There is just something about the smell of Asian inspired foods that makes my taste buds go crazy.  I love the smell of the fresh garlic and spices from Panda Express when we drive by the restaurant.  One of my favorite dishes from Panda Express is the Orange Chicken and so I created a copycat version to make at home.

Panda Express Orange Chicken is sweet & sour with a little hint of spice and this recipe tastes just like the original.  I’ve been perfecting this recipe for quite a while now and as a result this recipe always receives rave reviews.

Could you guess which chicken below is the Panda Express and which is mine without the labels?

To come up with this recipe we bought an order of Orange Chicken by itself . We all tried the chicken right away and I saved one or two pieces for later.

I took a note of the different flavors:  There was a hint of orange/citrus, a sweet rice wine vinegar taste, salty soy sauce, a hint of garlic and a spicy kick at the end.  After trying them both side by side I know that the flavors of the homemade version taste even better.

Ingredients to make Orange Chicken:

• Chicken Thighs: Thighs taste the best in this recipe, but breast can be substituted.
• Self Rising Flour:
• Eggs
• Oil for frying: Vegetable oil or canola oil works best.
• Oranges for juicing and zesting: Naval oranges work great in this recipe.
• Soy sauce: Both Kikoman or San J. Tamari soy sauce taste great in this recipe.
• Brown and white sugar
• Rice wine vinegar: This gives the Orange chicken it’s signature tanginess. Rice wine vinegar is found near the soy sauce in most grocery stores.
• Crushed red pepper flakes or 1/2 tsp. Sriracha sauce: Gives the sauce a little spicy kick at the end. Adjust the spice by adding less or more to taste.
• Fresh Garlic: The fresh garlic is a key ingredient for the best flavor.
• Corn Starch: This thickens the sauce and give it a smooth texture.
• Ground ginger: Rounds out this dish with a little sweet heat.

This orange glaze/sauce is so good that it would taste great as a dipping sauce as well.  I also like to make a side of fried rice and reserve a little of the sauce to drizzle onto the rice.  It’s so good served this way.

Kitchen Tools to make Panda Express Orange Chicken:

• Wok, Frying pan or fryer.  I like to use a cast iron dutch oven on the stove to fry in, but there are many great home fryers on the market that make frying easy.  If frying on the stove it is best to use a deep pot that is filled no more than half full.  Woks are nice to have especially for frying since they have concave sides that require less oil for frying.
• Orange juicer.  I like to use fresh juice for this recipe.  In a pinch you can use store bought orange juice, but I highly suggest juicing your own.
• A microplane or zester for the orange zest.  I always put fresh orange zest for my orange sauce because it tastes absolutely amazing. A microplane is just a metal grater that has small holes and it’s my favorite tool for zesting.
• Baking sheet for keeping the cooked meat warm.  This step is not necessary, but I find if I am making several batches of chicken at once it is helpful.  Just place the chicken on a baking tray in a preheated oven set to 200 degrees.  Once all the batches are fried then follow the next steps as usual.

Tips and Suggestions for Orange Chicken:

1. Adjust the spice:   The orange sauce has mild spicy taste. The red pepper in this adds all the spicy kick.  If you want it spicier just add more red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce.  I like to serve some Sriracha sauce on the side for anyone that wants to add more to the dish after serving.
2. Make it Gluten Free: If you buy it in the restaurant then it will have gluten.  If you want to make your own version without gluten then just follow the recipe below exactly except replace the flour with corn starch or gluten free flour.  We have made it several times this way for my youngest daughter and it’s great!
3. Use chicken thighs for best taste:  Panda Express uses boneless skinless dark meat which is most likely from chicken thighs or legs.  You can use white chicken meat and it will be slightly drier, but still yummy. Just make sure whatever chicken you use is boneless and skinless.
4. How long can orange chicken be stored in the refrigerator?  You can safely store orange chicken in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.  The chicken will not be crispy when served a second time so keep this in mind.
5. How do you reheat orange chicken?  My preference is to microwave in a microwave safe dish on high for 1 minute.  Stir the chicken after one minute and cook on high for another 30 seconds.  Repeat heating for another 30 seconds until the chicken is steaming hot.  Be careful when removing from the microwave.
6. Is orange chicken the same as sweet and sour?  No.  While they both have sweet and sour flavors, orange chicken is a dish of its own.  Orange chicken has a definite taste of orange where sweet and sour does not.
7. Make it healthier: Instead of using the batter and frying; make it into a stir fry.  Stir fry the chicken in a skillet with just a tbsp. of oil (no coating) instead of frying it and cook thoroughly.  Add the yummy orange sauce into the pan and cook for a few more minutes while tossing the chicken with the sauce. We’ve made it several times this way and it’s great!
8. Make extras of the sauce: The sauce can be made and bottled up for another use. Make an extra batch and leave it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

This sauce is so good we make sure to use every last drop.  In this recipe I added some orange zest which makes the orange flavor really stand out.  Don’t tell Panda Express, but my family loves my own recipe better!

Panda Express Orange Chicken is our favorite and this copycat recipe is the best!  We love to make it all the time for an easy weeknight dinner! 

Try out some easy sides to go along with this recipe like baked turkey egg rolls and make some extra orange sauce to dip them in too. 

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