Chicken fried steak is a classic comfort food, but it can be frustrating when the breading falls off, leaving you with a dry and flavorless piece of meat. Here are some tips to help you keep the breading on your chicken fried steak:
1. Use a light touch. Don’t press the breading onto the chicken too hard, or it will start to come off. Just gently press it on with your fingers.
2. Use a double dredge. This means dipping the chicken in flour, then egg, then flour again. This will help to create a thicker coating that is less likely to fall off.
3. Use cold ingredients. The colder the ingredients are, the less likely the breading is to fall off. This is because the cold ingredients will help to firm up the chicken and the breading.
4. Let the chicken rest before frying. This will give the breading time to set and will make it less likely to fall off when you fry it.
5. Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you overcrowd the pan, the chicken will not cook evenly and the breading will be more likely to fall off.
6. Use a low to medium heat. If you use too high of a heat, the chicken will cook too quickly and the breading will be more likely to fall off.
7. Don’t flip the chicken too often. Each time you flip the chicken, you are more likely to knock off the breading.
8. Let the chicken rest before serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute and will make the chicken more tender.
Additional tips:
- Use a good quality breading. A cheap breading is more likely to fall off.
- Make sure the chicken is dry before you bread it. If the chicken is wet, the breading will not stick as well.
- You can also use a buttermilk marinade to help the breading stick to the chicken.
- If you are still having trouble keeping the breading on, you can try using a tempura batter. Tempura batter is a light and airy batter that is less likely to fall off.
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
- How to Make Chicken Fried Steak – The Kitchn
- Chicken Fried Steak Recipe – Allrecipes
- How to Keep Breading from Falling Off Chicken – The Spruce Eats
How To Bread Chicken Fried Steaks Properly
Now we will set up a standard breading station. We’ll combine our three cups of all-purpose flour with seasoned salt, pepper, onion powder, and spices in a sizable glass bowl or casserole dish.
The ingredients for our next shallow dish are three cracked eggs and one-fourth cup of well-whiskered whole milk. You could choose to experiment with the different flavors that result from using a buttermilk-egg mixture in place of milk.
Coat each tenderized steak in the seasoned flour mixture one at a time, shake it off, dip it into the egg mixture, and then coat it again in the seasoned flour. After the steak has breaded, return it to the baking sheet and continue with the other steaks.
While the breading is developing, place the breaded steaks in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. It will change from having a white, powdery appearance to one more akin to dough.
To Fry the Chicken Fried Steaks
After removing the cooked steaks from the oil, take another baking sheet and set a wire rack over it. As an alternative, you could move them to a plate covered with paper towels. when they are done cooking.
Use a high smoke point oil, such as canola, sunflower, or grapeseed oil, in a large cast-iron skillet or saute pan. Heat the oil to medium heat, about 350°. I use my favorite infrared thermometer for these kinds of messy, potentially hazardous hot oil situations to check the oil’s temperature.
Using tongs, place one steak at a time into the heated oil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, checking for a crispy golden brown crust on the edges, and then turn. Usually, the next side won’t cook for as long. Move to a plate or wire rack covered with paper towels, and sprinkle with seasoned or fine salt right away. This is the secret to really excellent fried foods. Salt quickly before the crust cools. Repeat with the remaining meat.
I find that keeping cooked chicken fried steaks in a warm oven causes the breading to become softer. I prefer to work quickly for the best flavor.
The best gravy maker in the state and the owner of three cafes in north Texas is my grandmother Wanda!
How To Make Fried Chicken The Rachael Way (So The Coating Doesn’t Fall Off!) | #StayHome Q & Ray
Does breading Fried Chicken fall off?
We’ll be the first to admit it—the breading is the best part of baked or fried chicken (pork, steak, fish, or anything). So when the breading separates from the cooked chicken and falls off, it’s a major bummer. If this happens to you, try our foolproof method for breading chicken.
Is fried chicken healthy?
No, it has a very high caloric content, in addition to excess saturated fats and carcinogenic compounds that are generated in the frying process.
Why is chicken fried steak soggy?
If the steaks are too close together it steams the edges, causing the breading to get soggy and easily fall apart. This recipe is referred to as chicken fried steak is because the meat is prepared similarly to how fried chicken is made. Unlike the name implies, it is made with cube steak, not chicken.
Why does my bread fall off when frying?
CNet reports that there are three crucial things you might not have been doing when frying your food, resulting in breading that falls off of the food you’re preparing. The food should first be dredged in flour so that there are no visible spots untouched by it.