Fried Chicken Steak Recipe | Bon appetit

Our Best Chicken Steak Recipe will take you straight to a corner grill in Texas. For many from the Lone Star State, the tender chop, with its crispy, golden crust and topped with peppery white sauce, is the ultimate comfort food, on par with macaroni and cheese and braised cabbage. Contrary to what you might think, there is no chicken here. The name, sometimes rephrased as country-fried steak, comes because the crust was meant to mimic that of another Southern icon, fried chicken. You don’t need a fryer here, though, as the thin cut of beef cooks quickly when shallow fried in a deep pan (a cast-iron skillet is ideal).

For the beef, look for cube steak (sometimes called round steak), a relatively affordable cut of meat that’s usually docked by a tenderizer before packaging. If it doesn’t, use the pointed end of a meat mallet to smash the steak into thin chops. We add some cornstarch to the seasoned flour mixture, an unconventional touch that ensures the breading is crispy. After searing the steak in hot oil, use the same skillet (and drippings) to prepare the rich creamy sauce. Thickened with a roux, this country sauce recipe gets its boost from Worcestershire umami and soy sauce and the balance of spicy Dijon and hot sauce.

For a classic square meal, serve seared chicken steak with buttermilk mashed potatoes, green beans, and cornbread — yeehaw, optional.