Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak

Air fryer chicken fried steak is a tasty and comforting dish. Juicy steak with breading air fried to crisp perfection in no time at all. Make this your new go-to for an easy yet hearty mid-week meal.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Chicken fried steak is breaded and fried cube steak, which is traditionally fried in oil. It’s often served with white gravy, but it can also be served with other types of sauces, like country gravy or mushroom gravy.

Cooking chicken fried steak in the air fryer is not only a healthier version of this hearty meal (thanks to less oil), it is also quick and easy to cook with minimal mess.

Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer chicken fried steak recipe, or read on for all the details! 

What do you need?

Cube steak

Cubed steak is a round steak or chuck steak that has been pounded with a meat tenderizer until it is thin. It is an affordable cut of meat that is widely available at many butchers and grocery stores.

You can substitute minute steak (which is a different cut, but otherwise very similar). Alternatively, you can make your own by using a meat mallet to pound round steak until it is thin.

Flour and egg

The steak is dredged in four, then dipped in egg, and dredged in flour again to create the crispy coating.

This may be controversial, but you can use powdered saltine crackers or breadcrumbs in place of flour for the second dredging if you prefer.

Seasoning

This recipe uses a simple salt and pepper for seasoning, but you can add other seasoning if you like.

How to cook chicken fried steak in the air fryer

This recipe is very simple to prepare, there are just a few simple steps to getting it just right:

• Prepare the breading. Lightly whisk the egg in a large shallow bowl. Mix the flour and seasoning in a separate shallow bowl.
• Bread the steaks. Pat the cube steaks dry, then working one at a time, press the steaks into the flour on both sides to thoroughly coat. Lift the steak and shake off any excess flour, then dip the steak into the egg mixture to coat with egg. Finally, dredge the steak in flour again, pressing it into the flour. Set aside on a plate while you bread the other steaks.
• Place breaded steaks in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C. Place the breaded steaks into the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensure that they are not touching. Spray or drizzle the steaks with olive oil.
• Air fry breaded steaks. Air fry steaks at 400°F/ 200°C for 8-15 minutes flipping them over halfway through cooking and spritzing again with oil.

Serving ideas

Chicken fried steak is traditionally served with white gravy or country gravy, though brown gravy, mushroom gravy or any kind of steak sauce is also great with this dish.

I usually serve chicken fried steak with mashed potato, fries or a baked potato, and some fresh steamed vegetables on the side. Try microwave steamed green beans or microwave steamed broccoli.

Storage and reheating

Store any leftover steak in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.

You can reheat leftover chicken fried steak in the air fryer, air fry for 3-4 minutes until warmed through. See this post for full details: Reheat steak in an air fryer.