The Surprising Origins of Chicken Fried Steak in Texas

The popular dish's backstory is more complex than a mistaken order in Lamesa

Apr. 13, 2026 at 6:55pm

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A boldly colored, silkscreen-style illustration featuring a single chicken fried steak dish repeated in a grid pattern, conceptually representing the iconic status of this comfort food in Texas culture.A playful pop art interpretation of the beloved Texas staple, chicken fried steak, celebrates the dish's enduring popularity despite the murky origins of its name.Lamesa Today

The origin story of chicken fried steak in Texas is often traced back to a supposed 1911 incident in Lamesa where a cook misread an order for 'chicken, fried steak.' However, research suggests the dish likely has roots in German and Austrian immigrant communities who adapted the classic Wiener schnitzel to use more affordable beef cuts. While the Lamesa tale has become beloved local folklore, the true origins of this Texas staple are more nuanced.

Why it matters

Chicken fried steak is an iconic Texas dish, with an estimated 800,000 servings consumed across the state each day. Understanding the dish's true origins provides insight into the state's culinary history and the influence of immigrant communities on regional cuisines.

The details

The popular Lamesa origin story, in which a cook supposedly misread an order for 'chicken, fried steak' as 'chicken fried steak,' was actually fabricated in 1975 by a group of writers for fun. While embraced by locals, the tale is considered Texas folklore rather than historical fact. The earliest known references to 'chicken fried steak' actually come from restaurants in Colorado and Kansas in the 1910s, suggesting the naming convention originated in the U.S. The dish itself, however, likely has roots in the Wiener schnitzel recipes brought by German and Austrian immigrants to Texas, who adapted the classic veal dish to use more affordable beef cuts.

  • The first known references to 'chicken fried steak' appeared in restaurant advertisements in Colorado in 1914 and Kansas in 1917.
  • The Lamesa 'chicken fried steak' origin story was fabricated by a group of writers in 1975.

The players

Jimmy Don Perkins

The cook at a Lamesa, Texas restaurant who allegedly misread an order for 'chicken, fried steak' as 'chicken fried steak' in 1911, according to local folklore.

Larry BeSaw

A writer for the Austin American-Statesman newspaper who, along with a group of writer friends, created the Lamesa chicken fried steak origin story in 1975 for fun.

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The takeaway

While the Lamesa origin story has become beloved Texas folklore, the true roots of chicken fried steak likely lie in the culinary traditions of German and Austrian immigrant communities who adapted the Wiener schnitzel using more affordable beef cuts. This highlights the diverse influences that have shaped the state's iconic regional cuisines.