You know, why do they call a piece of breaded steak “chicken-fried steak”? You know how confusing that is to a teenager that just came to the U.S. from a country that doesn’t even really eat steak?!
For the longest time I didn’t know if it was actually chicken or steak. I would always wonder who came up with this silly name… is it chicken, or is it steak? I’m not sure who told me or if I just came to the conclusion that chicken-fried steak is actually “steak”, but to this day I still think it’s funny when I see something called “chicken-fried xxx” when it has nothing to do with chicken lol.
I’ve never had chicken-fried anything before, but once in a while when we’d go to Perkins for breakfast, the hubs will order their chicken-fried steak as his “dinner” after getting off work on nights.
If he likes it, it’s probably pretty good… which means that I’ll probably like it.
Yep, that’s how I determined what we should have for dinner this weekend. I figured we’d try something new and adventurous, something we’ve never made before.
Well, this recipe sure didn’t disappoint me, because the breading was suuuuper flavorful and the meat was actually quite tender. It’s healthier than the traditional chicken fried steak since we made it in the oven instead of frying it in a frying pan, and if I can make something that’s just as tasty but healthier, I’m all for it.
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Cooking spray
- Hot chili pepper sauce, to taste
- 3 cups cornflakes, crushed
- 2 teaspoons Lowry's seasoning
- 3-4 cube steaks, about 16 oz total
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 fat-free half-and-half
- Salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray generously with cooking spray.
- Tenderize the meat with a meat tenderizer while making sure the steaks are uniform in thickness.
- Using three shallow bowls, place the flour in one bowl. In the other, whisk together the milk, egg, and hot sauce. In the last bowl, combine the cornflakes and 1 teaspoon of the Lowry's.
- Season the steaks with the remaining Lowry's seasoning. Dredge the steaks in the flour, patting off the excess. Then dip them into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Finally, dredge them in the crushed cornflakes, slightly pressing on them to help the flakes stick to the steaks.
- Place the steaks on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the top of the steaks lightly with more cooking spray. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of beef broth. Whisk until thoroughly combined. In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch mixture with the remaining beef broth and half-and-half. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let simmer until thickened while stirring constantly. Season generously with black pepper.
- Serve the steaks with the cream gravy.
Enjoy!