P.F. Chang's Kung Pao Chicken
The actual restaurant recipe for P.F. Chang's Kung Pao Chicken. Uses their alkaline soy marinade, potato starch dredge, and from-scratch seven-ingredient Kung Pao sauce. The chicken is deep-fried before the final stir-fry with Sambal Oelek, dehydrated minced garlic, dried red chilis, peanuts, and celery.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 350kcal
Equipment
- 1 Made-In Carbon Steel Wok For deep-frying the chicken
- 1 Made-In Saucier For making the Kung Pao sauce
- 1 14-inch Mandarin Wok For the final stir-fry
- 1 Wok Spider/Strainer For removing chicken from oil
- 1 Anchor Glass Ramekins For mise en place
- 1 Wusthof Utility Knife For trimming the chicken
- 1 Rubbermaid Storage Containers For storing the sauce
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Deli Containers For mise en place
- 1 Whisk For the Kung Pao sauce
- 1 Infrared Thermometer For checking oil temperature
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack For draining fried chicken
- 1 Vegetable Peeler For peeling celery fibers
Ingredients
Alkaline Soy Marinade
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
Kung Pao Sauce (Full Batch - 8 Servings)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp Minor's original chicken base
- 6 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 13 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 2 1/3 tbsp mushroom dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 3 tbsp Michiu rice cooking wine or Shaoxing
- 1 tsp oyster sauce Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand or Premium
- 1 tsp green onions finely minced
The Chicken
- 9 oz chicken breast cubed into 1-inch pieces
- potato starch for dredging
- neutral oil vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for deep-frying
Final Stir-Fry
- neutral oil for the wok
- 8 dried red chili peppers
- 1 tsp dehydrated minced garlic rehydrated in hot water for 20-30 minutes, drained
- 2 tsp sambal oelek chili paste Huy Fong brand; Chili Garlic Sauce also works
- 1/4 cup scallions finely chopped, whites only
- 1/4 cup kung pao sauce from the sauce recipe above
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 1/4 cup celery peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced on bias ⅛ inch
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Make the Alkaline Soy Marinade
- Combine 1 cup of water with ½ teaspoon of baking soda in a container and stir until the baking soda is dissolved.
- Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir to combine.
Cut and Brine the Chicken
- Remove the tenderloin from the chicken breast and set aside. Trim any fat or tendon.
- Place your hand flat on top of the breast and make a horizontal cut to split it into two thinner pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise into 1-inch strips, then crosswise into 1-inch cubes.
- Place the cubed chicken in the alkaline soy marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
Make the Kung Pao Sauce
- Add ¼ cup of water, ¼ teaspoon of chicken bouillon base, and 6½ tablespoons of sugar to a small pot over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of mushroom dark soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, 3 tablespoons of rice wine, and 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce. Whisk until everything is incorporated and turn off the heat.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of finely minced green onion. Allow the sauce to cool before storing.
Prep the Remaining Ingredients
- Rehydrate the dehydrated minced garlic in hot water for 20-30 minutes. Drain completely before using.
- Peel the celery stalks with a vegetable peeler to remove the fibers. Cut each stalk in half lengthwise, then slice on the bias about ⅛ inch wide.
- Finely chop ¼ cup of scallion whites. Measure out the peanuts, Sambal Oelek, dried chilis, and sesame oil.
Dredge and Deep-Fry the Chicken
- Heat neutral oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in potato starch, pressing it in and shaking off the excess. Make sure each piece is completely covered.
- Add the chicken to the oil and immediately agitate so the pieces don't clump together. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove the chicken to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Final Stir-Fry
- Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the dried red chilis and stir-fry until darkened in color, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon of rehydrated minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of Sambal Oelek, and ¼ cup of scallion whites. Cook for 10-20 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ¼ cup of the Kung Pao sauce and bring to a boil. Let it reduce very slightly.
- Add ¼ cup of peanuts, the prepared chicken, and ¼ cup of sliced celery. Toss everything together for 20-30 seconds until the chicken is completely coated and there are no dry spots.
- Drizzle in ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, toss once more, and turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Chicken. P.F. Chang's uses boneless, skinless chicken breast for this dish. Cut into 1-inch cubes for even cooking during the deep fry. If you prefer dark meat, thighs work well with the same marinade and coating process.
Alkaline Soy Marinade. P.F. Chang's brines their chicken for 24 hours. The minimum is 2 hours, but longer marination improves both texture and flavor. The baking soda raises the pH on the surface of the meat and prevents the protein strands from tightening during high-heat cooking.
Kung Pao Sauce. This recipe makes 8 servings of sauce (roughly 16.5 oz) because the small amounts of some ingredients make it difficult to scale down accurately. The extra stores well in the fridge for a few weeks. For a smaller batch (4 servings / ~8.2 oz): 2 tbsp water, ⅛ tsp chicken bouillon, 3 tbsp + 1½ tsp sugar, 6 tbsp + 1½ tsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp + ½ tsp mushroom dark soy sauce, 1½ tbsp white vinegar, 1½ tbsp rice wine, ½ tsp oyster sauce, ½ tsp green onions.
Potato Starch. P.F. Chang's uses potato starch for the dredge, not cornstarch. It produces a lighter, crispier coating that holds its texture better once the sauce is added. Available at most Asian grocery stores and on Amazon.
Sambal Oelek. P.F. Chang's uses the Huy Fong brand. Huy Fong's Chili Garlic Sauce also works and the only difference is it contains garlic. If you want more heat, add extra Sambal Oelek during the final stir-fry.
Dehydrated Minced Garlic. Rehydrate in hot water for 20-30 minutes, then drain completely. P.F. Chang's uses this instead of fresh garlic because it doesn't burn on the hot wok and gives a smoother, more concentrated garlic flavor. Once rehydrated, it keeps in the fridge for about a week. Fresh garlic can be substituted but mince very finely and add just before the sauce.
Dried Red Chilis. Look for chilis that are flexible and don't snap when you bend them. Brittle chilis are old. These release strong fumes when toasted in oil, so open a window or turn on your vent hood.
Premade Sauce. P.F. Chang's sells a bottled Kung Pao sauce at most grocery stores. It's not as good as the homemade version, but it works as a shortcut if you don't want to source all the individual sauce ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal