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This crispy and tender Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner to satisfy all your Southern fried cravings. This Southern dish gets a modern twist, offering all the crispy, savory goodness with significantly less oil.

Chicken fried steak made in the air fryer and served on a plate with green beans and cornbread.

Table of Contents

Quick and Easy Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

This Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak is a game-changer for those craving the crunchy texture and rich flavor of the traditional fried favorite without the guilt. It’s straightforward to prepare and cooks in minutes, perfect for a hearty meal any day of the week.

You’ll love this easy recipe because it’s super easy to make, making it a great beginner recipe for novice cooks.

The cut of steak makes this meal juicy and tender without using a deep fryer.

It’s a great way to switch up a traditional steak recipe without overcomplicating it.

Looking for more? Check out this article where we share our favorite top 50 air fryer chicken recipes.

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Ingredients

  • Cube Steaks: The traditional choice for chicken fried steak, tenderized for perfect cooking.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the crispy coating.
  • Egg: Binds the flour coating to the steak.
  • Baking Powder: Helps the coating puff up during cooking, creating a lighter crust.
  • Paprika, Ground Black Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper: These spices infuse the meat with robust flavors.
  • Hot Sauce: Adds a tangy kick to the egg mixture.
  • Milk: Combines with the egg and hot sauce for a rich coating.
Ingredients needed to make chicken fried steak in the air fryer.

How to Cook Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak

STEP 1 – Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).

STEP 2 – In a large shallow bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder. Whisk together to combine.

STEP 3 – Thoroughly mix the milk, egg, and hot sauce in a separate bowl to make the wet batter.

Steaks ready to be dipped into the egg mixture and into the breading mixture.

STEP 4 – Dip each cube steak into the flour mixture first, ensuring it’s fully coated. Follow this by dipping into the milk mixture, then back into the flour mixture for a double coating.

STEP 5 – Place the double-coated steaks on a baking sheet and spray both sides with oil cooking spray to enhance crispiness.

Chicken fried steaks on a baking sheet ready to be placed into the air fryer.

STEP 6 – Prepare the air fryer by spraying the basket with olive oil cooking spray or lining it with perforated parchment paper.

STEP 7 – Arrange the steaks in a single layer in the air fryer basket and apply a light layer of olive oil to the steaks. Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 8 minutes.

Breaded round steaks in the basket of the air fryer, ready to cook.

STEP 8 – Carefully flip each steak, apply another light spray of olive oil, and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes until each steak is golden brown and crispy and reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF.

Chicken fried steaks in the basket of the air fryer ready to serve.

NOTE: This recipe used a 5.8 qt basket-style Cosori Air Fryer. If you use a different type of air fryer, you may need to adjust the cooking time with this recipe. Some air fryers can cook a little faster, and some can cook much slower; this air fryer is 5.8 qt with a power output of 1700 watts. If you use an air fryer that is larger or uses less power, you must increase the cooking time.

Air fryer chicken fried steaks on a white plate ready to serve.

Tips

  • Uniform Thickness: Ensure your steaks are uniformly thick to promote even cooking.
  • Avoid Overcrowding: Cook in batches to allow for optimal air circulation, achieving the crispiest results.
  • Preheat Air Fryer: Preheating your air fryer helps to start the cooking process quickly and efficiently.
  • Internal Temperature: The steak’s internal temperature should be at least 145ºF before you take it out of the Air Fryer. You can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
  • Excess Flour: Excess flour causes the steaks to become too bready, so make sure you tap off extra flour before placing your steaks in the Air Fryer.

Variations

  • Extra Spicy: Add more hot sauce or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to the flour mixture for a hotter taste.
  • Herb-Infused: Mix dried herbs like oregano, thyme, or rosemary into the flour mixture for an additional layer of flavor.
Delicious air fryer chicken fried steak covered with white gravy and ready to eat.

FAQs

What’s the best way to serve chicken fried steak?

Chicken fried steak is traditionally served with white gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans for a complete meal.

Can I use another type of meat for this recipe?

While cube steak is traditional, you can also use tenderized chicken breasts or pork cutlets as delicious alternatives.

How do I ensure the coating sticks to the steak?

Make sure to press the flour mixture firmly onto the steak during each coating step and allow the breaded steak to set for a few minutes before cooking. This helps the coating adhere better.

Enjoy your Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak as a less guilty way to indulge in this classic Southern comfort dish. Its crisp exterior and tender, flavorful meat will satisfy your cravings.

MORE AIR FRYER CHICKEN RECIPES:

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Overhead shot of chicken fried steak made in the air fryer and served on a plate covered in gravy and served with green beans and a side of cornbread.
4.86 from 7 votes
Servings: 4

Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak

By Jen
This crispy and tender Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner that will satisfy all your deep-fried cravings.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
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Equipment

  • 1 Air Fryer

Ingredients 

  • 4 cube steaks
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1 cup milk

Instructions 

  • Combine the flour, paprika, salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder in a large shallow bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
  • Combine the milk, egg, and hot sauce in a second bowl. Mix well.
  • Take the fresh cube steaks and dip them into the dry mixture, the egg mixture, and then back into the flour mixture.
  • Repeat this with your cube steaks and place them on a baking sheet.
  • Spray both sides of the prepared cube steaks with a few spritzes of oil cooking spray.
  • Prepare the Air Fryer basket with olive oil cooking spray or perforated parchment paper.
  • Place the cube steaks in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 400ºF. for 8 minutes.
  • Use a spatula to flip each steak carefully, spray once more with olive oil spray, and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the tops are golden brown with a crispy coating.
  • Serve with white gravy, green beans, corn, cornbread, or any of your favorite side dishes.

Notes

This recipe was made using a 5.8 qt basket style Cosori Air Fryer. If you are using a different type of air fryer, you may need to adjust the cooking time with this recipe. Some air fryers can cook a little faster, and some can cook much slower, This air fryer is 5.8 qt with a power output of 1700 watts. If you are using an air fryer that is larger or using less power, you will need to increase the cooking time.
Make sure you don’t overcrowd your steaks in the Air Fryer, or they won’t cook evenly. The steaks can touch as long as they aren’t on top of one another.
Excess flour causes the steaks to become too bready, so make sure you tap off extra flour before placing your steaks in the Air Fryer.
Cube steaks are best for this recipe because they are already tenderized and pre-cut when you buy them. Cube steaks are incredibly tender, making them perfect for this recipe. If you can’t find cubed steak at your local grocery store, you can make cube steaks yourself by buying a sirloin, tenderizing it with a meat tenderizer, and making small cube-like cuts in the meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 547kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 169mg, Sodium: 443mg, Potassium: 736mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 186IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 243mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Jen Gamble

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4.86 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. Charles Young says:

    Is there a recipe for the white gravy for the CFS?
    -cy

    Reply
    1. Becky Abbott says:

      We just used an already made gravy.

      Reply