The reason why it's called chicken fried steak is because of the way it's prepared, which uses the standard breading procedure of dredging the chicken in flour, dipped in egg and buttermilk and then dredged again, which is similar to how fried chicken is prepared.
Chicken fried steak is made with beef and not chicken, even though it has chicken in it's name.
The chicken fried part in chicken fried steak, essentially just means the way it's prepared, which is tenderized cubed steak that is breaded and then fried exactly like you would Southern fried chicken.
The meat in chicken fried steak is almost always made of tenderized cube steak or even round steak.
The beef for chicken fried steak is breaded in flour and seasonings and then dipped in egg/buttermilk, and fried until it's crispy.
Chicken fried steak is also traditionally served with a creamy white pepper gravy.
And while the chicken fried steak is deep fried, there's also a similar dish called "country fried steak", which is often pan fried and served with brown gravy.
If the dish is made using chicken, it's called chicken fried chicken and not chicken fried steak.
The steak for chicken fried steak is prepared using the "standard breading procedure" (dredged in flour, dipped in egg/buttermilk, and dredged again) similar to how fried chicken is prepared.
The frying method for chicken fried steak also creates a crunchy exterior and a tender interior, mimicking the texture of fried chicken.
And although the names and terms are often used interchangeably, "chicken-fried" steak is typically battered and deep-fried, while "country-fried" steak is often lightly dredged in flour and pan-fried with brown gravy.
Also it is widely believed that German and Austrian immigrants brought their, traditional recipes for Wiener Schnitzel (breaded veal cutlets) to Texas in the 19th century.
Due to the availability of beef in Texas, they had adapted the dish to use steak instead of veal.
And the first known use of the term "chicken fried steak" in print appeared in the Colorado Springs Gazette in 1914.
While chicken fried steak is popular across the South, it is a staple of Texas cuisine, with Lamesa, Texas, claiming to be its birthplace.