Chicken Fried Steak – A Healthy Version
In my old life, I rarely ate beef or anything fried. My husband felt the complete opposite. Until he found out he had Diabetes, type 2, he always ordered it out when it was on the menu. He loved it so much that he wanted it on his birthday every year. Since then I have solved how to make a healthy chicken fried steak with this yummy recipe that I even love!
Times have changed in our house since we eat a very low carb diet and try to restrict all seed oils. I love meat again! As long as seed oils are eliminated, I indulge in fried foods. Using avocado oil, beef tallow or butter to fry in is easy and delicious. Using pork panko as a breading is a revelation as well. My grocery store sells it, but you can order it on Amazon @ https://a.co/d/irynUSK
The greatest compliment I could get is my husband telling me that this recipe is absolutely as good as the restaurant versions he ate for years. A healthy version of chicken fried steak is possible!
Low Carb Chicken Fried Steak (for 2)
Ingredients
- 2 pieces beef round steak about 4-6 oz each, pounded thin
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 cup pork panko
- ¼ cup crushed walnuts
- ¼ cup crushed pecans
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp dried parsley optional, for a fresh pop
- 2-3 tbsp avocado oil for frying
- 2 tbsp grass-fed butter for frying
Cream Gravy
- Drippings from Fried Steak
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup water or additional cream
- 1 tbsp grass-fed butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Coating:
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and heavy cream to create your egg wash.
- In another shallow bowl or plate, mix the pork panko, crushed walnuts, crushed pecans, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, salt, and dried parsley. This will be your breading mixture.
- Prepare the Steaks:
- Season the steaks with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides.
- Dip each steak into the egg-cream mixture, making sure it’s well-coated.
- Next, dredge the steak in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it down gently so the breading sticks well. You want a nice, even coating.
- Fry the Steaks:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add avocado oil and grass-fed butter. Let the oil melt and heat up until it’s shimmering, but not smoking.
- Carefully place the breaded steaks into the skillet. Fry for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Do not turn until you are sure that the steak is nice and crunchy. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, so cook them one at a time or in batches.
- Once fried, remove the steaks from the pan and set them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Instructions for the Cream Gravy
- After frying the steaks, leave the delicious drippings in the skillet. If there is excess grease, you can remove a little, but leave about 1-2 tablespoons in the pan for flavor.
- Over medium heat, add the butter to the skillet with the drippings. Let it melt and bubble up.
- Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and Dijon mustard (if using). Let the spices toast for about 30 seconds to bring out their flavors.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream stirring continuously to combine with the drippings and spices. Let the mixture come to a simmer. It should thicken up fairly quickly. If it gets too thick, add the water slowly and keep stirring.
- Keep stirring until the gravy reaches a creamy consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little more almond milk or cream to adjust the texture
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Once the gravy is thick and velvety, spoon it generously over the crispy chicken fried steak. Serve hot!
Serving Suggestion
- You can pair this dish with a low-carb vegetable side, such as sautéed spinach, roasted Brussels sprouts, or mashed cauliflower for a complete meal.