Find out what menu items from P.F. Chang’s do not contain gluten and what you need to know about their gluten-free menu.
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P.F. Chang’s is a Chinese restaurant chain that can be found in a lot of major metro areas. With an extensive menu, this restaurant makes it known that they have gluten-free items that folks like you and I, people with food intolerances, can enjoy.
If you have found yourself deciding whether or not to visit P.F. Chang’s for a meal while trying to stick with a gluten-free diet, I hope the information in this post help you.
We’ll discuss the basics of gluten, where you can find it in many restaurants, and what you need to know about cross contamination at chain restaurants.
We’ll dive into the details of the P.F. Chang’s gluten-free menu, then go over what you need to know about how they handle gluten and other allergens in their kitchens.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.
Gluten is naturally occurring, and therefore is impossible to strip away from the grain. If a grain naturally has gluten in it, there’s no way to make that food gluten-free.
Where can you find gluten in food?
Gluten can be found in the form of wheat and grain products, like bread or flour in the more obvious places.
You can also find gluten as a binding ingredient, an ingredient added for texture like to make a food more crispy, or as a thickening agent.
Where can you find gluten in restaurants?
Depending on the restaurant you’re visiting, you may find gluten in a variety of places.
At many restaurants, there will be gluten in hamburger buns, the breading of crispy chicken sandwiches or chicken nuggets, some French fries, salad dressings, croutons on salad, and chili or soup options.
At other restaurants, you’ll find gluten in flour in sauces, in pizza or other pastry dough, pasta, and as a thickener in some soups.
Where gluten is found in the menu items will vary from restaurant to restaurant.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to review menus from home, and see if you can find any allergen information before you get to the restaurant itself.
Being able to review nutritional information and allergen statements before visiting a restaurant can be the difference between ordering something that you think is safe for your gluten-free diet and getting sick.
Being knowledgeable about what specific menu items you’ll be able to eat without any worries of later reactions is crucial to sticking with your gluten-free diet.
P.F. Chang’s allergen statement
P.F. Chang’s is open and honest about how they want to serve folks on a gluten-free diet. On their Nutrition page on their website, this is what they have to say:
“We have had a separate gluten-free menu for nearly a decade. Those with a gluten allergy or intolerance can order P.F. Chang’s favorites like Chang’s Lettuce Wraps and Chang’s Spicy Chicken knowing their food will be made completely free of gluten.
Our chefs use a designated gluten-free cooking area with gluten-free woks and cooking utensils. Many of our restaurants use designated gluten-free plates as an extra step to ensure your meal is gluten free.
Always alert your server when ordering gluten free.”
What you need to know about the gluten-free menu at P.F. Chang’s
What’s great about P.F. Chang’s is that they have a set gluten-free menu for folks who want or need to avoid gluten in their diet.
You can find their gluten-free menu on their website here.
Everything that’s ordered from the gluten-free menu is made in a designated area in their kitchens with gluten-free equipment and utensils. This is extremely helpful to know before visiting so you can ensure a safe visit and to help you stick with your gluten-free diet.
Another helpful option that P.F. Chang’s offers is an allergen matrix for their five different menus, including their main, lunch, kids, dessert, and gluten-free menus.
The allergen matrix outlines menu items with the following allergens to help you make informed decisions if you have more than one allergy or sensitivity: wheat, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, corn, sulfites, sesame, legume, onion, and mushroom.
What to know about cross contamination at restaurants
Most restaurants are not considered gluten-free establishments so it’s useful to keep this in mind when making decisions about where to go and what to order.
It’s important to know that even if a restaurant claims that their menu items do not contain gluten, that the possibility and probability of gluten in their products is going to be high if there is even one menu item with gluten available.
Depending on your level of sensitivity to gluten, this can be make or break information for you.
If you are Celiac and are allergic to trace amounts of gluten, you’ll likely want to avoid most restaurants that offer any bread products or French fries that are cooked in a shared fryer with other gluten-containing ingredients.
If you are not sensitive to gluten at the trace level and have adverse reactions to gluten due to a food intolerance, you may decide that these trace amounts of gluten from cross contamination are worth risking for a quick, easy, and convenient food option.
Being aware of how you have reacted to gluten in your diet in the past and how much gluten it takes for your body to react is useful knowledge when it comes to situations like these.
Use your best judgment about what you know about your body, how you react to gluten, and what the risks are for you specifically.
P.F. Chang’s Gluten-free Menu Items
Thankfully, P.F. Chang’s is forthright in what menu options are safe for folks on a gluten-free diet, and they are made in a dedicated area with equipment, utensils, and even plates that don’t make their way to other parts of the kitchen.
The information listed below is from the Gluten-free Menu on the P.F. Chang’s website.
Appetizers
- Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Soup
- Egg Drop Soup
Main Entrees
- Chang’s Spicy Chicken
- Mongolian Beef
- Ginger Chicken with Broccoli
- Fried Rice
- Beef with Broccoli
- Shrimp with Lobster Sauce
- Chicken Pad Thai
- Singapore Street Noodles
Dessert
- Chocolate Souffle
Lunch
- Chang’s Spicy Chicken Bowl
- Mongolian Beef Bowl
- Beef with Broccoli Bowl
- Ginger Chicken with Broccoli Bowl
Though there aren’t too many options that are gluten-free from P.F. Chang’s, it’s so nice to know there are options that are made in a dedicated area and with dedicated tools for folks who need to stick with a gluten-free diet.
Out of many restaurants I’ve reviewed and looked into their allergen information, this is one that I’ve been most impressed by.
All this to say, no one restaurant is perfect and even with dedicated areas and tools, if you are Celiac, you may run into problems with cross contact. Keep this in mind before choosing a restaurant and menu items.
Looking for more information on gluten-free restaurants?
Be sure to check out my Gluten-free Restaurants post or get all the information in one place with my Gluten-free Restaurant Guide!
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More Gluten-free Restaurant Menu Items
If you’re looking at other popular restaurants and wondering what gluten-free menu items they offer, be sure to check out my Gluten-free Restaurant Guide. I’ve outlined all the gluten-free options from 45+ popular restaurants and fast food chains.
- Gluten-free Fast Food: Options from Major Chains
- Gluten and Dairy-free Diet: 4 Restaurant Tips
- Applebee’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Arby’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Blaze Pizza Gluten-free Menu Items
- Boston Market Gluten-free Menu Items
- Buffalo Wild Wings Gluten-free Menu Items
- Burger King Gluten-free Menu Items
- California Pizza Kitchen Gluten-free Menu Items
- Cheesecake Factory Gluten-free Menu Items
- Chick-Fil-A Gluten-free Menu Items
- Chilis Gluten-free Menu Items
- Chipotle Gluten-free Menu Items
- Cracker Barrel Gluten-free Menu Items
- Crumbl Cookies Gluten-free Menu Items
- Culver’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Denny’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Domino’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Dunkin Donuts Gluten-free Menu Items
- Einstein Bros Bagels Gluten-free Menu Items
- Firehouse Subs Gluten-free Menu Items
- First Watch Gluten-free Menu Items
- Five Guys Gluten-free Menu Items
- IHOP Gluten-free Menu Items
- Jack In The Box Gluten-free Menu Items
- Jimmy John’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- KFC Gluten-free Menu Items
- Little Caesar’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Longhorn Steakhouse Gluten-free Menu Items
- McDonald’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- MOD Pizza Gluten-free Menu Items
- Nothing Bundt Cakes Gluten-free Menu Items
- Olive Garden Gluten-free Menu Items
- Outback Steakhouse Gluten-free Menu Items
- Panda Express Gluten-free Menu Items
- Panera Gluten-free Menu Items
- Papa Johns Gluten-free Menu Items
- Papa Murphy’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- P.F. Chang’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Pizza Hut Gluten-free Menu Items
- Qdoba Gluten-free Menu Items
- Red Lobster Gluten-free Menu Items
- Red Robin Gluten-free Menu Items
- Ruby Tuesday Gluten-free Menu Items
- Shake Shack Gluten-free Menu Items
- Smashburger Gluten-free Menu Items
- Sonic Gluten-free Menu Items
- Starbucks Gluten-free Menu Items
- Subway Gluten-free Menu Items
- Taco Bell Gluten-free Menu Items
- Texas Roadhouse Gluten-free Menu Items
- Wendy’s Gluten-free Menu Items
- Whataburger Gluten-free Menu Items
- Wingstop Gluten-free Menu Items
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