Panda Express Orange Chicken Copycat

Panda Express Orange Chicken Copycat is an easy Chinese dish with crispy and flavorful chicken tossed in a delicious, sweet, and tangy orange sauce. This is the perfect budget-friendly dinner for the whole family to enjoy.

Making a copycat recipe can be daunting if you have had that dish and really loved it. But with my easy recipe, you can get it right. This sweet caramelized citrus chicken meal is made with just a handful of ingredients you will not have to search for because many are probably already in your kitchen. The orange sauce is the perfect combo of sweet and savory flavors; it wakes up your taste buds.

Panda Express Orange Chicken (Copycat) Recipe

This Orange Chicken recipe tastes just like the famous Panda Express restaurant dish. The only difference is that you can make it easily at home at a fraction of the cost. This recipe yields super tcrispy chicken meat that is soaked in a sweet and tangy, orange-based sauce. I actually think it easily beats the take-out version!

If you have been wanting to make your orange chicken but did not know how, now you have the recipe to do it. You really have to mix some things, fry the chicken, and serve it over rice. All of the ingredients are easy to find in your kitchen or at the supermarket. The most exotic ingredient is the rice wine, and you can get that anywhere. It takes less than 30 minutes, and you can make a double or triple batch to serve a crowd.

This recipe tastes just like the original version of orange chicken, but the sauce here is tangier, with a sweet and sour taste to it, which is also deeper and more flavorful. I like serving it over white rice, brown rice, or soba noodles. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for quite a while now and as a result this dish always receives rave reviews.

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy to make: Just a few steps to a delicious dish.
• Minutes to a meal: In less than 30 minutes, you can be eating your favorite Asian meal.
• Show it off: Why not? You did something amazing! Show it off!
• Save leftovers: That way you can have some for later.

What you’ll need to make Panda Express orange chicken copycat

Special items

• Skillet – For frying the chicken.
• Bowls
• Utensils

Ingredients:

For the chicken

• Chicken – I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into one-inch pieces.
• Egg – Large egg, warmed to room temperature.
• Flour
• Cornstarch
• Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

For the orange sauce:

• Orange juice – Squeeze your own orange juice from the freshest oranges since this is the main ingredient.
• Orange zest – Once again, the oranges are the main ingredients here. Zesting is easy and takes just a minute.
• Rice vinegar – Has a delicate, sweet, and mild taste.
• Sesame oil – Has a very rich flavor so do not use too much.
• Soy sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce for less salt.
• Garlic – Only freshly minced garlic will do for this recipe.
• Ginger – Same here. You need to mince your own ginger root. Don’t use powder.
• White vinegar – A vivid contrast to the mild and delicate taste of rice vinegar.
• Red pepper flakes – For just a bit of spiciness.
• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Cornstarch
• Water

For the garnish:

• Sesame seeds – You can toast them for extra crunchiness.
• Orange zest – For a pop of color and flavor.

How to Make Panda Express Orange Chicken:

1. Prepare the Sauce: To make the famous sauce, you have to combine cornstarch, rice wine, water, orange juice, sesame oil, white sugar, brown sugar, white vinegar, orange zest, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. First, you stir it and set it aside to cook later.
2. Prepare the meat: To fry the chicken you have to prepare two shallow bowls, one with a beaten and seasoned egg and another with a mixture of flour and cornstarch, Then, dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, after that drenge them into the flour mixture.
3. Fry: Next, heat oil in a large pan or frying wok to 375 degrees F and fry the chicken pieces in batches, until cooked through, crispy and golden. Set aside once done.
4. Boil the Sauce: Discard the oil from the pan, leaving in only about one tablespoon, and add the sauce. Then, stir and bring it to a boil.
5. Add back the Chicken: Add back the fried chicken into the sauce and stir until well combined. The dish is done when the sauce has thickened. Serve with rice.

Expert tip

What are some good soy sauce substitutes?

Sometimes, we run out of soy sauce in the middle of a recipe, and we do not want to stop and go to the store. Sure, you could pay one of the grocery stores to rush it over to you if you really want to pay that much. But you may have something in the kitchen you can use. There are quite a few different things you can use. Coconut aminos is the first one. It is a gluten-free substitute that can be used in a one-to-one ratio.

Tamari is another one you may have sitting around in the cabinet. It is also gluten-free and tastes very similar, with a salty and umami flavor from fermenting coconut palm sap with sea salt. Then, there is fish sauce, but you have to cut that in half if you use that because it is more robust. Miso paste is another choice, but it has a different texture. You will have to use twice as much and mix it with water.

Worcestershire sauce is another one you can use in a pinch on a one-to-one ratio. The umami taste can even work in this recipe since so much is happening. Oyster sauce is thicker but can also do the trick if you do not mind the extra sweetness. Actually, in this dish, it would taste great. 

Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe Variations:

• Instant Pot version: You can make it in the Instant Pot, check our recipe for Instant Pot Orange Chicken.
• Veggies: Make it healthier by stir-frying some veggies BEFORE adding the sauce back into the pan. Some suggestions that would be delicious include: sliced bell peppers, sliced red onion, broccoli, bok choy, sugar snap peas.
• Make it Spicier: If you prefer your Chinese food to have a spicy kick, make sure to add more red pepper flakes, even some hot sauce or cayenne pepper into the sauce.
• Make it healthier: For a healthier version, substitute sugars with honey or maple syrup. You can also lightly fry the chicken or bake it and chop it into pieces.
• Play with the toppings: Top it with crushed peanuts, red pepper flakes, chopped scallions, and sesame seeds.
• Gluten-free: For gluten allergies, use coconut or almond flour and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.

Serving suggestions:

Try some of these ideas for serving this Panda Express orange chicken copycat.

• Egg fried rice or pineapple fried rice would be so delicious on the side.
• You can serve this delicious dish on cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
• Try this with a tangy and sweet mimosa. With my simple mimosa recipe you can make it in just a few minutes and all you need are two ingredients.
• Don’t forget dessert! This orange creamsicle freezer pie would be perfect!

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between orange chicken and sweet and sour chicken?

Orange chicken and sweet and sour chicken are both sweet and tangy, but orange chicken has more of a citrus flavor. Sweet and Sour Chicken is flavored with pineapple, bell peppers, honey, and brown sugar. Orange chicken does not have any other vegetables and fruits, just the chicken and the sauce, and it is usually served on rice. They are both crispy and fried. The sweet and sour sauce also has ketchup and pineapple juice, which are not part of the orange sauce. On the other hand, the orange sauce is a much sweeter sauce, not as acidic, with a more pronounced citrus flavor.

How does Panda Express get their chicken so soft?

They, like many other restaurants, use a technique called velveting. Velveting breaks down the muscle fibers in the chicken, which makes it softer as well as more flavorful and helps it absorb the sauce. Depending on your method, you may consider it a way of marinating, braising, or even frying. You could let it sit in a cornstarch or baking soda coating or marinate it in some vinegar or lemon juice. Then, it is cooked as the recipe calls for.

Why is my chicken chewy?

It may be overcooked. The protein fibers become dry and elastic if you cook it for longer than a few minutes. Small pieces of chicken cook quickly, so they only take a couple of minutes. Two or three minutes will do it for these. It could also be undercooked. Check the temperature. If it is 155 degrees F or more, it is done. It will finish cooking as it rests.

Should I use cornstarch or flour?

Some say cornstarch is lighter and makes your coating crispier. You may have noticed that I use both in my recipe. This is because cornstarch helps prevent the development of gluten so the flour can coat the chicken better and make it even crispier. So, first, the cornstarch absorbs the moisture, and then it prevents gluten development so the flour can coat your chicken the way it should without the extra gluten to weigh it down.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to three days.
• Freezing: You can also freeze it for up to three months in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.   
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
• Reheating: You can reheat in the oven for 10 minutes or in the microwave for two minutes. 

More Panda Express Copycats:

Recipe tips:

• Do not overcrowd the pan. The chicken needs plenty of room, or the oil temperature will cool. You may have to cook in batches.
• Be careful not to overcook or undercook your chicken, as it may become chewy.
• When you remove your chicken, its internal temperature should be 155 degrees F, as it will continue to cook as it rests.
• Velveting your chicken will make it soft and smooth, like at Panda Express. But with my recipe, yours will taste better.
• I use both cornstarch and flour to prevent gluten development for crispier chicken.