Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken
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Okay, friends we’re back with another copycat recipe and this time we’re making the beloved Panda Express Orange Chicken. You all loved my copycat version of the Panda Express Chow Mein and now you can enjoy the full takeout experience right at home!
You might have made my healthy orange chicken in the past, but unlike that recipe, this one lightly fries the chicken pieces so that they get nice and crispy and really taste like the restaurant version. It’s a few extra steps but, so worth it to get that signature crispy texture!
But what makes this recipe so good is my homemade version of the signature sweet and zesty orange sauce! It’s so flavorful and really brings this chicken dish to life!
Serve this orange chicken with my Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein, Spicy Sesame Noodles or chop it up and enjoy on top of my Chopped Chicken Salad!
Or if you prefer rice over noodles, enjoy this crispy chicken with a side steamed white rice, cauliflower rice, or my fried rice recipe!
Table Talk with Tawnie
Orange Chicken has always been one of my favorite takeout recipes and I knew when I started this copycat series I had to give this one a try. After lots of recipe testing, I think I have finally perfected this copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken recipe—and trust me, it’s just as good (if not better) than the real thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of takeout but I swear it always taste better when you make it yourself at home😂
- Chicken: Since we’re cutting the chicken up into small pieces, using boneless, skinless chicken thighs is ideal so that the bite-sized pieces are less likely to dry out while frying. Make sure to cut them into 1-inch bite-sized pieces so that they will cook evenly and be done at the same time!
- For the Batter: You’ll need all-purpose flour, soy sauce, a neutral-tasting oil (like canola oil or vegetable oil), egg and white pepper. The white pepper provides a mild heat and slightly earthy flavor but you can easily sub for black pepper if you don’t have any white pepper on hand.
- Orange Sauce: For the sauce, you’ll combine soy sauce, fresh orange juice and zest, brown sugar, chili flakes, ginger, garlic, rice wine, distilled white vinegar, sesame oil and cornstarch.
- For Garnish: Top this chicken with sesame seeds and green onions!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Batter the Chicken
If you haven’t already, cut your chicken into even, 1-inch pieces. Then whisk together all of the batter ingredients and toss the chicken pieces to coat. You can also throw all of your batter ingredients in a large ziploc bag and toss chicken pieces in the bag to avoid a big mess!
Fry Chicken
Next, you’ll add about 2 inches of oil to a deep saucepan and heat to 375°F. Once oil is hot, add a couple pieces of chicken at a time (I recommend working in small batches – depending on the size of your pan) to ensure even cooking. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until the chicken is nice and golden brown. Once done, remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place on wire rack lined with paper towels to soak up all the excess oil!
Make the Sauce
Now, we make the sauce! Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and add to a large skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and let sauce simmer for a few minutes to get nice and thick!
Toss Chicken in Sauce
Finally, add the chicken pieces to the sauce and mix until fully coated!
Garnish and ENJOY!
Serve with rice or with my chow mein. Garnish with freshly chopped green onions and sesame seeds and ENJOY!!
Expert Tips
- Chicken: Make sure to cut the chicken into even-sized, 1-inch cubes. If you cut the chicken too small, it can dry out as it cooks. And if they’re too big, they will take longer to cook. You also want to make sure all the pieces are a similar size so they will keep evenly and be done at the same time.
- Prep sauce in advance: You can go ahead and make the sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge if you want to prep some ahead to save time when cooking.
- Crispy chicken: For the crispiest coating, make sure your oil is heated to 375°F before frying. Adding the chicken will reduce the temperature of the oil so you want to make sure it’s fully heated before beginning cooking. Also, make sure not to overcrowd the pan (you will need to cook in batches) and let the chicken rest on a wire rack with paper towels to drain off the excess oil.
Variations / Substitutions
- Extra heat: Add more chili flakes to the sauce or mix in a little sriracha or chili paste.
- Less sweet: If you prefer things less sweet, you can reduce the brown sugar slightly or add a little extra vinegar and soy sauce to balance the sweetness to your preference.
- Chicken breasts: While chicken thighs provide a juicier, more tender texture, you can also try to use chicken breast for a leaner option. Just be careful not to overcook as chicken breast tend to dry out faster.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour and use coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce in place of the soy sauce.
Storage / Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to reheat this chicken in the air fryer to help crisp it back up. You can also reheat in a skillet over medium heat.
FAQs
What do I do if my sauce won’t thicken?
Make sure to bring the sauce to a boil then reduce heat to let it simmer. Continue to stir as it simmers. The sauce will thicken more the longer it sits but you can also add a little extra cornstarch if you think it’s still not thick enough.
Can I air fry this chicken instead of deep frying it?
Yes, although it won’t taste as close to the Panda Express version, you can air fry or bake the chicken if you prefer. To bake, place the battered chicken on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. For the air fryer, cook at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. While these methods won’t be as crispy as frying, they are great lighter alternatives.
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Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- oil for frying (canola or vegetable)
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
For the Batter:
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. white pepper
- ⅓-½ cup water (I ended up using ½ cup)
Orange Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ⅔ cup orange juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- zest from 1 orange
- ½ tbsp. grated ginger or finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic
- Pinch chili flakes
- 2 tbsp. rice wine
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 2-3 tbsp. water
- 1-2 tbsp. cornstarch
Garnish:
- sesame seeds
- green onions (cut on a bias )
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Mix the batter together: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the batter ingredients.
- Add in chicken to batter: Place the chopped chicken pieces in the batter and toss to coat.1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Heat the oil: Pour about 2 inches of oil in a deep saucepan and heat the oil to 375°F.oil for frying
- Fry the chicken pieces: Working in small batches, add some of the chicken to the hot oil in the pan and cook for 4-6 minutes or until golden and fully cooked. Note: The oil temperature will drop when the chicken is added, just monitor it and keep the oil somewhere between 325-350°F. Bring the oil temperature back up as best as possible between batches. When you add the chicken in, try to break up some of the pieces so they don’t all clump together from the batter.
- Remove from oil: Once the chicken is done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack lined with paper towels.
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl or large measuring cup. Pour sauce into a large skillet or wok and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer to let thicken.¼ cup soy sauce, ⅔ cup orange juice, ½ cup brown sugar, zest from 1 orange, ½ tbsp. grated ginger or finely minced, 3 cloves garlic, Pinch chili flakes, 2 tbsp. rice wine, ¼ cup distilled white vinegar, 2 tsp. sesame oil, 2-3 tbsp. water, 1-2 tbsp. cornstarch
- Add chicken to the sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and mix until the chicken is coated.
- Serve & enjoy: Serve over rice or with my Panda Express Chow Mein. Garnish with freshly chopped green onions and sesame seeds and enjoy!sesame seeds, green onions
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
