This amazing Baked Chicken Fried Steak is a lightened up version of the classic dish! Hearty and comforting, this recipe provides all of the delicious qualities of the traditional dish without the mess of frying!
Take tender cube steak and coat in a savory breadcrumb crust, then bake until crisp and golden. This easy and lighter take on the Southern favorite will be perfect for weeknight meals or cozy Sunday dinners!
This is chicken fried steak at its best! The beef is so moist and delicious because it's baked slowly in the oven. Finally, I topped it with a rich chicken gravy, which is irresistible!
So, what is chicken fried steak?
My boys call this dish 'a lie on a plate.'
Why?
Well, it isn't chicken, and it isn't fried. So it's really two lies!
But who's counting?!
(PS: I do have a true Chicken Potato Bake recipe, which has chicken and is baked, LOL.)
(PPS: If you like to 'chicken fry' things that aren't actually chicken, try this Vegan Fried Chicken recipe! Don't be put off by the fact that it's vegan; this recipe is crispy, crunchy, and meaty and is actually so much better for you than chicken or beef!)
Anyway, I really do love a good chicken fried steak, but I can do without all the fat and calories. So one day when I was craving this dish, I decided to try it with a 'fake frying' method, which I also use with calamari (YUM) and actual chicken as well.
I couldn't believe how tasty it was!
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- cube steak - an affordable cut that's a classic option for chicken fried steak.
- flour - creates the base of the breading and gives it a crisp, golden crust when baked.
- salt - enhances the flavor of the breading.
- bread crumbs - creates a crispy and golden exterior and bakes to perfection in the oven.
- eggs whites - help the breading adhere to the steak.
- milk - for a moister, more tender crust.
- chicken gravy - this optional ingredient adds lots of flavor to your steak.
🔪 Let's Make Baked Chicken Fried Steak!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Make Breading
Combine the flour, salt, and bread crumbs in a shallow bowl.
Mix Wet Ingredients
In a different bowl, combine the milk and egg whites.
Coat Steak
Dip the steak in the dry ingredients first.
Dredge Steak
Once the steak is coated in the breadcrumbs, dip in the milk and eggs.
Finish Breading
Coat in a final layer of the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake
Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then flip and bake another 5 to 10 minutes.
Baked cube steak recipes are really popular among my readers. When cooked, they are so tender and juicy. Plus they are so filling.
You can never go wrong with beef recipes for dinner. One of my family favorites is this crock pot beef and mushroom recipe. It takes very little effort to make, which means less work for me.
Recently, I discovered that beef and broccoli are best friends. I put them together in this crock pot beef and broccoli recipe, which just made everyone jump with joy.
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Use a light mist of olive oil spray to give your steaks an extra golden brown finish.
- Give the steaks some space between them on the baking sheet to ensure even baking.
- Thicker cube steak can be pounded flatter for more even cooking as well.
❔ FAQs
This dish is made by cooking steak in the same way that chicken is usually fried. It doesn't include any actual chicken; the name comes from the cooking method.
If you don't cook the steak at a high enough temperature, it may end up being a little bit on the soggy or moist side. Also be sure to add space between the steaks so the hot air can properly circulate.
Thanks to its low price point and naturally flat shape, cube steak is the perfect cut to use for this dish. It takes a cheaper cut of meat and turns it into a savory Southern classic!
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- For more flavor, add seasonings to the breading like smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, or black pepper.
- Panko breadcrumbs can be used instead of regular breadcrumbs.
- Instead of chicken gravy, use white gravy, mushroom gravy, or brown gravy.
- Cayenne or crushed red pepper can also be added to the breadcrumbs for some spicy flavor.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
Use one hand for dipping steaks in the dry ingredients and the other for the wet ingredients to prevent too much mess!
🥡 Storage and Reheating
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 days or so. You can also wrap steaks individually and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat baked country fried steak at 350 degrees F to ensure it returns to its golden and crispy state. Allow frozen steaks to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this baked chicken fried steak recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This baked country fried steak pairs well with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, green beans, or a light salad. It also pairs well with buttered noodles or sides like biscuits or cornbread.
😋 More Easy Baked Chicken Recipes You'll Love
- Baked Breaded Lemon Chicken - A simple and classic dish that's great for a dinner any night of the week.
- Oven Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs - This dish features a Jalapeno Artichoke topping for lots of incredible flavor!
- Baked Pesto Chicken - Fans of classic basil pesto will love this juicy and flavorful chicken dish.
- Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas - This recipe from Together as Family is a delicious and quick dinner that's great to customize exactly to your liking!
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Oven Baked Country Fried Steak
⭐ Did you make this recipe? Awesome! I would love to hear from you. Please give it a star rating and review below! 👇
And if you are looking for more baked chicken recipes, I recently made this baked breaded lemon chicken, which was well received by the whole family!
📋 Recipe Card
Baked Chicken Fried Steak
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds cube steak
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 3 egg whites
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 12 ounces chicken gravy (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, salt, and bread crumbs in a bowl or shallow dish.⅓ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅔ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together.3 egg whites, 3 tablespoons milk
- Dip one cube steak into the flour mixture first.1 ½ pounds cube steak
- Then dip the cube steak in the egg mixture and coat it well.
- Dip it in the flour mixture one more time (coat it lightly).
- Place it on the baking sheet and repeat the for the remaining cube steaks.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then flip the steaks over and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the steaks are cooked through and the breading is browned.
- Optional: Warm the gravy in the microwave and serve alongside the steaks.12 ounces chicken gravy
Notes
Prep Tips:
- When dredging the steaks, use one hand for the flour mixture and the other for the egg white mixture to keep the coating from clumping. (Or you can use two sets of tongs.)
- For extra crispiness, lightly mist the coated steaks with oil spray before baking.
- Make sure the steaks are arranged in a single layer with space between them so they brown evenly.
- If your cube steaks are very thick, pound them slightly for more even cooking.
Variation Suggestions:
- If desired, you can add extra seasoning to the breadcrumb mixture-paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, or black pepper all work well.
- Substitute panko breadcrumbs for an even crunchier exterior.
- Swap the chicken gravy for peppery white gravy, mushroom gravy, or brown gravy.
- You can amp up the flavor by adding a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper to the breadcrumb mix.
Serving Suggestions:
- Pair with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, green beans, or a crisp salad.
- Add buttered noodles or rice for a heartier plate.
- For a Southern-style meal, serve with biscuits or cornbread.
Storage Info for Leftovers:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through to help restore crispiness.
- To freeze the cooked steaks, wrap them individually, place in a freezer-safe container or bag, and store for up to 2 months. Then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating for best texture.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Donald Hare says
This is.a pretty.good recipe. But it took my steaks 30 minutes to get done.
Kristin King says
Glad you liked it! I wonder if your steaks were thicker than the ones I usually get. I'm glad you were able to make it work for you regardless! Thanks!
Don says
I did this but instead of flour & breadcrumbs (wife is allergic to gluten and I didn't have other flour) we food processed pork rinds. I added a few more minutes for crispiness.
Great flavor and baked instead made it even better!! THANKS for the recipe.
Kristin King says
Oh wow, what a fabulous and creative idea. Sounds delicious! Glad this recipe was helpful for you!
Brenda Henderson says
I tried a different recipe that used all flour. It took too long to crisp and ended up with very dry meat. Your recipe makes more sense. You didn't mention spraying the dipped steaks with another shot of spray oil. Most recipes that are "fake" frying suggest that step. Should I do that, or simply follow your recipe? I would like to avoid additional oil, but I want edible meat.
Kristin says
I don't do that step when I make this recipe, and personally I don't miss the little bit of oil. You can decide for yourself, but maybe you want to try it without the extra spray of oil first and see how it turns out. It's up to you! Whatever you decide to do, I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Rob Robertson says
Instead of bread crumbs, I used crushed tortilla chips. Baked 18 minutes then 2 minutes each side under the broiler. I’ll put this in my recipe file. Killer!
Kristin says
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Dave says
I tried to make this dish and I cooked it both sides as instructed and when it came out it was very floury looking and puddles of dampness so I tried putting back in over for an additional 5 min each side. Finally put under broiler to get it crispy but by that time it had dried the meat out. Move on to the next attempt but will try again.
Kristin says
I am sorry to hear that! That happened to me once when I was developing the recipe, and so I changed the flour to bread crumbs ratio and that fixed it. So make sure you are using 1/3 cup flour and 2/3 cup bread crumbs called for in the recipe. Also, make sure your oven is truly 400 degrees. If it runs a little cooler, you may need to bump it up a bit so that the breading gets brown before the meat dries out. I hope it turns out better for you with those suggestions!
Sally Marie says
Loved this! Thank you for the great recipe.
Jann Olson says
I've never had it baked, but it looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Kippi says
Y um, I have already pinned this one! My hubby is going to love it.
Pat bechler says
Recipe please!!!!🤗
Kristin says
Hi Pat, the recipe is in the post above. Let me know if you are having issues seeing it and I will be happy to help you! Thanks for stopping by!
Barb says
In the indtructions it says dip in flour egg then flour again. Yet there are breadcrumbs in the recipe??
Kristin says
Hi Barb, the flour and the breadcrumbs get mixed together in step 3. So you will be dipping in that mixture twice. Does that help? Let me know if you have any other questions!