Chicken-Fried Steak Fingers with Country Gravy
Chicken Fried Steak. But make it finger food.
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Chicken strips and chicken nuggets are the more casual cousin of crispy fried chicken, so why on earth doesn’t chicken-fried steak have the same kind of dippable counterpart? It’s a question that needs answers. So we decided to go ahead and solve that problem with these delicious dippable Chicken-Fried Steak Fingers. Served with a quick and savory country gravy, they work for lunch or dinner but also any of the times a full chicken fried steak might not, like as a party appetizer, for starters.
To get these crispy, hearty little beauties, you’re going to start with tenderized cube steak that you slice into strips. You dredge those strips in seasoned flour, dip them in eggs, and then back in the flour just to make sure you’re going to get a nice and thick crispy coating.
And then they fry. This is pan-frying, so you’re not dealing with a large pot of oil and they’re much quicker to cook than a chicken thigh or a full steak. About two minutes per side and you’re ready to make the gravy!
And that’s really what this is all about, isn’t it? The combination of meaty steak, a crispy coating, and a creamy but savory gravy. You’ll want to wipe out your pan before starting, just to make sure any overly-browned bits don’t go into flavoring your gravy. But then it’s just a bit of butter and flour, some milk, and plenty of salt and pepper and you’re ready to dip.
The gravy still takes on that meaty flavor from the pan-frying but it’s a creamy contrast to the crispy steak. This is hearty, stick-to-your-ribs fare for sure but in finger food form!
Chicken-Fried Steak Fingers with Country Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 lbs tenderized cube steak
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 1/4 cups milk, divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 5 tablespoons butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Oil, for frying
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 200°F.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then cut into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, baking powder, and some salt and pepper.
- In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, 3/4 cup milk, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Fill a large skillet with oil 1/4-inch deep and heat over medium-high heat.
- Once oil is between 350°F and 375°F, dredge steak strips in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then in egg mixture, then back in flour mixture.
- Shake off any excess flour, then gently place steak strips in oil and fry for 1-2 minutes per side, working in batches and taking care not to crowd pan. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Place finished strips in oven to keep warm.
- When done frying steak, wipe out skillet and return to medium-high heat.
- Add butter. Once melted, whisk in 1/4 cup of flour mixture used for dredging. Whisk for 1 minute, then gradually add 2 cups milk while continuing to whisk.
- Let cook until thickened, then season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 1/2 cup milk if gravy becomes too thick.
- Serve gravy alongside steak fingers as a dip and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from A Spicy Perspective.
