Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe

Easy to make the favorite Panda Express signature orange chicken. Made with tender and juicy crispy fried chicken and tossed in a delicious homemade sweet orange – flavored sauce, made from scratch. Orange chicken flavor is very irresistible and a favorite Chinese take out for many. Try this copycat homemade version, much better and tastes so good with rice or on its own. Great for family dinners, perfect meal to enjoy with your loved ones and celebrate any special occasion.

This recipe includes,

• Step by step pictures and instructions of how to make the crispy fried chicken and sweet orange – flavored chili sauce.
• What is orange chicken and how it came to existence
• Tips to make a perfectly crispy chicken and how to caramelize the sauce to a perfect glaze
• Storing and heating instructions for a quick weeknight meal
• Different ways to cook the chicken
• Links to other copycat / restaurant inspired recipes from the blog

There are many different ways this orange chicken is made, the taste and texture differ from place to place. The orange chicken sold in panda express is different, from what they sell in malls or in any Chinese take out. The texture of the battered chicken is much smoother and crispy in panda express and not layered batter or crunchy like a kfc chicken. And my kids are very picky about the orange chicken only from panda express, so I tried replicating this copycat version of panda orange chicken.

To enjoy the best taste and crispy chicken texture, I highly recommend to serve the chicken immediately after tossing it with the sauce. Even in panda express if the chicken is made and kept for a while, then most of the time the chicken is not crispy, when compared with freshly made orange chicken. Also this orange sauce recipe is made with freshly squeezed orange juice, which adds a natural sweet taste and organic orange flavor to the chicken.

If you are a big fan of Chinese take out foods, then do try this recipe, it turns out so good every single time and its my families favorite. I make it every now and then and kids absolutely love it!

What is orange chicken ?

The orange chicken most commonly found at Chinese restaurants consists of chopped, battered and fried chicken pieces coated in a orange sauce. Very popular in the United States, it is most often found as a variation of General Tso’s chicken. Chef Andy Kao claims to have developed the original Chinese-American orange chicken recipe at a Panda Express in Hawaii in 1987. Since Panda Express is closely associated with this dish.

Orange chicken is the signature dish of the American fast food chain Panda Express, which sells over 100 million pounds of it every year. The taste and recipes of this dish differ from place to place due to cultural and geographical factors.

Can chicken thighs or chicken breast be used for this recipe?

Yes, you can use thighs or breast, I have tried it with both and either one works perfectly fine. Make sure to remove the skin and bones, you will need only boneless chicken to make the orange chicken. Cut the chicken into 1 to 1 and 1/2 inch bite sized cubes, and cube it more or less in the same size for even cooking.

What is the correct temperature to deep fry the chicken and important points to remember?

• Use a deep fry thermometer to check the oil temperature. The correct temperature when the thermometer dipped in the hot oil should read 350 degrees .
• If you don’t have the thermometer, then heat the oil in medium – high flame for 5 to 8 minutes, and check by dropping little batter or a piece of chicken first into the hot oil, the chicken or the batter should bounce right back to the surface of the oil, means the oil is ready for deep frying.
• One important thing to remember while deep frying the chicken, make sure to add one piece at a time into the hot oil and don’t crowd with too many chicken pieces, fry in batches. Gently turn the chickens half way to the other side, and let it cook and turn golden brown color. For a chicken cut into 1 inch cubes and with the oil temperature of 350 degrees, it will take approximately 3 to 4 minutes to deep fry the chicken pieces.
• If you over cook or fry the chicken for a longer time in oil, then it will turn rubbery, so make sure to keep and eye while frying.
• NOTE – Deep frying the chicken is the best method to make the orange chicken and to get the perfect restaurant style crispy chicken.

What are the other method to cook the chicken or how to make it healthier without deep frying it?

• Air fryer – I have tried air frying the battered chicken, in air fryer mode at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Spray generous oil on the chicken and turn the chicken half way, and spray oil again. Arrange chicken in even layer and do not crowd the air fryer basket and cook the chicken directly in the basket. Chickens gets cooked okay, if you like it air fried, and then toss the air fried chickens in the prepared orange sauce, then go with this method.
• Pan fry – Use a heavy bottomed pan, skillet / Dutch oven, add few tablespoons of oil and heat in medium high flame. Once the oil is hot, place the battered chicken in even layer and turn it half way and cook until brown on both sides, remove and drain the chicken on a plate lined with paper towel to drain any excess oil. Then toss the pan fried chicken in the prepared orange sauce. Make sure to heat the sauce and then toss the chicken in the sauce when the sauce is still hot.
• Bake – Pre heat the oven to 350 degree , line the baking trays with parchment paper, place each chicken on the tray and bake the chicken, turn the chicken half way. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or cook until the chicken is slightly brown on both sides. Then toss the baked chicken in orange sauce.

How long should I beat the egg whites and cornstarch and what is the right batter consistency ?

Add only the mentioned quantity of egg whites and cornstarch given in the recipe and increase the quantity if you are make more chicken servings. I used 1 egg whites, carefully separate the yolk and egg whites. Add the egg whites and cornstarch in a bowl and beat using a hand whisk until frothy / foamy for about 1 minute. When you add the chicken pieces into this mixture it should be like a thin /light batter and not thick like a ranch sauce. Make sure not to add to much of cornstarch, it will make the batter heavy and thick.

Why should I fry the fried chicken pieces for the second time in the oil?

This is an important step to make chicken to really solidify and hold the batter and to make it more crispy. After you fry chicken pieces in batches , drain it on a plate lined with paper towel until all the chicken pieces is deep fried. Gently shake all the excess oil from the chicken on the paper towel, and add them back to the oil and cook for 1 minutes and remove it and add them to the orange sauce. Toss it and serve immediately for best taste and crispy texture.

What oranges to use to make the sauce?

Use bottled or freshly squeezed orange juice with no pulp, use a strainer to remove any pulp. You want a thin clear orange juice. I used a freshly squeezed orange juice, and used navel oranges which is sweet and seedless. Choose a sweet variety fresh oranges or bottled orange juice to get the best sweet taste orange sauce.

How to get the correct orange sauce consistency and color?

• Just follow the given approximate time in the recipe below to cook the sauce, and make sure to cook the sauce in medium – low flame. After adding the cornstarch slurry to the sauce, do not cook for long , sauce will quickly start to thicken and become sticky and less pouring consistency and will not the coat the chicken well. Only 1 minute or less to cook after adding cornstarch slurry depending on the quantity you are adding.
• Toss the hot crispy fried chicken in the sauce and remove the sauce coated chicken immediately from the heat or transfer to serving plate / bowl and serve. The more the chicken and sauce stays in the heat, sauce will become thicker and loose its consistency and you will not get a glaze coat on the chicken. Chicken will start to become soggy when added in the sauce and will not be crispy as time passes.
• This is optional, before adding the crispy fried chicken into all the prepared sauce, you can reserve some sauce to finally pour / add on top of the orange chicken before serving.
• Add mentioned quantity of soy sauce just for the flavor, adding more will of soy sauce will change the sauce color darker. I used regular soy soy, using an less sodium soy sauce is optional.

Storing and reheat instructions for a quick weeknight meal

Refrigerate any leftover, but I do not recommend refrigerating this orange chicken and highly recommend to make it fresh and serve immediately for a best taste. If you don’t have time to make all at once or want to make this orange chicken for a weeknight meal. Make the orange sauce and deep fry chicken separately and refrigerate it in separate boxes without mixing it. When ready to serve,  microwave / air fry ( preferred) until crispy and hot or simply thaw the refrigerated chicken on the counter top. Heat the sauce on the pan by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water until bubbly, add then add the chicken pieces and toss, serve immediately.

Looking for more Copycat / Restaurant’s inspired recipes ?  I have listed few below, for the entire list of recipes, check the link here – Copycat Recipes

• PF Chang’s Inspired Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
• Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup Instant Pot
• PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chipotle Pasta
• Instant Pot Mango Bubble Tea
• Wow Bao’s – Spicy Kung Pao Chicken Bao – Instant Pot
• Chipotle Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Instant Pot
• Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp
• Air Fryer Crispy Tofu In Sweet Chili Sauce

Step by step pictures of how to make orange chicken

Chicken marination ingredients – cut boneless and skinless chicken breast into 1 inch cubes, salt, pepper powder, cornstarch and separate the egg whites. Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying the chicken.

Ingredients for making the sauce – orange juice, sesame oil, minced garlic, finely chopped or grated ginger, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, water and cornstarch.

Marinate the chicken

In a bowl, add cornstarch and egg whites and using a hand whisk, beat well until frothy for about 1 minute. Add the cut chicken pieces and mix well. Let it rest until the oil is heating and ready for deep frying the chicken.

Deep fry the marinated chicken

Heat enough oil in a kadai / heavy bottomed Dutch oven to deep fry the chicken, in medium – high flame. Correct oil temperature should be 350 degrees, use a deep fry thermometer to check. Slowly drop the marinated chicken pieces into the oil (one by one), add few pieces at a time depending on the pan size and do not crowd the chicken. Flip the chicken gently, and fry until golden on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Then drain the fried chicken pieces on a paper towel. Repeat frying the chicken in batches. Once all the chicken is deep fried, then drop all the chicken back into the oil for 1 minute. This helps the chicken to stay more crispy. Drain the chicken from the oil into a plate lined with paper towel.

Make the sauce

In a wok/ heavy bottomed Dutch oven, add oil, heat in medium – low flame, once the oil is hot, add ginger, garlic and red chili flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and orange juice and whisk well. Heat until the sauce starts bubbling.

Now whisk the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Mix well in medium – low flame, until sauce starts to thicken for about 1 minute or less.

Add the fried chicken to the sauce

Add the fried chicken to the prepared sauce now and toss the chicken, switch off the flame and remove pan from the heat or transfer the chicken to the serving plate / bowl. Serve immediately for best taste and a crispy chicken texture.