13 Chicken-Fried Steak Comfort Dinners

Crispy, golden, smothered in pepper gravy — chicken-fried steak is pure comfort. These 13 chicken-fried steak comfort dinners cover the classic, plus chicken-fried chicken, pork, sandwiches, breakfast versions, and all the sides that belong on the plate.

Below you’ll find 13 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Classic Chicken-Fried Steak

Crackly golden crust, tender steak, and creamy pepper gravy.

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks (1.5 lb)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Season flour with seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Dredge steaks in flour, then egg and buttermilk, then flour again.
3. Rest 10 minutes.
4. Fry at 350°F for 4–5 minutes per side.
5. Drain on a rack.
6. Serve with pepper gravy.

2. Creamy Pepper Gravy

The essential partner — rich, peppery, and silky.

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup pan drippings
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

Instructions

1. Whisk flour into hot pan drippings.
2. Cook 2 minutes, stirring.
3. Slowly whisk in milk.
4. Simmer until thickened, 5 minutes.
5. Season with pepper, salt, and cayenne.
6. Serve hot over chicken-fried steak.

3. Chicken-Fried Chicken

All the crispy comfort, made with juicy chicken breast.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Pound chicken to even thickness.
2. Season flour with seasoned salt and paprika.
3. Dredge in flour, egg mixture, then flour.
4. Rest 10 minutes.
5. Fry at 350°F for 5–6 minutes per side.
6. Serve with gravy.

4. Chicken-Fried Pork Chops

Crispy breaded pork chops with country gravy.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops, pounded
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Pound pork chops to 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Season flour with seasoned salt and onion powder.
3. Double-dredge in flour, egg, flour.
4. Rest 10 minutes.
5. Fry at 350°F for 4 minutes per side.
6. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes.

5. Chicken-Fried Chicken Tenders

Kid-friendly crispy tenders with dunkable gravy.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken tenders
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp seasoned salt
• oil, for frying
• pepper gravy, to serve

Instructions

1. Season flour with seasoned salt.
2. Dredge tenders in flour, egg mixture, flour.
3. Rest 10 minutes.
4. Fry at 350°F for 4–5 minutes.
5. Drain on a rack.
6. Serve with pepper gravy for dipping.

6. Chicken-Fried Steak Sandwich

Crispy steak, melty cheddar, and gravy on a toasted bun.

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks, cooked chicken-fried style
• 4 brioche buns
• 1 cup pepper gravy
• 8 slices cheddar
• 1 cup coleslaw
• pickles

Instructions

1. Cook chicken-fried steaks; keep warm.
2. Toast the brioche buns.
3. Place steak on each bun.
4. Top with cheddar; melt under the broiler.
5. Add coleslaw and pickles.
6. Drizzle with warm gravy.

7. Chicken-Fried Steak Breakfast Hash

Crispy steak, eggs, and hash browns under a blanket of gravy.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken-fried steaks, chopped
• 4 eggs, scrambled
• 2 cups frozen hash browns, cooked
• 1 cup pepper gravy
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Instructions

1. Cook hash browns until crispy.
2. Scramble the eggs.
3. Chop cooked chicken-fried steaks.
4. Layer hash browns, steak, and eggs on plates.
5. Ladle gravy over all.
6. Top with green onions.

8. Cajun Chicken-Fried Steak

A spicy Louisiana twist on the classic.

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• oil, for frying
• remoulade, to serve

Instructions

1. Season flour with Cajun seasoning.
2. Double-dredge the steaks.
3. Rest 10 minutes.
4. Fry at 350°F for 4–5 minutes per side.
5. Drain on a rack.
6. Serve with remoulade.

9. Saltine-Crusted Chicken-Fried Steak

Extra-crunchy cracker crust — the old-school diner way.

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks
• 2 cups crushed saltine crackers
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp seasoned salt
• oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Season flour with seasoned salt.
2. Dredge in flour, egg mixture, then crushed saltines.
3. Press crumbs on firmly.
4. Rest 10 minutes.
5. Fry at 350°F for 4–5 minutes per side.
6. Serve with gravy.

10. Chicken-Fried Chicken Livers

A Southern delicacy — crispy outside, creamy inside.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken livers, cleaned
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp seasoned salt
• oil, for frying
• hot sauce, to serve

Instructions

1. Soak livers in buttermilk 30 minutes.
2. Season flour with seasoned salt.
3. Dredge livers in flour.
4. Fry at 350°F for 3–4 minutes.
5. Drain on a rack.
6. Serve with hot sauce.

11. Everything-Seasoned Chicken-Fried Steak

Garlicky everything seasoning in the crust — unexpectedly amazing.

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
• oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Mix everything seasoning into the flour.
2. Double-dredge the steaks.
3. Rest 10 minutes.
4. Fry at 350°F for 4–5 minutes per side.
5. Drain on a rack.
6. Serve with pepper gravy.

12. Chicken-Fried Steak Tacos

Crispy steak strips in warm tortillas with gravy drizzle.

Ingredients

• 1 batch chicken-fried steak strips
• 12 small flour tortillas
• 1 cup pepper gravy
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Instructions

1. Cut cooked chicken-fried steak into strips.
2. Warm the tortillas.
3. Fill with steak strips.
4. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheddar.
5. Drizzle with warm pepper gravy.
6. Serve immediately.

13. Hot Honey Chicken-Fried Steak

Crispy steak finished with a drizzle of spicy hot honey.

Ingredients

• 4 cube steaks
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne
• oil, for frying
• honey, to serve

Instructions

1. Season flour with paprika and cayenne.
2. Double-dredge the steaks.
3. Rest 10 minutes.
4. Fry at 350°F for 4–5 minutes per side.
5. Drain on a rack.
6. Drizzle with hot honey.