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This air fryer chicken fried steak is a lighter twist on a Southern comfort food classic. Instead of deep frying, cube steak is coated in seasoned flour and cooked in the air fryer until perfectly crispy, then served with rich homemade pepper gravy. If you’ve ever wondered how to make chicken fried steak in the air fryer, this easy recipe delivers the same crunchy coating and juicy steak as the traditional version—without needing a skillet full of oil.
Serve it with Bisquick Biscuits, Southern Green Beans, or your favorite sides for a comforting meal that’s surprisingly simple to make at home.
Why you’ll love chicken fried steak in the air fryer!
Ah, chicken fried steak. Sometimes also known as country fried steak, it’s a classic Southern dish that consists of cubed steak dredged in seasoned flour and fried in a skillet until golden brown. It’s usually served with creamy gravy and mashed potatoes or rice—and it’s anything but healthy.
While this recipe is still not exactly health food, it is much lighter than the original fried version, which means it’s perfect when you’ve got a craving for it, but don’t want to eat a day’s worth of calories in a single meal!
- Crispy without deep frying: The air fryer creates a golden, crunchy coating with minimal oil.
- Comfort food classic: Tender cube steak topped with creamy pepper gravy.
- Quick and easy: Ready in about 20 minutes.
- Less mess: No splattering oil or deep frying required.
- Family favorite: A hearty dinner everyone will love.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
For the chicken fried steak:
- Cube steaks – Also known as minute steak, cube steak is a cut of beef that’s pre-tenderized by a process of pounding and cutting. As a result, it’s tender, flavorful, and typically inexpensive.
- Egg – Here’s the best way to crack an egg!
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk is thicker than regular milk, which helps the coating stick to the steak better.
- Hot sauce – Any kind you like or have on hand. A pinch of cayenne pepper works too!
- All-purpose flour – Forms the crispy coating.
- Garlic powder – Or use half garlic powder and half onion powder.
- Smoked paprika – While regular paprika can be used instead, smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor that can’t be beat.
For the creamy gravy:
- Unsalted butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use that and simply add less salt to the recipe.
- All-purpose flour – Thickens the sauce.
- Whole milk – Makes the gravy rich and creamy.
Variations
- Leave out the hot sauce for a milder flavor.
- Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour substitute to make this recipe gluten free.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak
- Coat the steak: Dip each piece of beef into the egg mixture, coating both sides.
- Dredge: Dredge in the dry ingredients, pressing it in gently to make sure it’s completely covered. Shake off any excess.
- Cook: Spray the inside of the air fryer basket with nonstick spray, then place the steaks inside. Coat the tops with the spray. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown; flip halfway through the cooking time.
- Make the gravy: Melt the butter in a skillet or small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and stir together with a rubber spatula until there are no more lumps. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Cook on low until slightly thickened, then season to taste.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with mashed potatoes or Instant Pot white rice for soaking up the gravy.
- You can also serve it alongside roasted vegetables, cornbread salad, Southern collard greens, or your favorite green salad for a lighter meal.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in the air fryer at 350°F for 3–4 minutes to restore crispiness. Microwaving works too, but the coating may soften.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure you are coating the steak with a thin layer of egg wash and flour. If it’s too thick, it won’t stick. Also, be sure to press the flour mixture into the steak so that it sticks better.
No, I do not recommend making the chicken-fried steak ahead of time as the coating may become soggy. However, you can prepare the ingredients for breading up to a day in advance and store them separately in an airtight container until ready to cook.
Yes, you can make air fryer chicken-fried steak without buttermilk. Instead, place 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar in a liquid measuring cup, then fill it to the 1/2-cup mark with whole milk. Whisk and let this mixture sit for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle, creating a buttermilk substitute.
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Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Shallow Containers
- Skillet
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cube steaks
- Nonstick cooking spray
Gravy
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a shallow container, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and hot sauce.1 egg, ½ cup buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon hot sauce
- In a separate container, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, and paprika.½ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Dip each steak into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Remove, then dredge in the flour mixture, pressing it in gently to make sure that it is completely covered.2 cube steaks
- Repeat the dredging process by dipping each steak again into the egg, followed by the flour mixture. Set aside on a plate.
- Spray the inside of the air fryer basket with nonstick spray, then place the steaks inside. Spray the tops with the spray.Nonstick cooking spray
- Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, turning halfway through.
- While the steak bakes, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once completely melted, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix together with a rubber spatula until there are no more lumps.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Cook on low until slightly thickened, making sure to scrape the bottom so it doesn’t scorch. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve over the cooked steaks.1 cup whole milk
Notes
- Press the flour coating firmly onto the steak.
- Spray breading lightly with cooking spray before air frying.
- Flip halfway through cooking for even crisping.
- Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
Looks so crispy and comforting without being heavy 🤍 Perfect air fryer win!
Crispy, juicy, and lighter than the classic!
Five stars! It’s going straight into my regular meal rotation.