Chicken fried steak

Chicken fried steak, or country-fried steak as it is sometimes known, is a cherished dish from the Southern United States. Picture a tender beefsteak, breaded in seasoned flour and then pan-fried to crispy perfection. If you're familiar with fried chicken, you'll recognize a similar preparation method. In fact, it bears a striking resemblance to dishes like Wiener schnitzel and milanesa, thanks to the influence of German and Austrian immigrants who settled in Texas during the 19th century.

Interestingly, the roots of chicken fried steak can be traced back to an 1838 cookbook called "The Virginia Housewife" by Mary Randolph, which featured a recipe for veal cutlets. By the late 1800s, variations of this dish began appearing in regional cookbooks, and it even earned a place in Oklahoma's official state meal in 1988.

Making chicken fried steak typically starts with a thin cut of beefsteak—often cube steak or round steak—tenderized, battered, breaded, and fried. It is almost always accompanied by creamy gravy, traditionally made from milk and pepper.

This versatile and comforting dish is often paired with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and biscuits. In some places, you might even find it on the breakfast menu. Depending on where you are, you might encounter different styles of gravy; some regions prefer a brown, beef stock-based gravy over the classic cream gravy.

But the fun doesn't stop there. Chicken fried steak can be enjoyed in various creative ways: tucked into a sandwich, stuffed in a baked potato, or sliced into strips known as "steak fingers." These steak fingers are especially popular in Idaho. The dish has many regional variations, with some areas calling it country fried steak and serving it with different types of gravies.