Southwest Chicken Fried Steak With Green Chili and Egg

Hang on to your hats…fasten your seatbelts (but then loosen them a bit)…stop the presses… Chicken Fried Steak goes Southwestern fustion topped with Hatch Green Chili and a Fried Egg. 

Why all the idioms?  Because we’re loving this Southwestern Chicken Fried Steak recipe here on The Ranch, and I’m dying to share it with you.

Did you follow my advice and make a big batch of Colorado Style Hatch Green Chili to stow away in the freezer. To bring out for special occasions? And for us, Chicken Fried Steak is a special occasion. This down home supper, usually smothered in creamy white chicken gravy gets a new look with Green Chili.

Usually when I’ve made Chicken Fried Steak, I grab a couple of cube steaks from the grocery. But they’re always riddled here and there with tough chewy gristle. So this time I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands and buy a nice quality thick sirloin steak. Cutting it in half lengthwise into to thinner steaks, I’ve taken my meat mallet and with the most pointed side, tenderized my own steak.

Using standard breading procedure, I coated the steak with corn starch, then dipped it a beaten egg and then finished with flour. Shake off any extra flour. Heat a large, heavy frying pan over medium high heat (about 340-360°) melt the butter with the oil (or use all oil). Add breaded cube steaks to pan two at a time. Brown first side well, turn and repeat until browned and cooked through – about 3-4 minutes per side depending on conditions and thickness. Transfer to a shallow pan with a rack or lined with paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with salt and hold in oven until ready to serve.

Ladle the Green Chili the steaks and top with a fried egg.

Chicken Fried Steak with Green Chili and Egg

2/3 cup masa harina
1/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp granulate garlic or garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp Kosher or fine sea salt, plus more for finishing as desired
pinches of chile powder or ground chiles (optional)
6 extra-large eggs, separated
2 TBS butter (optional)
2-3 TBS canola or peanut oil
4 thin beef or pork cube steaks, about 6 oz each and 1/4 inch thick
1-2 pints Tony’s Green Chili (warmed) or Green Chile Gravy (recipe link follows)

Place four plates in oven and preheat to 150 degrees.

Combine the masa harina, flour, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, salt and chiles (if using) in a wide shallow bowl. Lightly beat 2 of the eggs in another wide shallow bowl.

Dredge cube steaks in flour mixture and shake off excess, dip in beaten egg and then coat evenly in the flour mixture.

Heat a large, heavy frying pan over medium high heat (about 340-360°) melt the butter with the oil (or use all oil). Add breaded cube steaks to pan two at a time. Brown first side well, turn and repeat until browned and cooked through – about 3-4 minutes per side depending on conditions and thickness. Transfer to a shallow pan with a rack or lined with paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with salt (optional) and hold in oven until ready to serve.

Meanwhile heat chili and cook eggs sunny side up or over easy. Spoon green chile onto warmed plates, top with chicken fried steak and crown with a soft cooked egg (optional). Serve immediately for breakfast with potatoes and fruit or for supper with Mexican rice and guacamole salad – flour or corn tortillas on the side. Serves 4.
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Green Chile Gravy

Fast, easy and perfect for smothering dishes.

1 TBS each butter and oil
2 TBS. All purpose flour, or masa
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 small onion, minced
8-12 roasted chiles, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cups rich chicken stock (More Than Gourmet’s Glace de Poulet suggested)
cumin and oregano to taste
pinches of sea salt, black pepper
pinches of sugar to taste (optional)
other: tomato cubes, corn kernels, minced squash, bell peppers, beans, leftover potato cubes.

In a skillet over medium-high heat stir together flour and oil to produce a golden roux. Stir in chiles, stock and remaining ingredients and simmer to soften ingredients and thicken, about 15 minutes, taste and adjust – adding more stock or seasonings to taste.

Use as a smothering sauce over chicken fried steak, grilled meats, burritos, etc.

Chef Mick Rosacci, Tony’s Market

Chefs Note: 1) Great with veggies; such as corn, summer squash, beans, bell peppers, etc. 2) For a more textured gravy; reserve items such as corn and tomatoes until the end of cooking. 3) Stocks can be very salty, so be careful adding salt. I suggest More Than Gourmet stocks – natural, concentrated, and low sodium. 4) Pinches of sugar can help control excessive heat.
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About the author:  Chef Mick (Michaelangelo) Rosacci is the Corporate Chef and co-owner of Tony’s Markets in the Denver Metro area.  Mick also teaches cooking on Denver’s Channel 7 News.  For more recipes, visit www.TonysMarket.com and/or join Tony’s Culinary Club.