Classic Chicken-Fried Steak with Creamy White Gravy

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-17 · Updated 2026-05-17

A Southern comfort food staple featuring tenderized beef steak breaded and fried to a golden crust, served with a rich, creamy white gravy. This American-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs cube steak, all-purpose flour, salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces (5 oz each) cube steak
• 2 cups, divided all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp, divided salt
• 1 tsp, divided black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups for frying vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups milk

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a shallow dish, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, and 1 tsp garlic powder.
2. Step 2: Pour 1 1/2 cups buttermilk into a separate bowl. Season 4 cube steaks (5 oz each) with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
3. Step 3: Dip each steak first into the flour mixture, then into the buttermilk, and again into the flour mixture, pressing the coating to adhere well.
4. Step 4: Heat 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F).
5. Step 5: Fry the coated steaks in batches for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
6. Step 6: For the gravy, melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tbsp of the reserved flour from the coating mixture and cook for 1 minute until golden.
7. Step 7: Slowly whisk in 2 cups milk, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Step 8: Serve the chicken-fried steak topped with the creamy white gravy.