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
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🍴 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!
Jodie Fitz says
Looks so delicious! Definitely craving some chicken fried steak after seeing this. Thanks for joining us this week. Hope to see you at this week's Reader Tip Tuesday...
Sheri says
Thanks for sharing at the To Grandma's House We Go DIY, Crafts, Recipes and More Link Party! Pinned this! hope to see you again next week.
Life Diet Health says
I've never heard of this and it took me a while to get my head around the fact that it's not chicken? ! Anyway, you make it look and sound delicious and I'm sure my boys will love it. Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday this week.
Kristin says
Yep, it's not chicken! But chicken fried steak is steak that is fried in the way that chicken is usually fried. Of course, in this case, there is no frying, just baking. Hence the reasons my boys call it 'a lie on a plate'. LOL 😀
Lisa Kerhin says
You have just made my year! I never ever thought (duh) to bake this dish! I love chicken fried steak but never make it. I don't fry anything. I do order this from restaurants occasionally, it's fried so I try not to eat if often. I am doing a happy dance here!!
Kristin says
Yay! I hope you like it! It is one of our favorites!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I'm a little bit behind but I wanted to make sure to check out your post - and thank you for joining the What's for dinner party. Have a wonderful weekend and hope to see you at tomorrow's party too!
Catherine Sokolowski says
I love chicken fried steak but never tried making it. So happy to see this recipe! I especially love that it is baked.
Kristin says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Evelyn says
Do you have the nutritional info for the baked chicken fried steak? I made it and it came out yummy. I made white gravy with mine.
Kristin King says
Hi Evelyn, I actually don’t like to give nutritional information anymore because of the wide fluctuation based on what products people buy*. My suggestion is to plug the ingredients in to a calorie calculator like the one at My Fitness Pal (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator), specifying the brands that you use, and that will get you a lot closer to the actual nutritional information that will be in your final product. Thanks for stopping by!
*Editing this to note that I now am including nutritional information on the recipe card, based on the ingredients I use. So take the info with a grain of salt (so to speak, lol). Thanks!
Carly says
I definitely want to try this, but instead of all purpose flour could I substitute almond flour?
Kristin King says
I don't have a lot of experience with almond flour, so I can't tell you exactly how it will turn out, but give it a try if you are feeling adventurous! I would love to hear how it turns out! 🙂
Daisy says
I tried the recipe, but my flour mixture didn't cook so I had to spray with non-stick olive oil and put it back in to cook the flour ... overall, I like that I wasn't standing over a stove, taking meat in and out of a pan - but I need to work with again.
Maizi says
The same thing happened to me. It was still crunchy and tasted delicious but it didn’t look appealing at all. It was very floury looking and did not look anything like the picture.
Kristin says
Hi Maizi, I am sorry to hear that happened for you, but glad that it still tasted good. I have made this many times and didn't have that problem, so I am not sure what advice to give you. Maybe you can try reducing the cooking time by a few minutes and finishing the steak under the broiler instead. That might help the breading to brown a bit. I hope you enjoyed it anyway and I appreciate you stopping by!
Donella says
As a southern gal, nothing tastes better than chicken fried steak and a big heap of mashed potatoes!