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Making Panda Express Orange Chicken at home is healthy, affordable, and tastes just like the real thing! Our gluten-free recipe uses fresh, accessible ingredients and includes instructions for cooking in an air fryer or on the stovetop.
Made with fresh orange juice and zest, this iconic Chinese takeout dish is tangy and sweet, with hints of umami and ginger. If you enjoy this tasty Panda Express copycat recipe, try my Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken and Panda Express Almond Chicken, too!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
This is the BEST recipe for orange chicken Panda Express because it’s easy and uses fresh and better-for-you alternatives to Panda Express ingredients. So what is orange chicken made of?
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Panda Orange Sauce Ingredients:
- Fresh orange juice (pulp-free): Bottled or freshly squeezed from the refrigerator aisle will work.
- Orange zest: This ingredient is a must to brighten the sauce and make it more aromatic.
- Coconut aminos: If you’re not Paleo, you can use soy sauce + a few teaspoons of brown sugar or tamari instead.
- Coarse sea salt, garlic, ginger, starch
- Apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar: For a sharp and tangy flavor just like the takeout.
- Chicken thighs: The original recipe uses boneless and skinless dark-meat chicken (thighs). You could use chicken breast like my Air fryer orange chicken as a healthier alternative.
- Coarse sea salt, garlic powder
- Ground white pepper: Chinese cuisine uses more white pepper than black, but if you prefer, black pepper will also work.
- Tapioca starch: You can also use arrowroot powder or potato starch.
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Mirin or Chinese shaoxing wine (optional): This rice wine adds a mildly sweet and authentic flavor to the dish.
- Green onions
How to make Panda Express orange chicken
This tasty Panda Express recipe for orange chicken is a healthy version of the restaurant’s signature dish that’s easy to make at home! Here’s how to cook orange chicken in the air fryer or on the stovetop:
- Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken: Cut into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with the seasonings from salt to mirin, if using.
- Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce: Mix ingredients: In a medium bowl, add the orange chicken seasoning ingredients from orange juice to starch. Combine and stir well.
- Cook the chicken:
- Air fry: Preheat the air fryer, spray the basket with oil, and then add the chicken to the basket (leaving space between the pieces). Air fry the chicken and set aside.
- Pan fry: Preheat a large sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Add the oil and spread chicken pieces in a single layer. Pan-fry the chicken until cooked through and set aside.
- Combine and serve: Heat the sauce: Pour the orange sauce into the hot pan and gently stir with a wooden spoon until it thickens. Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat well. Garnish, serve hot, or warm
How to make orange chicken in air fryer
The trick to making chicken thighs extra crispy in an air fryer is to “triple fry” them.
- Dice and season: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and mirin (if using). Coat with starch.
- Arrange in air fryer: Spread the chicken pieces out in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray with oil.
- First fry: Air fry the chicken at 400°F (204°C) for 8 minutes (4 minutes on one side, then flip for another 4 minutes).
- Triple fry: Flip the chicken again and air fry for an extra 3 minutes. The chicken thighs will be extra golden brown and crispy!
I do not recommend coating the chicken with eggs for air frying. Because the chicken is not breaded, it will stick to the air fryer basket.
How to make it hot and spicy?
To make hot orange chicken Panda Express style, here’s how to modify the recipe quickly:
- Gather your spicy ingredients: You’ll need Chinese dried red chili peppers and Chinese chili sauce (or store-bought chili sauce).
- Sauté the chili peppers: Heat a well-oiled pan and sauté the chili peppers for a few seconds.
- Add the chili sauce: Add a few tablespoons of chili sauce (Panda restaurant version uses 6 tablespoons) to activate the chili and garlic aroma.
- Combine with the orange sauce: Pour in the orange sauce and return the crispy chicken pieces to the pan. Toss to combine.
Tip: If you can’t find Chinese dried red chili, substitute with dried chile de árbol. The restaurant version uses whole chili for aroma and color, but if you like it super spicy, cut the chili peppers open with seeds exposed before adding to the stir-fry.
What to serve with orange chicken
This delicious orange chicken pairs perfectly with a variety of sides, making it a complete and satisfying meal. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Vegetables: Enjoy it with Panda Express super greens or Broccoli with garlic sauce for a fresh and healthy balance.
- Rice and noodles: Serve alongside Panda Express fried rice, House special chow mein, or Cantonese chow mein. For a crunchy twist, top with Air fryer wonton chips.
- Soup: Complement the meal with a classic wonton egg drop soup or my clear broth bok choy soup infused with ginger and garlic—both are super quick and easy!
Expert Tips
- Air fry or pan fry the chicken: Pan-frying will give you crispier, golden brown chicken. Air frying is easy, healthier, and creates less mess.
- Prepare the orange sauce separately: The key to Panda Express’ Orange Chicken is the sauce. For the best flavor, use fresh orange juice with garlic, ginger, and vinegar. Don’t forget the orange zest—it enhances the orange flavor.
- Combine the chicken and the sauce right before serving: Cook the chicken and the sauce separately. Combine them just before serving to keep the chicken crispy.
- Hot orange chicken: To make it hot and spicy, sauté Chinese dried red chili peppers and chili sauce before adding the orange sauce and chicken.
FAQs
The best way to reheat Panda orange chicken is in an air fryer at 380°F (193°C) for 5 minutes or in the oven at 425°F (218°C) for 6-8 minutes.
The traditional Panda Express orange chicken is not gluten-free because it typically contains soy sauce and wheat-based ingredients. However, you can make a gluten-free version at home by using gluten-free soy sauce and ensuring all other ingredients, like starch and seasonings, are certified gluten-free.
The original orange chicken uses chicken thighs. Panda Express new orange chicken plant-based version uses Beyond Meat for vegan and vegetarian eaters. Neither version served at the restaurants is gluten-free.
Panda Express Beyond orange chicken is made with plant-based ingredients like peas, brown rice, and fats from coconut and canola, along with other natural flavorings and colors. The original orange chicken uses real dark-meat chicken. Both versions are battered and deep-fried to golden crispy bites and tossed in a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy orange sauce.
More Panda Express recipes you might like
If you love this Panda Express copycat dish, be sure to give some of my other Panda copycat recipes a try!
- Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp: Sweet and savory shrimp coated in a creamy honey sauce with crunchy candied walnuts.
- Panda Express Mushroom Chicken: Tender chicken stir-fried with mushrooms and zucchini in a savory ginger soy sauce.
- Black Pepper Angus Steak Panda Express: Juicy Angus steak stir-fried with onions and bell peppers, seasoned with bold black pepper sauce.
- Panda Express String Bean Chicken: A light and healthy dish with chicken, string beans, and onions in a garlic soy sauce.
Panda express orange chicken recipe
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Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1.25 lb chicken thighs boneless and skinlless
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2.5 tbsp tapioca starch or potato starch
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ tbsp gluten-free mirin or Chinese shaoxing wine optional
Panda express orange sauce:
- ½ cup orange juice pulp-free
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos or 1.5 tbsp soy sauce + 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- Zest 1 small orange reserve a few slices of orange for garnish
- 0.7 oz garlic cloves grated, 4 large
- 0.5 oz ginger grated
- 2.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
- 2 tsp tapioca starch or potato starch
Others:
- 2-3 tbsp avocado oil for pan-fry
- Avocado oil spray for air fry
- Spring onions chopped, garnish
Instructions
To prepare the chicken:
- Slice the chicken into 1.5-inch chunks. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with the seasonings from salt to mirin, if using. Gently stir and mix-well. The batter mixture will be a little wet. This is okay.
To prepare the panda orange sauce:
- In a separate bowl, add the ingredients from orange juice to starch. Combine and stir-well.
To air fry the chicken:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Spray the basket with oil then add the chicken piece-by-piece into the basket with some space between them. Air fry for 8 minutes. Open the basket and carefully flip the chicken pieces. Spray with more oil and air fryer for 4 additional minutes. Transfer the chicken out and set aside.
To pan fry the chicken on stovetop:
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium-heat until it feels hot. Add the oil and chicken pieces and spread them into a single layer. Pan fry the chicken without touching for 3 minutes or until the bottom turns golden brown then flip to cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through before transferring them out.
To combine:
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium-high heat until it feels warm. Pour-in the orange sauce and gently stir with a wooden spoon until it thickens, 1-2 minutes.
- Add-in the chicken and toss to coat well, 30 seconds. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with spring onions and orange slices. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
- Extra Crispy Chicken: The trick to making chicken thighs extra crispy in an air fryer is to “triple fry” them. After air frying at 400°F (204°C) for 8 minutes on one side and 4 minutes on the other side, flip the chicken again and air fry for an additional 3 minutes. The chicken thighs will be extra golden brown and crispy.
- How to Make It Hot: To make your orange chicken hot and spicy, sauté Chinese dried red chili peppers and a few tablespoons of Chinese chili sauce in a hot, oiled pan. Add the orange sauce and crispy chicken, then toss to combine. Substitute dried chile de árbol if needed, and for extra heat, cut the chili peppers open with seeds exposed.
- Make-Ahead: Prepare the chicken and the Panda orange sauce and store them in the fridge separately for up to 3 days before cooking.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat Panda orange chicken is in an air fryer at 380°F (193°C) for 5 minutes or in the oven at 425°F (218°C) for 6-8 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made a dish and loved it? Please remember to rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
Great recipe, thank you!
Thank you!
I made this recipe for dinner tonight and the family loved it! I really liked that it came together quickly, and I already had the ingredients needed on hand! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes 🙂
Wonderful. Thank you so much. Appreciate it!
OMG! Best ever recipe. Fast, tasty. So delicious
Thank you, Jojo!
Panda’s orange chicken is our favorite and my wife and I made it over the weekend. We did the stovetop version because we don’t have an air fryer yet. It was excellent! Really appreciate chihyu has been sharing her homemade takeout dishes. They taste so fresh and the chicken is flavorful and delicious!