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Plate of panda express orange chicken in bowl on top of white rice garnished with green onions sesame seeds with pair of chopsticks on the side.
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Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

Skip the takeout and make your own Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken right at home! This homemade version is made with juicy, golden-fried chicken coated in a flavorful orange sauce and is even better than the original! It's fresh, delicious, and easy to make!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American Chinese
Keyword orange chicken
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 519kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

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
US Customary - Metric

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
    Side-by-side image of bowl with batter ingredients in it and then showing coating the chicken in the mixed batter ingredients in large green bowl.
  • 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.
    Image showing pieces of fried chicken cooling on 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
    Side-by-side image showing mixing the orange sauce ingredients and letting it simmer in pot until it's thickened into sauce.
  • Add chicken to the sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and mix until the chicken is coated.
    Side-by-side photo showing adding the cooked chicken thighs into the sauce and mixing them until they are fully 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
    Final shot of finished orange chicken on top of white rice in a bowl. Chicken is garnished with sesame seeds and green onions and a pair of chopsticks is holding on piece of chicken.

Video

Notes

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.
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! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 203mg | Sodium: 1912mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg