This Copycat Chang's Spicy Chicken recipe is the perfect sweet and spicy stir fry served over rice and garnished with sesame seeds and scallions!
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Ingredients in this recipe
You don't need many ingredients to make this restaurant copycat! Here's what you need:
- chicken breast
- cornstarch
- green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish
- sweet chili sauce
- soy sauce
- hoisin sauce
- garlic, minced
- chili flakes
- rice
How to make PF Chang's Spicy Chicken
It's so easy to make this recipe. Here's how:
- Prepare ingredients and cook the rice in a rice cooker.
- Mix together sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Toss chicken with cornstarch in a large bowl.
- Heat oil in a large skillet, then add chicken and stir fry for 6-7 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Toss chicken with sauce.
- Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
What is Chang's Spicy Chicken?
This battered chicken entree is available on the P.F. Chang’s restaurant menu, and is a popular favourite.
The spicy chili sauce over the chicken is what I think makes it irresistible. The dish usually comes with a serving of rice or noodles.
How spicy is it?
The spice level is noticeable but it isn’t overly spicy. The chili sauce has a bit of sweetness to it, which helps to prevent it from being too spicy.
Ingredient substitutions
- Chicken – Although this recipe is for spicy chicken, the recipe can be made using shrimp or even beef. I make it with boneless chicken breasts, but if you prefer dark meat, you can use boneless chicken thighs.
- Cornstarch – A good substitute for cornstarch is arrowroot starch. Using flour is not recommended for this recipe – it works better in recipes that use an egg wash to help the flour stick to the meat
- Soy sauce – Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari as a substitute for the soy sauce
- Hoisin sauce – Good substitutes for the thick, rich flavour of hoisin are plum sauce or combining equal parts ketchup and molasses.
Making the rice
If you plan to serve the chicken with rice, it will need to be cooked separately. I like to use my rice cooker for this, but there are other options as well.
- Stove top – To cook the rice in a pan on the stove top, simply follow the package directions. It will take about 20 minutes for white rice, or 40 minutes for brown or wild rice.
- Slow cooker – Because it can be gummy and sticky if you don’t cook it properly, this is my least favourite way to cook rice.
- Instant Pot – Use my recipe to make Instant Pot rice. You’ll have fluffy rice in less than 10 minutes!
Or, for a healthier option, you could make cauliflower rice instead!
Calories in spicy chicken
This is not a low calorie meal by any stretch, but it sure is a delicious one!
The good news is, my copycat version is a much healthier choice. The calories are just over half of what they are for the restaurant version!
If you order it at P.F. Chang’s, the dish will have 840 calories per serving. In comparison, there are just 449 calories per serving if you make it according to my recipe.
Storing and reheating
After they cool to room temperature, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator and use them up within 5 days.
To maintain the chicken’s crispy texture, the best way to reheat leftovers is either in a skillet over medium heat on the stove top, or on a sheet pan in a preheated 350 F. oven.
For food safety purposes, be sure to reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165 F.
Freezing this recipe
This dish is freezer-friendly and can be kept in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
However, because reheating may change the texture and flavour, it’s best when it’s eaten fresh. If you do freeze it, be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating it.
Similar PF Chang's recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing the leftovers
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen
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Copycat Chang's Spicy Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 lb chicken breast, diced
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 bunch green onions, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Sauce
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes or more to taste
Rice
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Mix together sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Add rice ingredients to a rice cooker and cook.
- Toss chicken with cornstarch in a large bowl. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Once oil is smoking, add chicken and stir fry for 6-7 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Toss chicken with sauce, then serve over rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, then serve and enjoy!
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