering steak in egg and flour and frying it, covering it with a white gravy and serving it with mashed potatoes is divine. I LOVE this recipe. YUMMY! I could eat the whole pan.
I remember eating this as a child and it was my favorite!
What a fabulous recipe. This is one I will certainl make.Thank you so much for sharing this.
xo Yvonne
I attempted chicken fried steak for the first time last month. I was surprised at how great it tasted. I never got a great photo to post though. Your photo looks great!
This southerner didn't meet up with chicken fried steak until we moved to Texas. And, as any Texan will tell you, it originated there = ).
Best,
Bonnie
Throw a couple of buttermilk biscuits on that plate and you'll need a crowbar to pry me out of my chair!
Oh, Mary, you know you are right in the wheelhouse of Texas cooks. LOL! Chicken Fried Steak was among the very first recipes I felt the need to master when I first left home many, many moons ago. I don't even let myself think of it these days. Ahhh... it is a shame how all the admonitions to eat healthy has ruined the fun!
This is an interesting recipe, chicken and steak combo, sound really interesting, I must try one day.
I lived in Houston, Tx for 21 years and CFS was a dining staple in that part of the country. I have not enjoyed it since.
It is a fabulous comfort food and such a treat...I think I will use this recipe this weekend...thanks!
janet xox
http://theemptynest-janet.blogspot.com/
Chicken fried steak is Chris' favorite meal. I try to make it for him every now and then...reminds him why he's with me!! lol Yours looks lovely!! Some scrambled eggs and a biscuit and I could be having breakfast right now!
your's looks wonderful. I grew up with brown gravy on everything in the Miss. area and married a Texas boy who thinks the only gravy is white gravy. I think I will need to try it your way now!
Alton Brown comes up with some good ones, doesn't he? One of my all-time favorite salads made with edamame is his recipe.
Would you believe I've never made chicken fried steak?? But I do know the gravy is key.
Great recipe, Mary.
This looks divine! My son's both love Chicken Fried Steak so I think you've inspired me to think about fixing this for my youngest son when he returns next week from a mission's trip with his school to Nicaragua! I've been trying to think of something he would love after not having alot of good food while over there!! Thanks, Mary!
This is definitely something that hasn't caught on north of the 49th parallel. I remember my confusion the first time I had it in Oklahoma. No doubt about it, it's tasty, but the pale gravy put me off a little.
I have never tried Chicken fried steaks but have heard my friends from america raving about it! And it seems like something i would so like to work my fork and knife on!
I've never seen Chicken Fried Steak look this good! Leave it to you to come up with the most classy comfort dishes. It's gorgeous - makes me want to whip up that recipe right now!
interesting! oh yes, we must thanks those wonderful people who have created, modified and found their way to come up with this fried steak!
Oooh, that looks delcious! You have so many gorgeous recipes on your blog. However do you decide what to eat each night?!
Sarahx
I now live in the South so I guess I need to hang on to this one and learn how to make it! Fried steak does sound awfully delicious :)
This really perfect recipe, love chicken for every day.
farida
http://childcooks.blogspot.com
We love it too but don't have it very often. Your versions looks wonderful Mary, and the picture's so great I felt the difference immediately on my hips. LOL
My god! Im drooling, I guess this would be an item in my weekend menu for sure! drools drools!
Wow awesome dish.
Fantastic recipe! I grew up in Oklahoma and normally there's not much to miss there (couple stoplights, few cows and some red dirt) but this post is making me nostalgic for dinner at the neighbor's house :) Thanks for sharing!
Love the flavor on the dish. Delicious.
This is one of my favorite comfort meals, but I have never made it myself. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh, my, this looks wonderful!!!! Maybe you can wrap it and ship some to me?? Ha ha ha!! I never make it, though I love it, because just too much fuss with the pounding, dredging, frying, then cleaning up. And really most of it that you find in restaraunts is not that good, it needs to be home made. Hope you got my comment from yesterday's post, it was very late.
Hi Mary! Thanks for your nice comment on my blog. This chicken fried steak looks so so good and like such an indulgence. Mmm
I have never had this and always have been curious - so many comforting flavor and textures. Japanese???? Who knows?
Yum, this sounds wonderful!
My sweet husband would think he had died and gone to heaven if I placed this in front of him.
Perhaps he does need a treat.♥
I get the name, but never really understood it. We fry a lot of things with this method and don't call them "chicken fried shrimp" or "chicken fried onion rings"
All real men, in particular, love chicken fried steak, as well as chicken fried chicken. Yes, this is to be served with mashed potatoes covered with the gravy, which also covers the meat. You can serve a green vegetable with it and some corn bread (NOT the sweet kind of corn bread that yankees favor because the don't know any better. If you serve a salad with it, a real man won't eat it, saving his energy for the steak and spuds. Beer goes well with this dish, as does unsweetened ice tea. If you serve a dessert afterward, there will be some very serious nap time. Another great post. Let's eat.
chicken fried steak is loved here in texas, thank you for featuring this comfort food dish..yum
sweetlife
Mary this looks DIVINE! Chicken Fried Steak is one of my favorite things to order at restaurants, but I've never made it at home. I will for sure try this recipe!
I can understand why some people consider this as a comfort meal. There is something in this white sauce that warms your heart when you see it in front of you! Beautiful!
I haven't had chicken fried steak in AAAGES.
This makes me want some this instant
I've heard of chicken fried steak before but being from the northeast is not exactly conducive to ever having it. It sounds like something I should eat at least once though!
Drool worthy. I haven't made chicken fried steak in so long...so very long.
I jus saw the chicken fried steak recently and if am not mistaken on PW's site.
And im craving ever since.
So wonderfully good.
And that butter chicken , absolutely delish, i love u added the green peas , i add them too , not only for the color but coz i love the pea sized , literally , sweeties.
All the foos happening here is soo delicious , it gets me hungry and i loveee it.
A delightful comfort food classic with a gorgeous sauce. Pure heavenly indulgence!
Oh my goodness, that looks perfect!!! Mashed potatoes on the side and I think I would eat myself into oblivion....
Actually I think I will use this recipe tonight...I have elk steaks thawed and ready to be chicken fried!!!
I grew up in Oklahoma and I love chicken fried steak! What's funny is how regional it is--it's nearly impossible to find one here in Kansas. At least, one that hasn't come from the freezer section at Sam's Club. :-(
i'm crazy about chicken fried steak! this looks incredible!
Oh Mary! This looks incredibly delicious and looks perfect! My hubby will love this!
Mary xx
Delightful Bitefuls
What a great recipe! I grew up in the South and this was a staple!
This looks so good! Thanks for passing along this wonderful recipe.
I made butter chicken last night... you are really tempting me with this too... what a great dish. It really is comfort food!
Holy cow! This is my fav thing in the entire world! I just gave up fried foods for lent and I am feeling a little vulnerable after seeing your post! :)
Chicken fried steak is a must here in Texas ~ Yours looks divine!
What a great picture of a really comforting dish.
Of course I have heard of this, read about it but never tasted it.
you really don't see this on any menu around here, Sure looks good.
Rita
Mary...this is so mouth-watering. Looking at it now makes me hungry. It does look like tonkatsu but I still think that it originates from the States :) Whatever the answer is this CFS makes me hungry.
Have a nice day and God bless,
Elin
Mary, Chicken Fried Steak is one of my all time favorites but we've never made it at home. I've always had it when we were out at a restaurant. Maybe I'll give this simple recipe a try! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
thank you for this, I have never heard of it before :)
Chicken Fired Steak is one of my favorite foods. This recipe is so different from the others I've tried as they call for the use of cube steak, which, in itself, is a rather tough meat no matter what you do to it. I'm going to give yours a try. The picture is mouth-watering.
ohmygoodness! That looks so good! Being from the south, chicken fried steak was always available but I rarely ate it. Now that I'm in New England where I have yet to see it on the menu anywhere, I could eat a platter of the stuff and then follow it with one of your ah-mazing Double Chocolate mint Brownies. :)
Thanks so much for the recipes! I may make the brownies for dessert tonight!
Chicken fried steak, my favorite comfort food!!! The gravy is my favorite kind of gravy. Another wonderful dish!
Ohhh, a favorite comfort food for sure. Perfectly cooked , sauced, and photographed!
This is one of my mom's favorite comfort foods. It looks delicious.
This was one of my favorite things to eat growing up. Yours looks delicious!
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