This copycat PF Chang’s spicy chicken recipe is my quick weeknight version of their delicious sweet and spicy stir-fry! Make it in one skillet and serve this sticky fried chicken with rice, sprinkled with green onions.
Put the takeout menu down and cook your favorites at home, from this Chang’s copycat recipe to Panda Express orange chicken and classic Mongolian pork.
Who else loves the sweet and spicy chicken from PF Chang’s? Like my food court-inspired bourbon chicken, I set out to make my own version. For those unfamiliar, PF Chang’s spicy chicken is basically their version of General Tso’s chicken. I make this copycat recipe with lightly breaded, fried chicken pieces tossed in a homemade sauce with hoisin, rice vinegar, and chili flakes. WOW, it’s good. And so easy!
Why I Can’t Get Enough of This PF Chang’s Copycat Spicy Chicken
Tastes just like the original. This is as close as I’ll get to PF Chang’s spicy chicken in my own kitchen!
Affordable. Enjoy a delicious takeout-style dinner for a fraction of what it would cost in a restaurant.
Make the sweet and spicy sauce from scratch. It’s easy to adapt this homemade version to be as mild or as spicy as you and your family like.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
You don’t need any fancy ingredients to recreate the flavors in PF Chang’s spicy chicken sauce. I go over the key ones below. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe card with the full recipe measurements and instructions.
Stir Fry Sauce
Hoisin Sauce – If you don’t have hoisin, oyster sauce, or teriyaki is a good substitute.
Sweet Chili Sauce – If you don’t have sweet chili sauce, use hot honey or make your own blend with honey and hot sauce.
Rice Vinegar – White or red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, will also work.
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – You can omit these if you’re sensitive to spice.
Garlic – Freshly minced, or you can substitute 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic per fresh clove.
Green Onions – Sliced, plus extra for garnishing the finished chicken. Chives work well, too.
For the Chicken
Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are easiest to trim and cut into chunks or strips.
Eggs – Helps the breading adhere to the chicken.
Flour and Cornstarch – You could substitute potato starch in place of cornstarch.
Seasonings – Garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Oil – Choose a neutral-flavored oil for frying. Vegetable, canola, or light olive oil are all good options.
How to Make PF Chang’s Spicy Chicken
Follow these steps to make this quick and easy weeknight chicken stir-fry in 30 minutes or less.
Make the stir-fry sauce.Set up a breading station.
Make the sauce. Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Set this aside while you prepare your chicken.
Set up a breading station. First, pat the chicken dry with paper towels (this helps the coating adhere). Next, prepare a breading station with the whisked eggs in one bowl and the flour, cornstarch, and spices in another.
Coat the chicken with egg.Then, dredge the chicken in flour.
Dip and fry. In a heavy skillet, heat ½ inch of oil to 350ºF. Dip the chicken first in the egg, then in the flour mixture. Fry the chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes per batch, until browned. After each batch, transfer the fried pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Fry in batches.Toss with sauce and serve.
Heat the stir-fry sauce. Drain the frying oil from the skillet, leaving a little behind for sautéeing. Add the garlic, followed by the stir-fry sauce and green onions. Cook until it starts to bubble.
Put it all together. Last but not least, add the fried chicken back to the skillet with the sauce. Give the chicken a good stir to coat. Serve your spicy chicken right away with rice and a sprinkle of green onions.
Pan-Searing Option
If you don’t feel like taking the extra steps to bread the chicken and fry it, you can skip it! In this case, you can pan-fry the uncoated chicken in 1-2 tablespoons of oil instead, until browned and cooked through. Afterward, add the chicken back into the sauce as directed.
Tips for the Best Stir-Fry
Use cornstarch. Coating the chicken with cornstarch (or, in this case, mixing it in with the flour) makes the outside of the chicken crispy while the inside stays tender.
Adapt the spice. Adjust the spiciness by reducing or adding more chili flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce. You can make your chicken as spicy as you like!
Fry in batches. Bread the chicken and fry it in batches for the crispiest results. Overcrowding the oil lowers the temperature and causes the chicken to cook unevenly.
Sweeten it up. Add more sweetness to the stir-fry sauce by sprinkling in brown sugar. Add a little at a time, to taste, so you don’t end up with a too-sweet sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy are we talking?
Made in the PF Chang’s style, this chicken has some kick. The beauty of making it at home is that you can add fewer chili flakes to make it less spicy.
Can I use another protein?
Yes! Swap boneless chicken with shrimp, pork, or beef, or bulk up this recipe with stir-fry vegetables for a vegetarian version.
Is PF Chang’s spicy chicken similar to General Tso’s chicken?
It’s pretty close! PF Chang’s spicy chicken has very similar flavors to General Tso’s.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Refrigerate. Store any leftover copycat spicy chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The crispy coating will lose some of its texture over time.
Reheat. Warm this chicken in a skillet on the stove or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
Freeze. You can freeze this spicy chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw the chicken in the fridge before reheating.
This copycat PF Chang’s spicy chicken recipe is a delicious and easy sweet and spicy stir-fry. Make it in one skillet and serve it with rice, garnished with green onions, for a quick weeknight dinner.
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups hoisin sauce
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sliced green onions, plus more for garnish
Chicken:
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs) trimmed and cut into chunks
2 large eggs
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Neutral flavored oil to fry (Like vegetable, canola, or light olive oil)
Sauce: In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
For the Chicken:Pat the chicken dry and set aside.
Place the eggs in a medium bowl and whisk.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Fill a large skillet about 1/2-inch deep with oil. Bring the oil to 350°F over medium heat.
Working in batches, dip the chicken into the egg, and then dredge it into the flour mixture, coating completely.
Fry the chicken in the oil until well browned on all sides, 5 – 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
When all the chicken is fried, drain almost all the grease from the skillet (leave about a tablespoon). Place the skillet back onto the burner and add the minced garlic, cooking for 30 seconds on medium heat.
Add the prepared sauce and the sliced green onions into the skillet with the garlic and cook until the sauce just starts to bubble. Add the chicken back into the skillet and toss to coat.
Serve immediately over rice and garnish with more green onions and crushed red pepper if desired.
Notes
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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