This Keto Chicken Fried Steak recipe is total Southern comfort food. The black pepper gravy is what dreams are made of. This recipe is gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly.

Keto Chicken Fried Steak. Are those not the most glorious 4 words you've ever heard? Crispy Keto fried steak gets smothered in a Southern-style gravy for one epic dinner.
Fried steak and gravy was a definite staple for a lot of our staff growing up so we're all very excited about this recipe that mimics that Southern classic perfectly. The crunch of the steak + the creamy gravy is just the Bee's knees.
Read on for the ins and outs of the recipe plus some answers to common questions.
To make Keto Chicken Fried Steak, you'll need these ingredients:
- 4 (4-ounce) tenderized cube steaks
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pork rinds (about 1 ounce)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup avocado oil, for frying
How to make easy keto chicken fried cube steak:
- In a shallow bowl beat the egg and heavy cream together. On a medium plate combine the parmesan cheese, pork rind dust, onion, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each cube steak into the egg then dredge it through the cheese mixture.
- Carefully place the cube steak into the oil and fry it for 3-4 minutes per side until it is golden brown. Set aside on paper towel-lined plates to soak up excess grease.
- Drain cast iron of all but 2 tablespoons of oil used for frying. Add butter to the pan and melt. Once melted, add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
- Season with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley to taste. To thicken, add xanthan gum (optional) and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes.
- Top the fried steak with gravy and serve.

What is cube steak exactly?
"Cube steak" refers to a cut of beef that has been tenderized with a tenderizer called a cuber or meat mallet. You may have also heard it called "minute steak." This cut is usually tough, hence the tenderizing, but flavorful so it is delicious once tenderized and fried like in country fried steak or in stews.
What to serve with low carb chicken fried steak
Mashed potatoes would be the obvious go-to but this is a low-carb site so obviously, we have to recommend mashed cauliflower! We're also always partial to a big green side salad too. Ranch is the obvious dressing choice here 😉

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
You can find the full nutrition info breakdown including the carb count (total carbs and net carbs) at the bottom of the recipe card (listed per serving), and the serving size/yield at the top of the recipe card. You should always double-check your ingredients since different ingredients may have different values.
To get a specific serving size you’ll want to weigh the final dish. Next, divide the total weight by the number of servings. We can’t provide this information as your cooking style will vary from ours and your ingredients may be different brands than ours which can skew values.
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Cast Iron Skillet [budget option, heirloom splurge option]
- Cutting Board
- Tongs
- Whisk
- Chef’s Knife

📖 Recipe

Keto Chicken Fried Steak
Ingredients
- 4 4-ounce tenderized cube steaks
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pork rinds about 1 ounce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup avocado oil for frying
For the gravy:
- 2 tablespoons reserved avocado oil for frying steak
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ heavy whipping cream
- ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl beat the egg and heavy cream together. On a medium plate combine the parmesan cheese, pork rind dust, onion, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each cube steak into the egg then dredge it through the cheese mixture.
- Carefully place the cube steak into the oil and fry it for 3-4 minutes per side until it is golden brown. Set aside on paper towel-lined plates to soak up excess grease.
- Drain cast iron of all but 2 tablespoons of oil used for frying. Add butter to the pan and melt. Once melted, add the heavy cream and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
- Season with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley to taste. To thicken, add xanthan gum (optional) and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes.
- Top the fried steak with gravy and serve.
Aimee says
Super easy and amazing! We buy a cow every year, and cube steak is one of the cuts that I have trouble figuring out how to cook. This is fast, easy and delicious. Thank you so much!
Lori S says
This is AMAZING! So easy to make and it turned out looking exactly like your photo. Best of all, it was absolutely delicious! I've tried other Castironketo recipes and have yet to find one that wasn't scrumptious! Thank you for sharing!!! I am so glad I found your website!
Kim says
This recipe is a winner! It's keto, hubby approved and delicious!
Robert Stemmons says
This recipe looks excellent but I do not like Parmesan cheese. Can I use shredded pepper jack or something like that?
Mrs. D. says
Forgive my stupidity but I'm new to keto... what is pork rind dust??
Cast Iron Keto says
Hi! Pork rind dust is simply pork rinds blended into a bread crumb texture, hope this helps!
Chris H says
Instructions say to use Italian seasoning but it's not in the Ingredients the Ingredients call for 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon smoked paprika but never used in instructions
Cast Iron Keto says
Hi Chris,
We are sorry about the confusion, unfortunately, Italian seasoning should have been removed from the final recipe, it was missed during our final copy edit process.
A previous version of the recipe did include Italian seasoning, but we decided to remove it during our final taste test and altered the ingredients to include paprika, garlic, and onion powder.
I really appreciate you pointing this out to our team, we have corrected the recipe and promise that if you are willing to give it another try you will love it.
Thank you, Chris
Makayla says
Do we have to use a cast iron?
Cast Iron Keto says
Hi Makayla,
You don't have to use cast iron, a traditional skillet will work.