Name: Chicken-fried Steak
Yield: 2
Ingredients: White flour as needed plus 3 tbsp; 2 tbsp freshly-ground black pepper; 1 tbsp kosher salt; 2 eggs , beaten; 1 cup whole milk , combined with ¼ cup heavy cream; 3 ea. beef steaks, ½ inch thick; 3 tbsp bacon drippings, divided; 2 tbsp smoked paprika; ⅓ cup chicken broth

Why it works: Beef and chicken match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,148 recipes. Both carry 2-furfurylthiol, which smells coffee, roasted. The science ↓

Chicken-fried Steak

serves 2

Oven200°F

Timeabout 4 minutes per side

Ingredients

White flour as needed plus 3 tbsp
2 tbsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 eggs , beaten
1 cup whole milk , combined with ¼ cup heavy cream
3 ea. beef steaks, ½ inch thick
3 tbsp bacon drippings, divided
2 tbsp smoked paprika
⅓ cup chicken broth

Directions

Prepare

Pour 2 tbsp drippings into a 12‑inch cast‑iron skillet and preheat the pan over medium‑high heat.
Wet your hand, drip 1 drop of water into the pan to test the heat; if it sizzles, the pan is hot enough.
Trim each steak.
Beat the eggs with the seasonings.

Bread and fry

Dip each steak into the beaten eggs.
Dredge each steak thoroughly in flour on both sides.
When the pan is hot enough, arrange the steaks in a triangle formation in the pan.
Fry the steaks until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
Remove the steaks from the pan and place them in a 200°F oven.

Make the gravy and serve

Pour the remaining drippings into the pan and lower the heat to medium.
Add flour to the pan and cook, whisking, until a light blonde color is achieved.
Add the chicken broth to the pan and whisk to deglaze.
Add the cream mixture and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and cook until the gravy coats the back of a spoon; do not let it get too thick.
Drizzle the gravy over the steaks and serve.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

1197Calories

88 gProtein

42 gFat

110 gCarbs

Counts 9 of 10 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 9 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Flour	1 cup (125g) all-purpose	455
Beef	100g cooked	250
Chicken	100g cooked	165
Milk	1 cup (244ml) whole	149
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78
Cream	1 tbsp (15ml) heavy	51
Bacon	1 slice cooked (8g)	43
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Dripping	not in our table	0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Beef + chickentop 4% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together2,148 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roasted).
Pepper + beeftop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together18,971 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Milk + beeftop 12% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together3,759 recipes

Shared aroma: 1-hexanal (fruit).
Milk + chickentop 13% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together4,389 recipes

Shared aroma: 1-hexanal (fruit).
Flour + milktop 14% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together78,219 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

Flour and milk barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

White flour: Coats the steaks and thickens the gravy once cooked in the drippings.
Eggs: Bind the flour coating to the steak so it adheres during frying.
Whole milk and heavy cream: Liquid base of the gravy, giving it body and a smooth, rich texture.
Bacon drippings: Fat that fries the steaks and carries flavor into the gravy.
Chicken broth: Deglazes the pan and adds savory depth to the gravy.

The step that matters

Testing the pan heat before frying. A pan that is not hot enough lets the flour coating absorb fat and turn greasy, while a properly heated pan sears the crust quickly and keeps it crisp and adhered.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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Chicken Soup156 recipes

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Chicken-fried Steak