Recreate P.F. Chang's Iconic Dynamite Shrimp In Your Own Kitchen

P.F. Chang's is a fast-casual restaurant best known for its take on American-Chinese cuisine. There are quite a few popular menu items at P.F. Chang's, ranging from egg rolls to crispy chicken to dumplings. Of course, the popular chain is also no stranger to seafood, and if the dynamite shrimp happens to be your appetizer go-to when dining in at P.F. Chang's, then this fun copycat dynamite shrimp recipe from developer Julianne De Witt will bring the tempura-battered goodness home.

De Witt's take on the popular appetizer hits all of the right beats, featuring "crispy, tempura-battered shrimp served with a creamy, spicy sauce just like the restaurant favorite." If you were to order dynamite shrimp at P.F. Chang's, they'd bring out a plate of sauce-coated fried shrimp, but De Witt opts to keep the sauce separate to avoid any sogginess (you could, of course, toss the shrimp with the sauce in your homemade version). When it comes time to serve up the spicy, tangy, creamy, and subtly sweet dynamite shrimp, you can follow P.F. Chang's lead and enjoy it as an appetizer, or make it your main course. As De Witt recommends, "Serve this shrimp dish on its own as an appetizer or over rice or salad as a main."

Arguably the most important ingredient needed to recreate P.F. Chang's dynamite shrimp is the shrimp itself, and De Witt specifically recommends using 21-25 count shrimp. As she explains, "They are bite-sized but big enough so that the shrimp stays tender and is not overwhelmed by the batter." Then, to season and batter the shrimp, you'll need cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, tempura mix, and club soda, along with vegetable oil for frying. 

Of course, the tempura shrimp aren't the only thing that makes the iconic appetizer what it is. There's also the dynamite sauce, which consists of mayonnaise, sriracha, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, and crushed garlic. Finally, to garnish the appetizer, have some diced scallions on hand.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, chili sauce, vinegar, and garlic. Stir until smooth and well blended.

Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Add the cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to a resealable plastic bag.

Add the shrimp to the bag, close the seal, and shake the shrimp until the cornstarch and seasonings are evenly coating each piece.

Add the vegetable oil to a medium pot and heat it until it reaches 340 F.

While the oil is heating, prepare the batter by adding the tempura mix to a small bowl. Stir in the soda water until the batter is slightly lumpy; do not overmix.

Coat the shrimp in batter.

Fry the shrimp in batches, adding each shrimp to the oil one at a time to prevent sticking. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes per batch, or until batter is lightly browned and shrimp is just cooked.

Drain the shrimp on a paper towel.

Add the shrimp to a platter, top with the scallions, and serve it with the dynamite sauce.

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Not all batter types are created equal, nor are they all even remotely the same. There's beer batter, for example, which (obviously) incorporates beer, or fried chicken batter, which often incorporates buttermilk. Tempura batter, meanwhile, is a Japanese-style batter best known for its lightness and crispiness. As De Witt explains, "Tempura batter is a Japanese batter used to coat primarily shrimp and vegetables." She notes that it's an especially good batter for more delicate foods, so that it provides that rich, fried, crispy coating without completely bogging down the food underneath. "It differs from the type of batter used on fish — this batter is heavier and denser, and the batter is usually smooth," De Witt adds.

Since tempura batter is famously light, it also doesn't require many ingredients to make. If you were to make tempura batter from scratch, you'd simply need ingredients like flour, egg whites, and chilled water. De Witt uses a tempura mix for her recipe, and she notes that you should be able to find such a mix in the Asian section of most grocery stores. One thing to keep in mind when you mix up your tempura batter is that you don't want to overmix it, so it's okay if it's still a bit lumpy once you add in the shrimp.

The first key in making successful P.F. Chang's dynamite shrimp is choosing the right size of shrimp, and again, De Witt specifically recommends 21-25 count. "Smaller shrimp will cook too quickly and be overwhelmed by the batter," she explains. "Larger shrimp will take too long to cook on the inside, likely resulting in overcooked batter." Make sure that you pat your shrimp dry before coating them in anything, and when it comes time to coat them, don't skip the cornstarch step, as this ingredient specifically helps the tempura batter adhere to the shrimp. 

Next, make sure you're adding plenty of oil to the pot for frying, and consider using an instant-read thermometer to make sure that the oil stays in the sweet spot of 350 F. Also, while shallow frying works for some recipes, De Witt recommends sticking with deep-frying for this one so as to ensure the most even and crispy result. Don't overcrowd the pan when you add in the shrimp, and work in batches as necessary (otherwise the temperature of your oil may drop too low or the shrimp may stick together). An easy way to tell when tempura batter is done frying is by paying attention to bubbles around the shrimp; if they're larger bubbles, then give the shrimp a little more time. Once those bubbles get smaller and the shrimp looks golden brown, they're ready to go.

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