Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

When walking through a food court, a few unmistakable scents waft through the air—like Auntie Anne’s soft pretzels and Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. While both of these are undoubtedly delicious, the food court aroma that I have the hardest time resisting has to be Panda Express orange chicken.

Since I love it so much, I decided to make my own version at home, and this copycat recipe for orange chicken from Panda Express results in an entree that’s spot on. In fact, when I ordered orange chicken from Panda Express last week, I could barely tell the difference between this recipe and the real deal from the fast-food chain. It is that good!

Added bonus: Learning how to make this copycat Panda Express orange chicken recipe is super easy. Simply batter and deep fry the chicken, then whip up a wok full of the iconic sweet and spicy orange sauce, and serve it over rice. All that’ll be missing is another Panda Express copycat recipe to go along with it, like a batch of crispy egg rolls!

Ingredients for Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

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• Chicken thighs: Use chicken thighs to replicate the tender, juicy pieces at Panda Express. However, if you prefer white meat, you can replace the thighs with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• Batter: To replicate Panda Express’ iconic golden and crispy batter, you’ll blend flour and cornstarch with a bit of salt and pepper, an egg, sesame oil and the secret ingredient: chilled sparkling water.
• Aromatics: The base of the signature Panda Express orange chicken sauce begins with a few staple Asian ingredients: garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Sugar: A blend of two types of sugar offers extra depth of flavor, thanks to the molasses in the brown sugar. Together, brown sugar and granulated sugar make the sauce wonderfully sweet and sticky.
• Rice vinegar and soy sauce: If you want to make your homemade Chinese recipes taste authentic, grab bottles of rice vinegar and soy sauce. Rice vinegar’s unique flavor makes this orange chicken taste like the real deal. And soy sauce adds salty and umami flavors.
• Orange juice and zest: You can’t have a Panda Express orange chicken recipe without oranges! In our sauce, we use both the juice and the zest to amp up the orange flavor.
• Cornstarch and water: To thicken the sauce, a simple slurry is made by whisking some cornstarch and water together. It’s one of our favorite ways to thicken sauces and gravy.
• Rice: No homemade takeout dinner is complete without a mound of white or brown rice. It adds extra bulk to the meal and absorbs every last drop of the tantalizing orange chicken sauce. Here’s how to cook rice on the stovetop.

Directions

Step 1: Make the batter

Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Then, whisk in the egg, sparkling water and 1 tablespoon sesame oil until smooth.

Editor’s Tip: The mixture should resemble a thick pancake batter. If it’s too thick, add additional sparkling water. If it is too thin, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired thickness is achieved.

Step 2: Coat the chicken

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Add the chicken pieces to the batter and fold them into the mixture until each piece is evenly coated. Cover the bowl, transfer to the refrigerator and let the chicken soak in the batter for at least 30 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Resting the chicken in the batter is important because it allows the flour to properly hydrate, which in turn helps the batter adhere better to the chicken. This way, each piece of chicken is evenly coated and perfectly crispy once cooked.

Step 3: Fry the chicken

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Next, heat 1/2 to 1 inch oil to 350°F in a large wok. Working in batches, add a few pieces of the battered chicken to the preheated oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is deeply golden on all sides and cooked through. Each batch should take about five to six minutes. Transfer the fried chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain excess oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t own a wok, any deep vessel will work—it just needs to be able to hold the oil for frying. A Dutch oven, stockpot or even a deep skillet would suffice.

Step 4: Start the sauce

As your last batch of chicken cooks, start the sauce. Warm 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t walk away during this step. If you accidentally burn your garlic (which is not at all the same as roasted garlic), toss everything and start fresh. Otherwise, your sauce will have a bitter flavor.

Step 5: Finish adding ingredients to the sauce

Add the sugar, brown sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce and orange zest. Stir until the sugars dissolve and the mixture begins to bubble.

Step 6: Thicken the sauce

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Finish the sauce by whisking together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Add it to the wok and whisk until smooth. Cook the sauce until it thickens, one to two minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Ideally, you’re looking for a consistency like honey. If you accidentally thicken the sauce too much, you can thin it back out with a bit of orange juice, water or chicken stock.

Step 7: Add the chicken

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Add the fried chicken to the sauce and gently toss until every inch of the chicken pieces is coated in the sweet and spicy orange sauce. Serve immediately with hot, cooked fluffy rice, and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

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Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken Variations

• Get creative with garnishes: Use a sprinkle of Thai basil (which is different from other basil types), a pinch of chili flakes or a healthy scoop of toasted sesame seeds to garnish your bowl of copycat orange chicken from Panda Express.
• Make it spicy: The best part of making restaurant copycat recipes is that you can tailor them to your family’s taste preferences. Add extra chili flakes for a spicier orange chicken recipe. Alternatively, you can reduce or omit the chili flakes completely to cater to palates that are sensitive to spicy foods.

How to Store Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

Store orange chicken in an airtight food storage container with a lid and keep it refrigerated.

How long does copycat Panda Express orange chicken last?

Leftovers of this copycat Panda Express orange chicken recipe will stay fresh for up to four days in the fridge.

Can you freeze orange chicken?

You bet. Simply place portions of the cooked chicken and sauce in freezer-safe containers, then freeze for up to three months. To serve, thaw leftovers overnight in the fridge before reheating. If you don’t regularly freeze leftovers, here’s more on how to freeze chicken dishes.

How do you reheat orange chicken?

To reheat this copycat orange chicken, we recommend warming it on the stovetop for the best taste. Add the leftover chicken and sauce to a skillet with a splash of water or orange juice to rehydrate the sauce as everything reheats. Serve it with rice, whether it’s fresh or leftover. In the case of the latter, make sure you use an optimal method to reheat rice.

Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken Tips

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How do you make copycat Panda Express orange chicken in a slow cooker?

You can easily make this recipe in a slow cooker, but just know that the chicken will not be as crispy and that it won’t be your typical dump-and-go recipe since you will need to fry the chicken first. To finish this orange chicken recipe in a slow cooker, prepare the recipe as directed above through Step 3, then transfer the chicken pieces to a greased slow cooker. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup and then pour the sauce over the chicken pieces. Cook on low for two to three hours or until the sauce has thickened.

Can you bake orange chicken?

Because this chicken is battered, we don’t recommend baking this recipe as it is written. However, you can make an oven-baked copycat Panda Express orange chicken recipe by omitting the wet ingredients (egg, oil, sparkling water) from the batter. Then, toss the chicken pieces directly in the dry ingredients and spread the chicken in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pieces reach an internal temperature of 165°. Continue to make the sauce as directed in the recipe.

What can you serve with copycat Panda Express orange chicken?

Steamed rice and broccoli are the traditional pairings, but feel free to get creative! We also love orange chicken paired with long udon noodles, served over a bed of homemade fried rice, eaten in lettuce wraps or even served taco-style inside homemade tortillas.