Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak

If you love chicken fried steak but hate the mess that comes with deep frying, this air fryer version is going to make you very happy.

You get that same crispy, golden crust on the outside with tender steak on the inside. Except this time, there’s no big pot of oil to deal with and no greasy cleanup after.

The secret to getting that thick, crunchy coating is a double dredge. You dip the steak in seasoned flour, then egg, then back in the flour again. It makes a huge difference.

The seasoning mix is simple but hits all the right notes – a little smoky, a little spicy, and plenty of flavor in every bite.

Serve it up with some white country gravy and mashed potatoes, and you’ve got yourself a proper comfort food dinner in about 20 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Way Less Oil Than Deep Frying – You get that crispy golden crust without submerging the steak in a whole pot of hot oil.

The Double Dredge Makes It – That flour-egg-flour method creates a thick craggy coating that rivals any diner version.

Cube Steak Is Super Affordable – This is a hearty comfort food dinner you can make on a tight budget any night of the week.

Ingredients

• 4 Cube Steaks (about 5 oz each)
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 cup Buttermilk
• Cooking Spray

How To Make

Step 1

Set up a breading station with two shallow dishes. In the first dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Whisk well. In the second dish, beat together the eggs and buttermilk.

Step 2

Pat each cube steak dry with paper towels. Dredge a steak in the seasoned flour, pressing it in firmly on both sides. Dip it into the egg mixture, then back into the flour, pressing again so a thick coating sticks.

Step 3

Repeat with all the steaks. The double dredge is what gives you that signature crispy, craggy crust.

Step 4

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.

Step 5

Spray the air fryer basket generously with cooking spray. Place 2 breaded steaks in the basket in a single layer without overlapping. Spray the tops of the steaks generously with cooking spray.

Step 6

Air fry for 6 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip each steak and spray the other side with cooking spray. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes until the coating is deep golden brown and crunchy.

Step 7

Repeat with the remaining steaks. Serve immediately with white country gravy, mashed potatoes, and a side of green beans.

Tips

Pat the Steaks Very Dry

Before you start breading, take a few paper towels and really press them into the cube steaks on both sides. You want them as dry as possible.

Any moisture left on the surface will make the flour clump up in weird spots instead of sticking evenly. It also causes the breading to slide off during cooking, and you’ll end up with bare patches all over the steak.

Spend an extra 30 seconds on this step. It makes a big difference in how the coating turns out.

Press the Flour In Hard

When you dredge the steak in the seasoned flour, don’t just lightly dust it. Use your hands to really press the flour into the meat on both sides. Push it in like you mean it.

This is especially important on the second flour dredge. After the egg wash, the flour will stick to the wet surface and form thick, craggy bits. Those are what turn into that crispy crust in the air fryer.

If you’re gentle with the flour, the coating will be thin and flat. Pressing hard is what gives you that classic chicken fried steak texture.

Don’t Skip the Cooking Spray

In a regular skillet, chicken fried steak sits in hot oil that crisps up the breading from all sides. In an air fryer, you don’t have that oil bath, so cooking spray is doing that job for you.

Be generous with it. Spray the basket, spray the tops before cooking, and spray again after you flip. If you go light on the spray, the breading will look pale and dry instead of golden and crunchy.

Oil-based sprays like avocado or canola work best here. Avoid nonstick sprays that contain lecithin since they can damage some air fryer baskets over time.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
• Air Fryer Southern Fried Catfish
• Air Fryer Garlic Butter Steak & Mushrooms
• Air Fryer Crispy Panko Onion Rings

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

You can, but buttermilk really does make a difference here. It’s thicker and slightly acidic, which helps the egg wash cling better to the steak and gives you a crispier crust in the air fryer.

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just add a teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1/4 cup of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. That will work as a quick substitute.