Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

Panda Express Orange Chicken – this Asian chicken dish tastes just like the restaurant version! It’s also simple, flavorful and so delicious.

Orange chicken is one of the most classic Asian recipes! Serve it with fried rice, egg rolls, and egg drop soup for a full course take-out style dinner made entirely from home.

Panda Express Orange chicken recipe over white rice

Copycat Orange Chicken

Our family has always been fans of Panda Express and we recently saw a copycat recipe we knew we HAD to try. It’s our favorite chicken from the chain, and we were glad to have a copycat recipe at home (especially to go with our Crock Pot Orange Chicken recipe).

We loved the recipe and devoured it in no time! It tasted very similar to Panda Express Orange Chicken, and we are so excited that we can now be making this delicious recipe at home.

I know that this chicken is usually served with just rice or noodles/chow mein, but I think we will try making it with broccoli next time. We may even add some other veggies since we love them and think they’ll make a great addition to the recipe.

Panda Express orange chicken sauce in pan

How to make Panda Express Orange Chicken:

Follow these steps to make this delicious copycat recipe!

CHICKEN. Cube chicken and set aside.

Mix salt, pepper, cornstarch and flour in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add egg, water and oil until the consistency is like a bater. Add chicken to the batter and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

FRYING. Heat oil in deep fryer to 350. Add chicken and fry until golden brown (or about 5 minutes). Remove chicken and add to a paper towel-lined plate.

SAUCE. Make sauce by adding oil to a pot and cooking on medium-high heat. Add red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and orange juice and stir to combine. Mix in vinegar and soy sauce until combined.

In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Add to the sauce pan and stir. Cook until sauce thickens.

Add chicken and stir to coat. Top with sesame oil and sesame seeds if desired. Serve over rice or noodles.

Kick up the Heat: If you prefer some heat try adding ½ tablespoon of sriracha to the sauce. If that’s still not enough have some red pepper flakes to sprinkle on until you’re satisfied.

How do I thicken the sauce? The cause will thicken as it cooks. If it isn’t thick enough add a cornstarch slurry. In a separate bowl mix ¼ c water with 1-2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix together then add to the sauce. If your sauce becomes too thick, simply add ¼ c water.

Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken on plate with rice

Panda Orange Chicken FAQ:

Is Orange Chicken gluten free? It definitely can be. The only ingredient that may contain gluten would be the soy sauce. Carefully check the label to find a GF version.

How to store leftover orange chicken? Place leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze for 3-4 months.

Thaw in the fridge before reheating. Reheat leftovers in the oven for about 10 minutes at 400 Degrees F. You can also reheat in a pan on the stove top. If you’re in a hurry you can easily stick the leftovers in the microwave.

Yay for finding great copycat recipes to make at home!! And orange chicken is one of the best recipes ever so we hope you like this version as much as we did.

For more Asian chicken recipes, check out:

Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe

5 from 9 votes
Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken - this Asian dish is a new favorite dinner recipe and easy too! Chicken sauce is made from orange juice & zest, oyster sauce, honey, and ginger!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 556 kcal
Author Lil' Luna

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 tsp chili flake
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp minced ginger
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce optional
  • 2 tbsp water optional
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp sesame oil

Instructions
 

  • Cube chicken and set aside.
  • Mix salt, pepper, cornstarch and flour in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Add egg, water and oil until the consistency is like a batter.. Add chicken to the batter and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Heat oil in deep fryer to 350. Add chicken and fry until golden brown (or about 5 minutes). Remove chicken and add to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Make sauce by adding oil to a pot and cooking on medium-high heat. Add red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
  • Add brown sugar and orange juice and stir to combine. Mix in vinegar and soy sauce until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Add to the sauce pan and stir. Cook until sauce thickens.
  • Add chicken and stir to coat. Top with sesame oil and sesame seeds if desired. Serve over rice or noodles. 

 

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    I can’t believe how easy this was to make & how incredibly tasty it was! My family loves Panda Express, so I am happy that we can just make it at home & it taste even better!

  2. 5 stars
    My girls love panda EXPRESS and ask for it weekly. With this recipe THEY’LL be abLe to have it more often.

  3. 5 stars
    Orange chicken is one of our favorite meals to make at home and if it taste like panda even better! So simple and very good. Sure to please the family.

  4. This recipe sounds quite yummy. FOr those interested fLOUR contains gluten, so this recipe is not gluten free. Also, the real Panda Express recipe uses orange flavoring. Thanks for the recipe!

  5. This recipe is fantastic and a family favorite but the time to make this is much longer than 15 minutes. It is more labor intensive than I expected.

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