After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011, accident tolerant fuels (ATF) have become the research focus of nuclear power enterprises and related scientific research institutions, which aims to improve the reliability and safety of the nuclear reactors. The surface-modified Zr alloy cladding is a short-term goal for research and development of ATF and the Cr-coated Zr alloy cladding has become the current main technical route. Focusing on the preparation techniques, microstructural characteristics, and critical service performance, the related research of Cr-coated Zr alloy cladding was reviewed. Firstly, the various preparation techniques and characteristics of Cr coating on zirconium alloy surface were compared and introduced, including physical vapor deposition, cold spraying, and 3D laser and the preparation techniques and related research and development progress adopted by international nuclear power giants were introduced at the same time. Secondly, the microstructure of Cr coating was described and the corrosion performance, fretting and abrasion performance, high temperature mechanical behavior and irradiation behavior of Cr-coated Zr alloy under normal operating conditions were emphatically expounded. Moreover, the internal pressure creep and burst behavior at high temperature, high-temperature steam oxidation and quenching behavior the Cr-coated Zr alloy cladding were elaborated. In addition, the mechanisms related with irradiation, oxidation, and corrosion were summarized and analyzed in depth. Finally, the existing problems and the future development directions for the current research were thoroughly summarized and prospected.