Everyone gets excited when it's dinner time and gluten-free chicken fried steak is on the menu. There is no better comfort food than chicken fried steak. Plus, this recipe is gluten free, super easy to make, and brings a smile to everyone's faces!
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Mr. Fearless Dining and I discovered chicken fried steak back when we lived in Austin, TX. It is the purest form of comfort food. When we went gluten free, I made it my mission to create a gluten free version of chicken-fried steak!
My gluten free chicken fried steak recipe is as close to the real thing as possible. I'm not just saying it because I am the one who came up with the recipe. It's just really good!
I'm pretty sure chicken fried steak has been a family favorite for generations. We try to eat a lot of healthy food at the Fearless Dining household, but we also love to enjoy some comfort food from time to time.
If you love Southern recipes, you will want to try my Gluten Free Chicken and Waffles recipe too!
Why this recipe is great:
The crispy fried crust and tender, juicy beef on the inside. Set it on top of a pile of mashed potatoes, cover it in gravy, and you will be in utter food heaven. It's that delicious!
If you love comfort foods, you must try this AMAZING gluten free fried chicken recipe too!
This gluten free chicken fried steak recipe, is traditionally served with gravy and mashed potatoes. When frying this steak, the pan drippings are super greasy, so you will want to make this gluten free gravy recipe.
This tastes just like regular chicken fried steak! I did have to double the recipe for the breading, but it came out golden crispy and delicious." 👍
Julie F., Pinterest comment
For mashed potatoes, these Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are out-of-this-world good!!
If you're gluten free or someone in your family is, I know how daunting it can be to get it all figured out. I promise after you have learned all the tricks and tips, you will be able to cook amazingly good and be confident.
Ingredient Notes:
- Cube steak - I love that this recipe calls for cube steak. It is a less expensive cut of meat that is perfect for holding the crispy coating because of the tenderizing the meat gets.
- Gluten-free flour blend - This recipe can use any flour blend. One fun brand for this recipe is Bob's All Purpose Flour. It contains bean flour that works well for savory foods.
- Canola oil - Ensure the oil you fry can tolerate high heat. Do NOT use olive oil. Be sure to check Is Canola Oil Gluten Free for more info.
Recipe Step By Step Directions:
Are you ready to make this delicious gluten free dinner recipe?
Step 1: Add your gluten free flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to a bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 2: Dip your cubed steak into the milk.
Step 3: Take the cube steak out of the milk and dip it into the flour mixture. Make sure to coat all sides! Now for my best tip, you will double coat the meat. This makes it turn out extra crispy!
Step 4: Take your coated cube steak out of the flour, dip in the milk again, then re-coat with the flour. This double coating ensures the perfect chicken fried steak!
Step 5: Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet. You want your oil to be between 350-375º F.
Step 6: Fry the steak for about 4-5 minutes on each side. The exact cooking time depends on how thick your cube steak slices are. You will know to flip it when the side cooking in oil is all crispy.
Step 7: Remove the steaks from the oil onto a paper towel-lined plate. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Make it complete with my homemade gluten free gravy and mashed potatoes recipes!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
Cubed steak has a funny texture. The meat is pounded flat; if you look at it, you can see how a tenderizer machine cut up the surface. This helps keep the meat tender for cooking.
The best frying oils for high heat tolerance like avocado oil, canola, and coconut. (I love coconut oil, but it is best for frying donuts and sweet things.)
The name chicken fried steak basically means that it is fried in the same fashion as chicken. It has a coating that gets crispy when it's fried, just like chicken.
If you've never tried a chicken fried steak, I would say this is the time to do it. Once you try it, you'll be in love.
It's best to keep the gluten free chicken fried steak in a sealed container. You don't want air getting to it, so make sure it's airtight. Then place it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Yes, you can absolutely freeze gluten free chicken fried steak. It makes lovely leftovers, so it's excellent for meal planning. First, wrap the steak in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 1 month.
The best way to reheat chicken fried steak is to warm it in the oven. Heat it at 350º F for around 15 minutes. It should keep the crust nice and crispy instead of soggy.
If you're in a hurry, you can always microwave it for a couple of minutes until it's hot. (Just note if you do microwave it, the breading will be soggy.)
Serve these roasted fava beans to make a great meal!
Serve this Gluten Free Chicken Fried Steak with my amazing Gluten Free Beer Battered Onion Rings!
What's the difference between chicken fried steak and country fried steak?
The main difference between a chicken fried steak and a country-fried steak is the gravy. A traditional country-fried steak is topped with brown gravy compared to a chicken-fried steak with white or creamy-based gravy. In my opinion, they both taste great!
More gluten free dinner recipes:
- This baked Gluten Free Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken has fewer calories than fried chicken
- You won't believe what you can do with a waffle maker! Check out this Crispy Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan recipe
- This gluten free German Schnitzel With Potato Salad is wonderful with most meals.
- I love this Gluten Free Salisbury Steak. It is pure comfort food.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Chicken Fried Steak
Ingredients
- 1 pound cube steaks usually this is 4 slices
- ½ cup gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup canola oil
Instructions
- Add the flour and spices to a bowl and whisk to blend. (Make sure you use a bowl wide enough for dipping the meat in!)
- In another bowl, add the milk.
- Dip the cube steaks in the milk, then in the flour. Coat both sides.
- Now you want to double dip so that you get a nice crispy coating. Dip the milky flour-coated cube steak back into the milk, then the flour mixture.
- Place the meat on a plate and heat the oil in a skillet.
- You want the oil to be two inches deep in your skillet.
- When the oil is hot, add the cube steak.
- Cook until the side in oil looks golden and flip it over to cook the other side. This should take anywhere from 3-5 minutes per side depending on how thick your cube steak is cut.
- Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. This will help absorb extra oil.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Notes
- Use caution frying because the hot oil can spatter. I cook my fried foods outside on a burner that is attached to our grill.
- If you can't find cube steaks, you can use another cut of steak pounded thin.
- This chicken fried steak recipe will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Sharon
Great recipe! Good flavor! I did add a little extra garlic powder only because I really like garlic 🤷🏻♀️ Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you loved the recipe!! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Sheila
These steaks are wonderful!
The recipe is well written and easy to follow.
I hope you will try them.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you loved the recipe, Sheila. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!
Matt
The flavor is solid, but I would probably cut the salt amount in half, too salty for our taste, especially with them being double fried and getting twice the amount of batter. And the cooking time was more like 2-3 min total at a moderate frying temp. Other then that they were good and will definitely do again!
Sandi Gaertner
I am glad you liked the recipe. I can see a variance in cooking time depending on how thick the meat used is. I will have to try it with less salt, that would definitely be better if double fried. Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Misty
Can this recipe be baked instead of fried? What would your recommendation be?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Misty, I haven't tested baking this recipe so I am unable to advise if it would work the same way.
Sandy
This recipe is fantastic! I have been craving country fried steak for years almost 15. I tried it on my own and it was horrible I had to throw it away. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipe keep up the fantastic job!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you liked this recipe Sandy. It reminds me of when we lived in Texas...glad I could help you enjoy.
Suzy
This is so good! And I love that it’s a perfect meal for the whole family!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much. I am glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Justine
Chicken fried steak - M'mmm.....nom nom nom. I just love this gluten free version! Proof that being gluten free doesn't mean having to sacrifice anything. 😉
Sandi Gaertner
Exactly!! Thanks for stopping by Justine :-).