Skip to content
KETOFOCUS.

Sweater weather calls for keto comfort food. Get Cozy →

Keto Chicken Fried Steak

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

34 ratings

A golden pork-rind crust and creamy skillet gravy make this keto chicken fried steak a comfort-food dinner. Coat cubed steak in almond flour, egg and seasoned pork rinds, then fry in batches. Check for 145°F inside and rest at least 3 minutes before serving.
  • 1.7gnet carbs
  • 43.6gprotein
  • 26minutes
  • 4servings
crispy chicken fried steak on a plate with gravy on top and a couple of keto sides
pouring gravy on a thick keto fried steak out of a white gravy boat
homecooked dinner on the table with two plates of chicken fried steak
1 of 3
Jump to recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

Chicken fried steak is my husband's favorite keto meal. He could eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but I usually make it for dinner. The crunchy coating and cream gravy make it a satisfying plate alongside mashed cauliflower.

The coating has three layers: a light dusting of almond flour, an egg wash and ground pork rinds seasoned with garlic powder. Press the crumbs onto both sides, then fry the steaks in butter without crowding the skillet.

After the steaks come out, use the browned bits in the pan to flavor a gravy of heavy cream and chicken broth. Start with the smaller amount of broth, then add more if you want a looser sauce. Arrowroot is optional for extra thickness.

Allow roughly 25-30 minutes, with more time if your skillet needs extra batches. A golden crust is only part of the doneness check: the center needs to reach 145°F, followed by a rest of at least 3 minutes. For another skillet dinner, try creamy pork chops.

thick, crispy fried steak on a plate

a plate of keto chicken fried steak with a side of mashed cauliflower and green beans

What is cubed steak (and why it works here)

Cubed Steak

Cubed steak is beef that has been mechanically tenderized, leaving a pattern of small indentations. Choose pieces of similar thickness so the batches cook evenly. Check the package for handling and cooking instructions; the minimum doneness used here is 145°F with a 3-minute rest.

a package of cube steak

How to keep the coating on

Pat the meat dry before seasoning. Dust lightly with almond flour, dip in the egg wash and let excess egg drip away, then press into the seasoned pork rinds. Cover both sides evenly. Give each steak room in the skillet and use a wide spatula to turn it carefully once the first side has browned.

crispy coated chicken fried steak in a skillet frying

Skillet cream gravy

The browned bits left after frying give the gravy its savory flavor. Whisk in the cream and the smaller amount of chicken broth, then simmer and adjust the consistency with more broth as needed. Discard burnt bits rather than scraping them into the sauce.

The optional arrowroot thickens the gravy; mixing it with a little cold water before adding helps avoid lumps. Serve the gravy separately or spoon it over the steaks just before eating to keep the crust at its best.

pouring brown gravy on chicken fried steak and mashed cauliflower

Storing and reheating leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Keep the steaks and gravy separate at 40°F or below and use within 3 days.

Reheat the steaks in a 350°F oven until the center reaches 165°F. Reheat gravy separately, stirring and bringing it to a boil. A short fixed reheating time or browned crust alone does not confirm the steak is hot throughout.

For freezing, chill cooked steaks promptly, wrap individual portions and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating to 165°F.

How to Make Keto Chicken Fried Steak

Pat the steaks dry, season, then coat in almond flour, egg wash and seasoned ground pork rinds. Press gently but firmly so the crumbs adhere. Fry two steaks at a time over medium heat, using 1 tablespoon butter for each batch. About 3 minutes per side is a starting estimate; check for at least 145°F inside and rest for 3 minutes. Make the gravy in the same skillet while the final batch rests.

Discover more keto recipes on our channel Hundreds of keto recipe videos, with step by step instructions and the tips that make keto easy.
KetoFocus
The recipe

Keto Chicken Fried Steak

Print Pin
Prep 10 min Cook 16 min Total 26 min Serves 4

Ingredients

Servings 4

Keto chicken fried steak Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Season

    Season both sides of each cubed steak generously with salt and pepper.

    salt and pepper sprinkled over cube steak

  2. Prepare your bowls

    Using three shallow bowls, add almond flour to one bowl. Whisk together eggs with 2 tablespoons water in the second bowl. In the third bowl, combine ground pork rinds with garlic powder.

    three white bowls containing almond flour

  3. Dust with flour

    First, dip a cubed steak in the almond flour to coat.

    egg wash and pork rinds

  4. Dip in egg wash

    Dip the almond flour coated cubed steak into the egg wash.

    steak coated in almond flour

  5. Dredge in pork rinds

    Next, place the cubed steak in the ground pork rinds to coat on both sides. Repeat with remaining cube steaks and set aside.

    cube steak dredged in egg wash

  6. Fry

    Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 coated steaks without crowding. Fry for about 3 minutes per side, adjusting the heat to avoid burning the butter or crust. Check each steak with a food thermometer inserted from the side into its thickest part: it must reach at least 145°F before removal, then rest on a clean plate or rack for at least 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of butter and 2 steaks. Thickness and pan heat affect the timing; follow any more stringent package cooking instructions.

    pork panko crust cubed steak

  7. Make gravy

    While the final batch rests, whisk the heavy cream and 1/2 cup chicken broth into the skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer until the gravy reduces, adding up to another 1/2 cup broth for a thinner consistency. For thicker gravy, mix the optional teaspoon of arrowroot with a small splash of cold water, then whisk it in and heat until thickened. Serve with the rested steaks.

    chicken fried steak frying in a skillet

Nutrition

Per serving: 1 steak (gravy extra)

Calories
421
Fat
25.4g
Protein
43.6g
Total carbs
3.2g
Net carbs
1.7g

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many carbs are in this chicken fried steak?

The existing estimate is 1.7g net carbs and 3.2g total carbs per steak, with gravy extra. Steak size, coating left in the bowls and ingredient brands affect the result.

Why is it called chicken fried steak?

It is beef, coated and pan-fried in a style similar to fried chicken. This version uses almond flour and pork rinds for the breading, with a cream gravy made in the skillet.

Can I cook this in an air fryer?

The documented recipe is pan-fried. There is no confirmed air-fryer schedule for this coating and steak thickness. The skillet also provides the browned bits used for the gravy.

Can I freeze it?

For cooked leftovers, chill promptly, wrap and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat the steak to 165°F. If you freeze raw breaded steak, thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking; simply adding a minute per side to the fresh-steak time is not a reliable method.

Can I make the breading egg-free?

The coating here uses an egg wash. Heavy cream or mayonnaise is not a confirmed equivalent in this recipe, and conventional mayonnaise usually contains egg too.

Can I use a different frying fat?

Butter is the frying fat in the base recipe. Using another suitable frying fat is a variation; adjust the heat to avoid scorching the coating. A hotter pan does not replace the internal-temperature check.

Does the nutrition include the gravy?

The original author clarification identifies the listed nutrition as steak only. Count the gravy separately using the cream, broth and optional arrowroot you use. There is no verified per-tablespoon gravy calculation provided here.

How do I prevent the coating from falling off?

Pat the meat dry, apply the almond flour lightly, let excess egg drip off and press the pork rinds onto both sides. Do not crowd the pan, and turn carefully after the first side has browned.

Is this recipe dairy-free?

No. It contains butter and heavy cream. Changing only the frying fat leaves dairy in the gravy, and ghee is made from milk. A fully dairy-free version needs separate substitutions; coconut cream has not been confirmed as an equivalent here.

How do I know the steak is done?

Insert a food thermometer from the side into the thickest part. Cook to at least 145°F, remove from the heat and rest for at least 3 minutes. Follow the package if it specifies a higher temperature or longer rest.

Browse by ingredient
Similar recipes

People who cooked Keto Chicken Fried Steak also made

3.9g NET CARBS
close up of low-carb chicken parmesan
Dinner Keto Chicken Parmesan 60 min
4.7g NET CARBS
plate of keto biscuits and gravy
Breakfast Keto Biscuits and Gravy 24 min
7.9g NET CARBS
two bowls of chicken and dumplings
Dinner Keto Chicken and Dumplings 30 min
6.1g NET CARBS
italian sliced chicken on a bed of creamy sauce
Dinner Creamy Keto Tuscan Chicken 30 min

Reviews

Tap to rate

4.8 from 34 ratings, 20 written

Made this recipe?

Your rating

Tasha

Honestly, this might be my favorite thing I’ve made all year!!

Reply

Annie Lampella

I’m so glad you loved it, Tasha! Favorite of the year is a big one to hand out.

Reply

Ana

I chill them 10 minutes before frying, coating holds better

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ten minutes in the fridge before the pan, noted. I’m trying that with my next batch.

Reply

Dani

I stopped ordering chicken fried steak at diners when I went keto. Too depressing. The pork rind crust here actually has something the flour version doesn’t, that brittleness that shatters against the cream gravy. Not missing anything.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Glad you enjoyed the crust! Spoon the gravy on just before serving to help preserve its texture.

Reply

Casey

Can I just crush up plain pork rinds in a bag, or do they need to be pre-ground? Wasn’t sure if the texture difference matters for the coating.

Reply

Melissa

We had this for dinner twice this week. I count that as a win.

Reply

Annie Lampella

My husband would agree on that one.

Reply

Jen

Is arrowroot powder worth the extra trip? Made this planning to swap xanthan gum for it, but the gravy sets without that gluey pull and now the bottle is a pantry staple.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Arrowroot is the optional thickener listed here. Xanthan has a different thickening strength and is not a one-for-one substitute.

Reply

Fatima

The pork rind coating holds up, I kept expecting it to go soggy while plating but it stayed crispy the whole time. One thing: the cubed steak needs more salt in the dredge than I used the first time, the meat absorbs it and the coating ends up underseasoned. That’s on me for going conservative, not a recipe issue. Don’t skip the gravy from the drippings.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Season the meat before dredging, then account for the salt already in the pork rinds and broth. Add more at the table to taste.

Reply

Jennifer

Made this four times and finally threw some smoked paprika in the pork rinds. Crust came out darker, extra savory, and the gravy tasted richer for it. Won’t go back.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Smoked paprika in the rinds, darker crust, richer gravy. That tracks. Doing this next batch.

Reply

Wendy

My teenage son has written off every keto swap since we started in October. Made this Sunday and he was picking pieces off before dinner hit the table. That pork rind crust just crunches. No defending needed. The drippings gravy was my thing, but him going quiet and just eating said more.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The browned bits left in the skillet give the gravy its flavor. Glad the meal was enjoyed!

Reply

Diane L.

I’m making this for my husband next week (he’s obsessed with chicken fried steak) but I work late so I need to prep the night before. Can I bread the steaks ahead and refrigerate them, or does the pork rind coating need to go straight into the pan to stay crispy?

Reply

Annie Lampella

You can prepare the breading ahead, but keep raw steaks covered in the refrigerator at 40°F or below, separate from ready-to-eat food, and follow the meat package storage limit. Cook to at least 145°F and rest 3 minutes; coating texture may change overnight.

Reply

Alex

Had zero faith in the pork rind coating holding up, but that crust has a shatter to it I haven’t gotten from any keto version I’ve tried. Going in the permanent rotation.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The almond flour, egg wash and pork rinds form the coating in this recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!

Reply

Brad

Followed the recipe except for the actual frying. I tried a few options: butter, butter and olive oil, and just olive oil. For my taste, the just olive oil was better. It could be me or my stove. I tried using the butter and cooking first on a setting of 5 (out of 9). In each case where I had butter in the skillet I found that the butter started to burn. In the case where I just used olive oil on a setting of 5 I found that the steak cooked up nicely.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Adjust the heat if the butter starts to smoke; the breading can scorch in an overly hot pan. A different frying fat is a variation, and ghee still comes from milk.

Reply

Margo Chenoweth-Pospisil

This was delicious and the hubs loved it! We have not had country fried steak in ages because we thought it was off the menu for KETO eaters. The few other recipes I tried were not very good, and with the price of food these days, I just couldn’t justify another costly mistake, but in desperation I gave it one more try and I’m sure glad I did. I followed the recipe almost to the letter, but substituted Cavender’s Greek seasoning for the garlic salt because I didn’t have any. It didn’t hurt a thing. The gravy was also very good. I will put this on a regular rotation for us! Thanks for a tasty recipe!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Cavender’s works so well here. More depth than plain garlic salt, and it doesn’t fight the pork rind crust. Going to test it myself next round.

Reply

Chad Huston

So good

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha. That pork rind crust. Try a pinch of flaky salt right when it comes out of the pan.

Reply

Polly

I love reading recipes and all the comments but never comment myself. But this recipe is so easy and so good! I never had chicken fried steak in my life until last year (non keto version). It was so good and I was hoping to find a recipe to make it low carb. I used homemade beef broth in the gravy which gave it a strong beef flavor and added a bunch of ground pepper. I will be making this again! Fantastic.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Beef broth in that gravy, yeah. Way more body than chicken broth and it takes the pepper better. Going to try it that way.

Reply

Faith

Wow, this is excellent! I didn’t have any heavy cream or arrowroot for thickening, and it was still great! (I’m not home with my normal “stuff” for cooking.) I used half and half and the broth, but definitely would make this again with heavy cream and arrowroot. I will make this dish again and often! (I served it with sauteed fresh spinach in olive oil and some salt and garlic powder. It was great!)

Reply

Annie Lampella

Half and half is fine, gravy just ends up a little thinner. Arrowroot’s optional anyway, I include it for people who want more body. Love the spinach idea.

Reply

Cherrie

How could I do this one in the air fryer? Just recently found you and loving your recipes!!

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

I haven’t tried it in the air fryer. It might work. Let me know if you try it.

Reply

Amber

This was fantastic! Definitely a keeper!
One question, does the nutrition include the gravy or was it just for the steak?

Reply

Annie Lampella Recipe author

It’s for just the steak. I’m glad you liked the recipe

Reply

Heather

PLEASE!!!!!! write a cookbook. It would be a BEST SELLER, I would buy several to give to friends and family. What a gift, great recipes and good health !!!!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha, working on it. The chicken fried steak would 100% be in there.

Reply

Kay

Love this! But I made mine without the eggs and flour, just pressed with Mayo and then covered in crushed pork rinds. I do season the meat first, i add paprika and garlic to the rinds before i cook, major Yum! BTW down 60 pounds AND best of all, VeRY aware of what I eat and how I serve it! Thanks for yet another good recipe idea.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Thanks for sharing what worked for you. The recipe uses egg wash, and I do not have a confirmed egg-free binder method here. Conventional mayonnaise also contains egg, so it is not an automatic egg-free option.

Reply

Keep going

More Dinner Recipes

4.7g NET CARBS
A hearty bowl of beef stew with parsley, green beans, carrots and mushrooms in a tomato broth.
Dinner Keto Beef Stew 105 min
4.5g NET CARBS
steak marinara dinner in a bowl with basil leaves top and a glass of wine in the background
Dinner Keto Steak Marinara 12 min
1.3g NET CARBS
tongs holding bbq pork
Dinner Instant Pot Pulled Pork 120 min
6.1g NET CARBS
cheesy taco meat stuffed into a zucchinis on a skillet and topped with pico de gallo.
Dinner Zucchini Taco Boats 35 min
5.4g NET CARBS
juicy grilled chicken thighs on a plate with tongs off to the side
Dinner Huli Huli Chicken 23 min
1.8g NET CARBS
crispy parmesan crusted chicken cutlets on a serving platter topped with lemon
Dinner Parmesan Crusted Chicken 25 min

See all 172 Dinner recipes

Get new recipes from Annie

One email a week. Unsubscribe whenever you like.