Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe

This Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe gives you crisp chicken in a bright, sticky orange sauce. You can make it at home with simple steps and plain kitchen tools. It tastes sweet, a little sharp, and just warm enough to wake up your taste buds. For more ideas from this site, start with the Panda Express menu guide on our homepage and then come back to cook.

The dish works well for a weeknight meal because most of the work is short and direct. You cut the chicken, coat it, fry it, and toss it in sauce. The sauce comes together in one pan while the chicken rests. Serve it with plain rice, and dinner feels complete without a long list of extra steps. It is a simple way to enjoy this Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe at home.

This home version of the Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe keeps the focus on texture. The coating should stay crisp, even after the sauce goes on. That means you need hot oil, dry chicken, and a sauce that is thick enough to cling. If you follow the order below, you will get that balance on your first try.

Ingredients You Need

Use boneless, skinless chicken thigh for the best result. Thigh meat stays soft and juicy after frying, while breast can dry out fast. Cut the pieces small and even, so they cook at the same speed. You will need about 700 grams of thigh meat for four servings.

• 700 grams boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 large eggs, beaten, for the egg wash
• 100 grams cornstarch and 60 grams plain flour, mixed for the coating
• 1 teaspoon salt and half a teaspoon black pepper
• Neutral oil for frying, such as sunflower or vegetable oil
• 120 millilitres fresh orange juice and 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 60 grams sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, grated, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, and half a teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 spring onions, sliced, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, to finish

Check your cupboard before you start. Fresh orange juice gives a cleaner taste than juice from a carton, and fresh zest adds a light citrus scent. If you want to plan the rest of the meal, look at the Panda Express meat choices for ideas about cuts and pairings. For health details, the Panda Express nutrition guide is a useful next read.

How to Make It Step by Step

Start by patting the chicken dry with kitchen paper. Dry meat helps the coating stick and keeps the oil from spitting. Season the pieces with salt and pepper. Dip each piece in the beaten egg, then roll it in the cornstarch and flour mix. Shake off the extra coating so the crust stays thin and crisp. Follow each step in order for this Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe.

1. Heat oil in a deep pan or wok until it reaches 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer if you have one.
2. Fry the chicken in small batches for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Do not crowd the pan.
3. Lift the chicken out with a slotted spoon and drain it on a wire rack. A rack keeps the base crisp.
4. Let the oil come back to heat between batches. This step stops the coating from turning soft.
5. When all the chicken is fried, make the sauce in a clean wok or large pan.
6. Pour the sauce over the chicken, toss fast, and serve at once with rice.

Work in small batches, even if it takes a little longer. A full pan cools the oil, and cool oil makes greasy chicken. The second batch often turns out better than the first, because you learn how fast your pan heats. Keep the cooked pieces warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.

The Orange Sauce

The sauce for this Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe is sweet, sour, and lightly warm. Orange juice and zest give the main flavour. Sugar adds shine and sweetness. Soy sauce adds salt and depth. Vinegar lifts the mix so it does not taste flat. Garlic and ginger add warmth, while crushed red pepper gives a gentle heat.

Mix the orange juice, zest, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper in a bowl. Heat the mix in a pan over medium heat until it simmers. Stir the cornstarch slurry once more, then pour it in slowly. Keep stirring until the sauce turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Stir in the sesame oil at the end, off the heat, so its scent stays fresh.

Toss the chicken in the sauce just before you serve it. If you wait too long, the coating will soften. Use a wide pan and a gentle folding motion, so each piece gets a thin coat. Finish with sliced green onions and a scatter of sesame seeds. Serve at once, while the crust still has a light crunch.

Tips for the Air Fryer and for Freezing

For an air fryer version, coat the chicken in the same way, then spray it lightly with oil. Cook at 200 degrees Celsius, or about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, for 12 to 15 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through, so all sides turn crisp. Make the sauce on the stove, then toss the hot chicken in it just before serving. The result is lighter, but still crisp and bright. This lighter way to cook a Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe still gives a crisp coat.

To freeze leftovers, let the chicken cool first. If you can, freeze the chicken and the sauce apart. Place the chicken in one layer on a tray until firm, then move it to a sealed bag. It will keep for up to three months. To reheat, bake or air fry at 200 degrees Celsius until hot and crisp, then warm the sauce and toss them together. Do not use a microwave if you want to keep the crunch.

A few small habits make a big difference. Keep the sauce warm, not boiling, when you toss it. Use a wire rack, not paper, for draining. Taste the sauce before you add the chicken, and adjust the sugar or vinegar by a small amount. Small changes are easy at that stage, but hard once the chicken is coated.

Facts About the Restaurant Dish

The facts below describe the restaurant dish, not this home version. They help you see how the famous plate differs from a home cook. At Panda Express, Orange Chicken is made with thigh meat, not breast. Culinary director Jimmy Wang has noted this choice, and it explains why the restaurant dish stays juicy. The dish was created in 1987 in Hawaii by Chef Andy Kao.

The restaurant version is mild in heat. If you want a hotter plate, the spicy one is Hot Orange Chicken. Orange Chicken is a huge seller, at about one third of all entrées sold. In 2025, the chain sold about 148 million pounds of it. A restaurant serving of 5.7 ounces holds 560 calories. Those numbers are for the restaurant plate only.

Restaurant prices start at about $9.30 for a Bowl, $11.10 for a Plate, and $12.90 for a Bigger Plate, though prices can vary by place. Our home version is only an estimate, at about 350 to 420 calories per serving, and it will change with your oil, portion size, and rice. For the latest restaurant details, see the official Panda Express website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use the questions below to check quick facts before you cook. Tap each one to read its short

answer.

Final Thoughts

This Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe is a good place to start if you like sweet and savoury food. The steps are short, the sauce uses basic items, and the result suits both family meals and small gatherings. Once you learn the fry and toss order, you can adjust the heat, sweetness, and zest to suit your taste. Cook it fresh, serve it hot, and enjoy a crisp plate at home.