Classic Chicken Fried Steak with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

For the Chicken Fried Steak.

• 4 cube steaks (about 6 oz each)
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for a little heat)
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the Creamy Mashed Potatoes:

• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Gravy:

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Detailed Instructions First, get the chicken fried steak ready. Set up your breading station first. Combine the flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and salt in a shallow bowl for seasoning. Whisk the eggs and milk in a separate shallow bowl. Using a paper towel, pat the cube steaks dry so that the breading adheres more easily. To ensure that the flour sticks to the steaks well, firmly press the combination of seasoned flour onto each steak. The steak should then be completely coated after dipping it into the egg and milk mixture. Finally, for a double coating of breading, dredge the steak once more in the seasoned flour. As you get the oil ready for frying, place the steaks on a wire rack to rest

Next, cook the steaks. In a big skillet, heat up about ½ inch of vegetable oil over medium heat. Heat the oil to a sufficient temperature for frying without scorching the coating. If a tiny pinch of flour sizzles when dropped into the oil to test the heat, the oil is ready. To prevent crowding, carefully put two steaks at a time into the hot oil. The steaks should be crispy and golden brown after 3 to 4 minutes of cooking on each side. After cooking, move the steaks to a dish covered with paper towels to remove any leftover oil.

Create the Creamy Mashed Potatoes in Step Three. Make the mashed potatoes while the steaks are frying. After peeling and cubing the potatoes, put them in a big pot of salted water. After bringing the water to a boil, simmer the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a fork inserted into them comes out soft. After draining, put the potatoes back in the pot. Mashed the potatoes till they are smooth and creamy after adding the heavy cream, butter, and milk. To taste, add salt and pepper for seasoning.

Step 4:

Get the gravy ready Use the tasty bits that remain in the pan after frying the steaks to make the gravy. Remove the majority of the oil from the skillet using care, reserving two to three tablespoons along with the browned bits bits. Lower the heat to medium.

To eliminate the taste of raw flour, add the flour to the pan, stir it into the oil, and cook for about one minute. To avoid lumps, slowly add the milk while whisking continuously. For about four to five minutes, or until the gravy thickens, keep heating and stirring. Add a generous amount of black pepper and salt to taste.

Step 5:

Present and Savor! To serve, arrange a substantial portion of creamy mashed potatoes beside a crispy chicken fried steak on a dish. Pour the flavorful sauce over the potatoes and steak. Add some green beans or a side salad for a traditional Southern dinner.