This keto chicken fried steak is fried to golden perfection and topped with creamy white gravy. Whether you eat it for breakfast or dinner, it's classic southern comfort food that is sure to become a family favorite!
Even though I usually make this recipe for dinner, it's actually perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
It's classic southern comfort food that consists of juicy and tender cube steak fried to crispy perfection and smothered in gravy. Oh my goodness, so much deliciousness!
And if you're looking for more comforting keto dinners, be sure to check out this Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf and Chicken Or Turkey Pot Pie!
Or this Cube Steak recipe from Glenda Embree and Gluten Free Breaded Pork Chops made with pork rinds looks yummy, too! Just be sure to use this Keto Mushroom Soup recipe to keep it low-carb 👍
If you're unfamiliar with chicken fried steak, check out these frequently asked questions...
Frequently asked questions
Contrary to its name, this dish is made with beef and doesn't actually have any chicken in it! The name comes from the way the steak is prepared, with an egg wash and crunchy fried coating, similar to fried chicken.
Chicken fried steak is made from cube steak, which is usually top round or top sirloin that has been mechanically tenderized. The tenderizing process makes meat that would normally be pretty tough to eat without slow-roasting into tender cuts that are ideal for quick cooking.
Traditional chicken fried steak is not gluten-free and can have upwards of 50 carbs, making it not suitable for a keto diet. However, this recipe is breaded with almond flour and pork rinds and then topped with gluten-free keto gravy, making it gluten-free and keto-friendly, coming in at only 4 net carbs per steak!
Chicken fried steak is a crispy fried steak served with white gravy, while country fried steak is a simpler, less crispy cutlet smothered in brown gravy.
While I highly recommend cube steak, you can use any thin cut of steak, as long as you tenderize it with a meat tenderizer first.
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients:
- Cube Steak: This is the ideal meat for country-fried steak.
- Blanched Almond Flour: Low-carb flour used for breading.
- Pork Rinds: My very favorite keto breadcrumb substitute! You can crush them yourself, or if you want to save time and energy, pre-crushed pork rind breadcrumbs are now readily available!
- Sea Salt, Ground Pepper, Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder: Seasonings in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heavy Cream: This is added to the eggs in the breading to add flavor, help the breading adhere to the steak, give it a beautiful golden color, and keep the steak from drying out while cooking.
- Eggs: Used to bind the breading to the beef.
- Avocado Oil: For frying (sorry, I forgot to add this to the picture!)
💭Tip: If the cube steaks are sold in large pieces, to get four servings of chicken fried steak, you may need to cut them in half before preparing.
...And if you're looking for more cube steak recipes, be sure to check out these Instant Pot Cube Steaks from Tessa The Domestic Diva!
Easy instructions
Step #1: Season the cube steak with salt and pepper.
Step #2: Dredge the meat in almond flour. By dredging the meat in flour before the eggs, it creates a dry surface on the meat, which helps the egg mixture adhere better. It also gives it a thicker coating and better texture.
Step #3: Then, dredge in beaten eggs with heavy cream. Be sure to coat the steaks well then drain off any excess liquid.
Step #4: Then finally, dredge in seasoned crushed pork rinds.
Be sure to really press the flour in. You want the steaks to be completely coated with the breading.
💭 Tip: Be sure to crush the pork rinds really fine or they will have trouble sticking the meat. I prefer to crush mine in a food processor. However, you can also place them in a plastic baggie (leaving it slightly vented) and crush them with a mallet. Or if you're looking to save time and energy, pre-crushed pork rind breadcrumbs are now readily available!
Step #5: Repeat with remaining steaks and set aside.
Step #6: Fry the steaks.
Heat approximately ¼ inch of avocado oil in a frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. These are shallow-fried - not deep-fried - and only require around 1 cup of oil or less.
The oil should be glistening but not smoking, between 330 to 350 degrees.
Fry 2 steaks at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Do not flip them more than once and do not overcrowd the pan or the breading may fall off. Set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate.
To keep the steaks warm, place them in a preheated oven between 225 to 225 while you make the gravy.
Gravy
The keto white gravy is thick, ultra-creamy, and easy to make with only a handful of basic ingredients, one skillet, and 15 minutes.
Step #7: Make the keto white gravy.
When preparing the gravy, don't forget to use the drippings!
To do this, do NOT scrape the skillet. Then, pour out the grease into a mug (or whatever you prefer), and add about 3 Tablespoons of drippings back to the skillet. Then, prepare the gravy as directed.
Step #8: Pour the gravy over the steaks and serve hot.
How to serve
Here are some super-simple keto sides to serve with your low-carb chicken fried steaks:
Or this Mashed Cauliflower from Wholesome Yum would be delicious too!
Storage instructions
- Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Be sure to store the steaks and gravy separately so they don't get soggy. While they will lose some of their crunch in the fridge, leaving the gravy off will help.
- Reheat: Line a baking sheet with foil and place the chicken fried steaks on it. Lightly place another sheet of foil over the steaks. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. If they're not crispy enough, bake for another 5 minutes uncovered, if necessary. Microwaving is not recommended, as it will make the crust soggy.
- Freeze: Allow the pieces to completely cool and then wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer baggie or airtight container. Freeze for 3 to 4 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Meal Prep: These can be prepared and frozen before frying for meal prep. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to flash-freeze chicken fried steak.
Top tips
- A heavy skillet works best. I prefer to use a cast-iron skillet, but any heavy-bottomed skillet will work.
- Keep the fried steaks in a preheated oven between 225 to 250 degrees to keep them warm and crisp while making the gravy.
- Do not flip the steaks more than once, and do not overcrowd the pan, or the breading may not get crispy or, worse, fall off!!
- Be sure to crush the pork rinds really fine, or they will have trouble sticking the meat. I prefer to crush mine in a food processor. However, you can also place them in a plastic baggie (leaving it slightly vented) and crush them with a mallet.
If you've tried this keto chicken fried steak recipe, please let me know what you think in the comments below 👇
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📖 Recipe
Low-Carb Keto Chicken Fried Steak With Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 Cube Steaks - about ¼ lb each
- ½ Cup Blanched Almond Flour - finely ground
- 1 ½ Cups Crushed Pork Rinds - approximately 2 to 3 oz.
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt - divided
- 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper - divided
- 2 Large Eggs
- ½ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Cup Avocado Oil - or preferred oil for frying
- Keto White Gravy
Instructions
- If you're not using pre-crushed pork rinds: Add the pork rinds to the bowl of a food processor and process until very finely crushed. Depending on the size of your food processor you might need to process them in batches. Alternatively, place the pork rinds in a large resealable baggie, leaving it slightly vented, and crush them with a rolling pin or mallet until very finely ground. Set aside.
- Pat the cube steaks dry with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as possible. Season both sides with one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, add the blanched almond flour. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the crushed pork rinds, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, one teaspoon of salt, and one teaspoon of ground black pepper. In a third shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy whipping cream. Set the bowls aside.
- Dredge the cube steaks in the almond flour mixture, then dredge in the egg/cream mixture, letting excess drip off, and then in the pork rind mixture.
- Place the breaded cube steaks on a sheet pan or metal rack and press any of the remaining pork rinds into the cube steaks, making sure that the entire steak is completely coated.
- Preheat oven to 225 to 250 F
- Heat the avocado oil in a medium/large heavy skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. How much oil you need depends on the size of your skillet. You want it to be about ¼-inch deep.
- Test the oil by dropping in a bit of almond flour. The oil should sizzle and bubble but not go crazy and pop everywhere. Look for the oil to be glistening but not smoking - about 330-350 degrees F.
- Place two steaks into the pan at a time and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Do not flip more than once and do not fry more than two steaks at a time or the breading may fall off.
- Remove steaks from the pan and drain them on a paper-towel-lined plate. Place in the preheated oven to stay warm. Repeat with remaining steaks
- Reserve the drippings for gravy: Do NOT scrape the skillet. Then, pour out the grease into a mug (or whatever you prefer), and add about 3 Tablespoons of drippings back to the skillet to make the gravy.
- Prepare the white gravy as directed. Serve hot over the chicken fried steaks.
Add Your Own Notes
Notes
- Nutrition info is calculated using ½ cup of avocado oil since not all the oil is used when frying.
- Be sure to crush the pork rinds very finely or they will have trouble sticking to the steaks. Or if you're looking to save time and energy, pre-crushed pork rind breadcrumbs are now readily available!
- A heavy skillet works best. I prefer to use a cast-iron skillet but any heavy-bottomed skillet will work.
- If the cube steaks are sold in large pieces, to get four servings, you may need to cut them in half before preparing.
- The oil is only good for 4 steaks, if making more than 4 steaks, you'll need to start with fresh oil.
Nutrition
NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber - Allulose - Xylitol
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols, xylitol, and allulose are included in the total carbs and fiber.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my
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