Panda Express Orange Chicken (Copycat)

6 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Tender chicken fried crisp and tossed in a magical copycat Orange Chicken sauce! You’ll save a fortune and skip the lines!

If Orange Chicken is your go-to order at Panda Express, you are going to love this unbelievable Copycat Recipe! I’ve got over 15 menu items in my Panda Express Collection, like Chow Mein, Beijing Beef, and Honey Walnut Shrimp, to recreate your favorite combo plate at home!

Sabrina’s Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe

Panda Express Orange Chicken is the most popular recipe on the menu and for good reason! Crispy chicken covered in that signature thick, tangy, sweet and slightly spicy sauce has become the gold standard of fast casual food. This recipe will make you dance a little in your chair as you eat it because it tastes just like you picked it up at the restaurant, some even say it’s better! 

It may seem like there are a lot of ingredients and steps at play here and a lot of dishes getting dirty, but it really does come together pretty quickly. And a big plate of freshly made, hot from the wok, sticky sweet Panda Orange Chicken is worth any amount of dishes!

Video Instructions

Key Ingredients

  • Chicken: I am using boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces. Chicken breast can also be used but I love the juicy dark meat of thighs.
  • Flour: Regular all purpose flour is great for this recipe. 
  • Orange Zest: Fresh orange zest is what gives this chicken that one of a kind flavor!
  • White Vinegar: Surprisingly, this is the secret ingredient that makes this recipe so addictive. And yes, you are using a full 10 tablespoons! The vinegar cooks down, just trust the process.
  • Rice Wine: Rice wine is not vinegar. It is a fermented rice condiment, with a hint of sweetness. Look in the Asian section for rice cooking wine or mirin
  • Soy Sauce: I like to use a low-sodium soy sauce but regular works just fine too.
  • Sugar: The sugar gives the sauce that signature sticky texture and helps cut the acid in the vinegar.
  • Oil: There are two kinds of oil used in this recipe. One is sesame oil to add a depth of flavor in the sauce. The other is regular cooking oil for both the coating and frying the chicken.

Recipe Summary

  • The Sauce: Mix all the sauce ingredients together and let the sauce sit while you’re making the chicken. 
  • The Chicken: To make the fried chicken, mix the breading ingredients together, coat the chicken pieces, and fry the chicken in batches. Set to the side until the very end.
  • The Finale: This step is where the magic happens! Fry the fresh garlic and ginger and optional red pepper flakes in the bit of oil that is left over from cooking the chicken. Make sure to drain most of the oil first. Add in the orange sauce and bring it to a boil then immediately turn the heat off. Carefully add in the chicken making sure to not splatter the sauce. Toss the chicken until it’s fully coated and serve right away.

Recipe Card

Panda Express Orange Chicken

Tender chicken fried crisp and tossed in a magical copycat Orange Chicken sauce! You'll save a fortune and skip the lines!
Yield 6 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

For the Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 10 tablespoons sugar
  • 10 tablespoons white vinegar
  • orange zest , from large orange

For the Chicken

  • 2 pounds chicken thighs , boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil divided, plus more for frying
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup flour

To Finish

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger , freshly minced
  • 2 cloves garlic , freshly minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • To make the sauce, combine the 1 tablespoon cornstarch, rice wine, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar, and orange zest.
  • To coat the chicken, add the egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil into a large bowl and whisk together.
  • In a separate bowl, add ½ cup cornstarch and flour and mix well.
  • In a large frying pan or a wok, heat oil to 375 degrees.
  • Dip chicken pieces in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture.
  • Fry the chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp.
  • Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining chicken.
  • When you are done with the chicken, drain most of the oil from the pan (leave about a tablespoon).
  • Add the ginger, garlic, and crushed red peppers, cooking for about 10 seconds.
  • Add the orange sauce and bring to boil.
  • Turn off the heat, add cooked chicken, and stir until well mixed.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 214IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes, technically you can make parts of this recipe ahead of time, but I recommend cooking it all at once. You could prepare the sauce without the ginger and garlic, then store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you are ready to serve it, follow the recipe starting with breading and frying the chicken as normal. Another option is to just make the sauce, cook it with the ginger and garlic, and toss it over cooked breaded chicken pieces (like popcorn chicken or chicken nuggets).

How to Store

  • Store: You can keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
  • Reheat: I like to reheat the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until it’s just heated through so it doesn’t dry out.
  • Freeze: You can freeze extra Orange Chicken for up to 3 months. You can also make and freeze the chicken separately and the sauce separately and then cook and combine them when ready. 

Frequent Questions

Can I make Orange Chicken in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, but it’s going to be a bit of a different process. Check out my Slow Cooker Orange Chicken recipe for a complete step by step guide to ensure it comes out just as delicious as the wok-fried version.

Is this the same as General Tso’s Chicken?

General Tso’s Chicken is probably the closest tasting dish to Orange Chicken. Although it doesn’t contain any orange, it does have many similar ingredients including soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch as well as dried red chili peppers and garlic. It is tossed with deep fried chicken pieces as well.

What is the difference between Orange and Sesame Chicken?

Sesame Chicken definitely has a similar flavor profile with some key differences. It obviously doesn’t have orange added, but also it is more mild since it doesn’t have red pepper flakes or ginger.

Is this like your 3-ingredient Orange Chicken?

No. My 3-Ingredient Orange Chicken recipe is SUPER popular online because the sauce is literally just a mixture of barbecue sauce and orange marmalade and it gets tossed over popcorn chicken. This recipe is made with a lot more ingredients and steps but it is so worth it for that spot-on Panda Express flavor!

Substitutions

  • Cornstarch: You can use a different sauce thickener, like cornflour, or substitute equal parts with regular flour. If you prefer to not have any wheat or corn products in the mix, you can try tapioca starch or arrowroot powder. 
  • Rice Wine: You can substitute with equal parts white cooking wine Japanese sake. If you prefer to have nonalcoholic then try white grape juice or apple juice which are both good substitutes and add a bit of sweetness. 
  • White Vinegar: If you just can’t find regular white vinegar (which is specifically made from cane sugar), you can use apple cider vinegar, or even white wine vinegar.
  • Ginger: You can use equal parts ginger puree or pre-minced ginger. Also, in a pinch, 4 teaspoons of ginger powder work well. If your paste is a ginger/garlic combo, you can substitute with a total of two tablespoons of the ginger/garlic paste instead of the amounts listed in the recipe. 
  • Water: A great idea is to substitute orange juice for the water in this recipe. It’s not required to get the full Orange Chicken flavor, but if you do you won’t be disappointed. 

Pin this recipe now to remember it later

Pin Recipe

Variations

  • Spicy Orange Chicken: If you would like to kick up the heat a little bit and make this a spicy Orange Chicken, add ½ tablespoon of Sriracha into the sauce. Sriracha adds heat without overwhelming the dish’s flavors.
  • Orange Beef: Grab a ribeye or flank steak and freeze for 30 minutes. Slice VERY thinly against the grain and cook it just like you would the chicken.
  • Ground Orange Chicken: If you’re looking to make this healthy, I have a Ground Orange Chicken adaptation you will love!
  • Sauteed Orange Chicken: If you prefer to not deep fry your chicken, a simple saute with a bit of oil will work great. Just add the cooked chicken to the sauce like you would normally do in the recipe. Keep in mind that it won’t have the same flavor or consistency as the breaded kind but it will still be delicious.

More Copycat Panda Express Chicken Entrees!

Orange chicken topped with a tangy sauce.
Tender chicken in a sweet orange glaze.

Photos used in a previous version of this post:

cooked chicken in sauce in bowl with rice
Crispy chicken smothered in orange sauce.
Orange chicken with a bright citrus flavor.
Orange chicken with a bright citrus flavor with chopsticks

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

Categories

Leave a comment & rating

Have you checked the FAQ section above to see if your question has already been answered? View previous questions.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Fantastic copy cat Panda Express Orange Chicken recipe!!! This recipe actually taste better than the chain’s version. My VERY picky 10 and 13 year old asked for 2nd and thirds. My husband raved about this all throughout dinner.

  2. Both times I’ve made this the ending taste is just great. However, it just does not look as nice! I’ll just keep practicing.
    God bless you! Jean

  3. Fantastic recipe! I just added some orange juice in place of some of the sugar and water and it was DELICIOUS!

  4. Sorry, I see now that step 1 was making the sauce. Your written instructions are different than your video, which has better results?

  5. Amazing I didn’t have any rice wine but I used a regular white wine and I added a splash of orange juice OH MY GOD IT WAS AMAZING

  6. Fantastic recipe. Way better than Pands Express.
    You should double the sauce though.
    Thank you for this recipe, it’s a family favorite.

  7. I forgot to mention on my previous comment that I just use the juice from the orange that I’ve zested in place of the water. The first time I made it I didn’t have rice wine so thought I’d use the orange juice and then realized, why not just replace the water with the juice all the time?

  8. This sauce is incredible! I’ve made the recipe as is and have also tried it without breading the chicken, Of course, the original is phenomenal and the best way to eat it but when I’m wanting to save a little time and make it a bit more healthy for a regular week night dinner I make it without breading the chicken. The sauce is just so great that it’s a treat either way!

  9. The sauce was phenomenal! Best Orange Chicken sauce I’ve ever made, everyone devoured it! thx!!