P.F. Chang's Crispy Honey Chicken

P.F. Chang's Crispy Honey Chicken made with the restaurant's actual recipe. The honey sauce uses white sugar, white vinegar, and Michiu cooking wine instead of honey, combined with dried chilis and rehydrated garlic for a tangy sweet-and-sour glaze. The chicken is alkaline-brined in a baking soda and soy sauce solution, coated in a flour-and-cornstarch batter with leavening, and double-fried for maximum crunch before being tossed in the sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese-American

Keyword Chinese-American, crispy honey chicken, fried chicken, honey chicken, P.F. Chang's, P.F. Chang's Crispy Honey Chicken, pf changs, sweet and sour chicken

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Marinating Time 2

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 500kcal

Author Jason Farmer

Equipment

1 14-inch Mandarin Wok For the final stir-fry
1 Made-In Carbon Steel Wok For deep-frying
1 All-Clad Saute Pan
1 Made-In Saucier For making the honey sauce
1 Gray Kunz Chef's Spoon Large
1 Butane Burner
1 Butane Canisters
1 Anchor Glass Ramekins For mise en place
1 Wok Ladle
1 Wok Spider/Strainer For removing chicken from oil
1 Rubbermaid Storage Containers
1 Deli Containers For mise en place and storage
1 Baking Sheet
1 Wire Cooling Rack For draining fried chicken
1 Cutting Board
1 Whisk For the batter and sauce
1 Glass Mixing Bowls
1 Measuring Spoons
1 Measuring Cups
1 Squeeze Bottles
1 Fine Mesh Strainer For straining the honey sauce
1 Colander
1 Infrared Thermometer For checking oil temperature
1 Misono Chef's Knife
1 Induction Burner

Ingredients

Alkaline Soy Marinade

1 cup water
1/2 tsp baking soda dissolved in water to create alkaline brine
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Crispy Honey Chicken Batter

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup ice cold water keep batter cold until ready to fry
1 large egg
2 tbsp neutral oil

Honey Sauce

1-2 tsp neutral oil
10-15 dried red chilis saute until darkened, then strain out
1 tbsp dehydrated minced garlic rehydrated in hot water 20-30 minutes, drained
3 1/3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 cup Michiu cooking wine + 2 tbsp
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar + 2 tbsp

The Chicken

8 oz chicken breast boneless skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
potato starch or cornstarch for this step

Final Stir-Fry

2 tsp chili oil
1/2 cup honey sauce + 2 tbsp
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water for thickening
1 tbsp water
sliced green onion
fried rice sticks

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Alkaline Soy Marinade

Combine 1 cup of water with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl or container and stir until the baking soda is dissolved.
Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir to mix it into the brine.

Brine the Chicken

Cut the chicken breast into roughly 1-inch cubes. Remove the tenderloin and trim any fat or tendon.
Place the cubed chicken in the alkaline soy marinade, making sure all pieces are submerged.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours for best results. P.F. Chang's brines their chicken for 24 hours.

Make the Batter

Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
Pour in 1 cup of ice-cold water and whisk until there are no dry clumps of flour remaining.
Crack in 1 large egg and whisk until the batter is completely smooth.
Add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil and whisk until incorporated. Keep the batter cold in the fridge until ready to use.

Make the Honey Sauce

Heat 1-2 teaspoons of neutral oil in a small pot over medium heat.
Add 10-15 dried chilis and saute until they darken in color, about 1-2 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of rehydrated minced garlic and saute for 20-30 seconds, just until it releases some aroma. Do not burn it.
Add 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of Michiu cooking wine, and 1 cup of sugar. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a light simmer, then turn off the heat and let the aromatics infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and whisk until everything is incorporated.
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove the chilis and garlic. The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Dredge and Deep-Fry the Chicken

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
Toss the chicken pieces in potato starch until every piece is evenly coated.
Dip each piece of chicken into the cold batter, making sure each piece is fully coated.
Heat neutral oil to 350°F (175°C) in a large pot or wok. Lower each piece of battered chicken into the oil individually, agitating gently to prevent clumping.
Fry for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain on a wire rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Raise the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry the chicken a second time for 1-2 minutes until slightly darkened in color. Drain on a wire rack.

Final Stir-Fry

Heat a large wok over medium heat until you see light wisps of smoke. Drizzle in about 2 teaspoons of chili oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the wok.
Pour in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the honey sauce and stir until it comes to a simmer.
While stirring the sauce continuously, slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) to thicken the sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until you reach your desired consistency.
Add the double-fried chicken to the sauce and toss until every piece is evenly coated. Turn off the heat.
Line a plate with fried rice sticks, place the honey chicken on top, and garnish with sliced green onion.

Video

Notes

Chicken. Regular boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes. The alkaline soy brine is what makes it tender. Remove the tenderloin and trim any fat before cubing.

Alkaline Soy Marinade. The same brine P.F. Chang's uses on almost all their proteins. Baking soda raises the pH on the surface of the meat, preventing the protein strands from drying out during deep-frying. Minimum 2 hours, but 24 hours is what the restaurant uses and does produce better results.

Honey Sauce. Despite the name, this sauce contains no honey. It's white sugar, white vinegar, and Michiu cooking wine with dried chilis and rehydrated garlic. The recipe makes about 4 servings and is difficult to scale down accurately. Store leftover sauce in the fridge for up to 1 month.

The Batter. This is a variation of the classic flour-and-cornstarch batter used in Chinese takeout kitchens. The baking soda and baking powder create gas bubbles that make the crust lighter and crispier. The batter must be ice-cold when it hits the oil. Make it ahead and refrigerate for up to several hours.

Potato Starch. Used as the initial coating before the batter. Available at most Asian grocery stores in small bags. If you can't find potato starch, cornstarch works as a substitute for this step. The batter is doing most of the work for the final crunch.

Dehydrated Garlic. P.F. Chang's uses dehydrated minced garlic instead of fresh because it doesn't burn as easily in hot oil and the flavor is smoother and more concentrated. Rehydrate in hot water for 20-30 minutes and drain completely before using. Rehydrated garlic keeps in the fridge for about a week.

Double-Fry. P.F. Chang's only fries once at the restaurant because they serve immediately. The second fry at 375°F is a home-cook upgrade that expels moisture from the crust and re-crisps the exterior, so the coating holds up after being tossed in the sauce.

Chili Oil. P.F. Chang's makes their own house chili oil (the full recipe is in the Lettuce Wraps video). Lee Kum Kee's bottled chili oil is a good store-bought substitute. You only need a couple teaspoons to coat the wok before adding the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal