Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken
Crispy fried chicken tossed in a sweet-tangy orange glaze: the most popular dish at Panda Express, recreated at home.
Calories
490
Protein
22g
Carbs
52g
Fat
22g
Per serving (4 servings), based on Panda Express's published nutrition for the Orange Chicken. Home versions may vary.
📸 What it should look like
Glossy, deep-orange chicken chunks with a shatteringly crisp golden shell, coated in a sticky, translucent glaze flecked with bright orange zest and red pepper flakes, served over steamed white rice.
Use this description as a visual checklist while you cook, if yours looks close, you nailed it.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp grated orange zest
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Toss chicken in a mix of cornstarch and flour, then dip in beaten egg and coat again.
- 2
Fry in 350°F oil in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on a rack.
- 3
In a pan, combine orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, zest, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes. Simmer until thickened into a glaze.
- 4
Toss the fried chicken in the glaze until every piece is coated. Serve over steamed rice.
💡 Pro tip
Double-coating (flour → egg → flour) is what gives Panda's chicken its shatteringly crisp shell that holds up to the sauce.