Description
This Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich recipe features tenderized cube steaks coated in a flavorful, crispy seasoned flour batter, fried to golden perfection and layered with a spicy sriracha mayo and fresh lettuce on toasted hamburger buns. The sandwich is a delicious twist on the Southern classic, combining crispiness, spice, and creamy tang in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Spicy Mayo
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1½ tablespoons sriracha (or hot sauce)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Chicken Fried Steak
- 4 pre-tenderized cube steaks (about 1 pound)
- Kosher salt (for seasoning)
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup canola oil (for frying)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (â…› stick)
Assembly
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 leaves lettuce
Instructions
- Prepare the spicy mayo: In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, crushed garlic, and sriracha sauce. Season the mixture with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Tenderize and season the steaks: Place each cube steak between sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the steaks until they are less than ¼-inch thick. Lightly salt the steaks to enhance their flavor.
- Preheat the oven to keep steaks warm: Set your oven to 200°F and place a wire rack over a baking sheet. This will be used to keep the fried steaks warm while assembling the sandwiches without them becoming soggy.
- Dredge the steaks: In one shallow dish, whisk together the beaten eggs and milk to make an egg wash. In another dish, combine the flour, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Dip each steak first into the flour mixture, then the egg wash, and again into the flour mixture to coat evenly. Place the coated steaks on a plate.
- Fry the steaks: Heat canola oil in a large frying pan to 350°F and add the butter to the pan. Carefully place each coated steak in the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked steaks to the wire rack in the oven to keep warm. Repeat for all steaks.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Lightly toast the hamburger buns. Spread a generous layer of the spicy mayo on the bottom half of each bun. Place a crispy chicken fried steak on top, add a layer of fresh lettuce leaves, then spread more spicy mayo on the inside of the top bun. Close the sandwich gently and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use pre-tenderized cube steaks for the best texture and quicker prep time.
- Maintain oil temperature at 350°F for perfectly crispy, non-greasy fried steaks.
- Keep cooked steaks warm on a wire rack in the oven to prevent sogginess.
- Adjust sriracha amount in the mayo to control the level of spiciness to your preference.
- Lightly toasting buns adds texture and prevents sogginess from the mayo.
