Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak – Even Better Than Fried!

If you love the taste of chicken fried steak you are going to love this air fryer recipe! It is the perfect way to enjoy a delicious and classic comfort food meal with a fraction of the calories than when made the traditional way!

Thanks to the air fryer you can skip the oil and let hot circulating air make this dish healthier without sacrificing the flavor. It also speeds up the cooking process and creates much less of a mess than traditional deep frying – making this a quicker, cleaner and lighter alternative to your favorite dinner recipe.

However don’t skip out on the country style pepper gravy that is poured on top of the steaks making the taste even better. And if you are looking for a traditional comfort food meal, be sure to add a helping of mashed potatoes with this dish for dinner or serve it for breakfast with a side of buttermilk biscuits.

Best of all, what I really like about this recipe that it is prepared and ready to eat in under 30 minutes! Which is the reason that it makes for a great meal to make on a busy weekday,

However the taste is so good that it is also great to serve at Sunday supper as a classic comfort food meal that the entire family will love!

Preparing the Steaks

For those who are unfamiliar with chicken fried steak, you may be shocked to find out that there is absolutely no chicken included in this recipe. Instead, this classic recipe gets its name from the breading used on the outside of the steak before it’s cooked in the same manner as traditional fried chicken.

However, just like when making Air Fryer Fried Chicken, this recipe is converted to be easier and healthier and is cooked in the air fryer instead of in a pot of hot oil.

But instead of using chicken, this dish is made most often with cube steaks. Although you can also make this dish with thin, 1/2 inch thick sirloin steaks if you prefer.

No matter what cut of meat that you use for this recipe be sure to let the steaks rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes prior to cooking them. Doing so will help the steaks cook evenly and remain moist when put in the air fryer.

Breading the Chicken Fried Steaks

Once you have your meat it is time to prepare the breading which will create that crunchy outer layer. This coating will ensure that you get a tender and juicy steak on the inside while getting a crispy seasoned layer on the outside.

To make the breading, you will use both wet and dry ingredients in a process called dredging. Dredging is a simple process where you use both a binder ingredient and a dry ingredient to fully cover your meat.  

However this recipe calls for a triple dipping process which requires you to coat the steak in the dry ingredients twice. You will first coat the steak in the flour mixture, then put it in the wet ingredients.   

And before the steak goes in the air fryer, you will coat the meat one final time in the dry ingredients. Then simply place each breaded steak on a platter and get the air fryer ready for cooking.

Air Fryer Cook Time Required

To achieve a crispy golden coating on your air fryer chicken fried steaks, be sure to give the coated meat a quick spray of cooking oil on both sides before placing it inside of the air fryer. 

Then generously spray your air fryer basket with cooking oil so that the steaks don’t stick to the surface. Next be sure to preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Once the air fryer is ready, carefully place the chicken fried steaks in the air fryer basket.

However, it is important that you place them in a single layer to ensure even cooking. Therefore, depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook in batches.

Cook the steak for about 6-7 minutes. Then carefully use a pair of tongs to flip the steaks over and cook for another 6-7 minutes.

However, because air fryers cook at different rates and the thickness of the steak can vary, it is best to monitor the steaks carefully as they cook to achieve your desired level of doneness. 

Serving Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steaks

When the coating has a nice crispy golden brown color and the meat has reached an internal temperature of 140°F, remove the steaks from the air fryer. Let them rest for 5 minutes. 

For optimal crunch, set the chicken fried steaks on a wire rack when they come out of the air fryer. This allows the meat to cool down and prevent any chances of a soggy bottom layer.  

Then when it comes to serving the steaks for dinner you have the choice to pour gravy on top and add your favorite comfort food side dishes.

Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 (6 ounce) cube steaks or thinly pound sirloin steaks
• olive oil spray
• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 2 large eggs
• 4 Tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons Buffalo wing hot sauce

Optional Ingredients

• 1 package or jar of country style, peppered gravy
• 4 servings of mashed potatoes

Instructions

1. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and set aside at least 20 minutes before when you intend to cook them. Set aside.

2. In 1 shallow bowl whisk together the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, oregano and cayenne pepper (if using). Set aside.

3. In another shallow bowl whisk together the eggs, water and Buffalo wing hot sauce. Set aside.

4. Working one at a time, coat a cube steak in the flour mixture on both sides. Shake off any excess flour and then dip the steak in the egg mixture. Flip and dip the other side in the egg wash.

Then place the steak back into the flour mixture, coating each side. Press down on the flour so that it adheres to the surface. Shake off any excess flour and place the coated cube steak on a platter. Repeat with the other steaks.

5. Once you have the last steak doubly coated in the flour mixture and set aside, let the steaks rest for 10 minutes.

Preparing the Air Fryer To Cook Chicken Fried Steak

6. Generously spray the air fryer basket with olive oil (or another high heat oil). Preheat the air fryer at 400°F (200°C). If your brand of air fryer doesn’t automatically preheat, heat at 400°F for 5 minutes.

7. Once preheated, remove the basket and add the steaks, working in batches if needed. You do not want the steaks to overlap. Generously spray the tops of the steaks with oil so that all of the flour is coated.

8. Cook for 7-8 minutes. Carefully flip the steaks. Then spray the upper side with olive oil. Cook for another 6-7 minutes or until the steaks are golden brown in color and reach an internal temperature of 140°F. Remove from the air fryer and let rest for 5 minutes on a cooling rack before serving.

9. Optional: while the chicken fried steaks are cooking, prepare the gravy per package instructions. Then when you serve the steaks top each one with gravy as desired and serve with a helping of mashed potatoes.

Enjoy! Mary

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