Panda Express Orange Chicken: What You Should Know Before Ordering - Mashed (2023)

FAQs

Is Panda Express orange chicken unhealthy? ›

We know it's a total fan favorite, but the orange chicken at Panda Express is not the healthiest option on the menu. In fact, it's one of the highest-calorie, highest-sugar options. (No wonder its sauce is so finger-licking sweet!)

To accommodate their milder palates, he also removed whole dried chilis to dial down the spice. The dish "takes a hybrid approach of bridging cultures, ingredients and flavors while respecting its roots,” Jimmy Wang, Panda Express' head chef of culinary innovation, said in an email.

Compared to General Tso's, orange chicken usually has a lighter-colored sweet, sour, savory glaze. It's not as spicy-hot because dried red chiles aren't as common or used as heavily in this dish.

To know Panda Express orange chicken is to love it. It's a phenomenal dish that's hard to pass up when you're craving Chinese. The combo of breaded, fried chicken paired with deeply flavorful sauce is divine.

So what's the healthier order, fried rice or lo mein? Short answer: lo mein. Yes, both dishes usually come slathered in sauce, but the rice offers the unfortunate double-whammy of being fried in oil first.

If you prefer a crispy fried chicken, sesame or orange chicken is your best bet. If you like a stir-fry, go for General Tso.

Kung Pao Chicken

Panda Express says it's Sichuan-inspired, which makes sense because it's likely the spiciest option available (though it's really not too spicy at all). Other Panda entrees can feel one note, but Kung Pao Chicken is anything but.

Since California produces $1 billion worth of citrus annually, using an orange flavor was a natural fit. The chicken itself is made with dark meat that is lightly battered then fried. Before creating orange chicken as we know it, Panda Express restaurants in Hawaii served a similar dish with bone-in meat.

Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe FAQ

All of the flavor in the Asian chicken dish comes from the Panda Express signature orange chicken sauce, which features orange peel, soy sauce, vinegar, and red chili peppers. This gives the dish a citrusy sweet and tangy flavor with just a hint of heat.

Does Panda Express use MSG in orange chicken? ›

From world-famous orange chicken to delicious chow mein, Panda Express defines American-Chinese cuisine with bold flavors and fresh ingredients. Panda Express entrees and sides contain zero grams of trans fat per serving and adds no MSG in their food.

One distinct characteristic of orange chicken is that it is sweet, and that comes from the addition of brown sugar (and honey), which gives the sauce it's sticky, caramelized glaze. The addition of brown sugar in many Asian recipes helps to balance out sour flavors and spices added to the dish.

Co-developed with Beyond Meat, the new Orange Chicken features plant protein wok-tossed in Panda's signature sweet, spicy and tangy orange sauce. According to Panda, the product offers fans all the classic crunchy texture and flavor of the chain's beloved Original Orange Chicken.

Compared to the dish that made the Panda famous, the Beyond the Original Orange Chicken is a worthy replacement. The differences are slight. It's the texture or that the plant-based version carries slightly fewer calories. In general, they're awfully close to being identical.

Ever notice how the chicken in stir fries at your favourite Chinese restaurant is incredibly tender? It's because they tenderise chicken using a simple method called Velveting Chicken using baking soda. It's a quick and easy method that any home cook can do, and can also be used for beef.

Pandas subsist almost entirely on bamboo, eating from 26 to 84 pounds per day.

A panda's diet is 99% vegetarian, which mostly includes bamboo roots, stems, shoots and leaves. However their digestive system is typical of a carnivore, so the remaining 1% of their diet can include eggs, small animals and carrion.

Big flavor meets more protein and fewer calories. Wok Smart dishes make up half of our menu. They have the same Chinese-inspired flavors you crave, but with at least 8g of protein and 300 calories or less—so you never have to choose between food with flavor and food that's better for you.

Chow Mein noodles and fried rice are higher fat choices, so stick with the steamed rice and ask if brown rice is an option. Choose vegetable dishes to save calories and fat.

Why is it called orange chicken? ›

The most famous dish at Panda Express is the Orange Chicken. Inspired by flavors of the Hunan Province in China, Chef Andy Kho developed it in 1987, and it has been a consistent part of the menu ever since. Distinguished with its orange-flavored chili sauce, it has spawned several 'copycat' recipes.

Yes, Sesame Chicken, General Tso, and Orange Chicken have similarities. They all have a touch of Chinese background and have similarities in their ingredients. Sesame Chicken, General Tso, and Orange Chicken use boneless chicken meat, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.

Orange Chicken

There's a reason why this dish is Panda's claim to fame. The restaurant's most popular entree is made with crispy boneless pieces of meat combined with the chain's secret sweet yet spicy orange sauce. Almost everyone who walks through Panda's doors orders orange chicken.

SweetFire Chicken Breast

Crispy, white-meat chicken, red bell peppers, onions and pineapples in a bright and sweet chili sauce.

Three years in the making, Sichuan Hot Chicken debuts nationwide July 17 at Panda Express. The five-inch long chicken strips, available for a limited time, are fried and tossed in a Sichuan peppercorn oil-based glaze.

Orange chicken or chen pi ji (traditional Chinese: 陈皮雞; simplified Chinese: 陈皮鸡; pinyin: chénpí jī; Jyutping: caang² pei⁴ gai¹) is an American Chinese dish.

Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish that's made by battering and deep-frying pieces of chicken before coating them in an orange-flavored sauce. Like many Chinese-American dishes, Orange Chicken does have distant roots in China; however, it is not an authentic Chinese dish.

Panda Express Sweet and Sour Sauce is the perfect classic Chinese takeout dipping sauce that is bright red in color, sweet and acidic. The perfect dipping sauce for egg rolls, wontons and crispy wonton strips.

Duck sauce (or orange sauce) is a condiment with a sweet and sour flavor and a translucent orange appearance similar to a thin jelly. Offered at American Chinese restaurants, it is used as a dip for deep-fried dishes such as wonton strips, spring rolls, egg rolls, duck, chicken, fish, or with rice or noodles.

Sweet and sour chicken is not the same as orange chicken. Vinegar is typically used in sweet and sour sauces, while orange chicken has an orange-based sauce. They are both made with fried chicken pieces coated in sweet and tangy sauces.

Why do I get a headache after eating Panda Express? ›

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) symptom complex refers to a group of symptoms some people experience after eating food containing MSG. These symptoms often include headache, skin flushing, and sweating.

Contrary to Popular Belief, There's No MSG in Its Food

Panda Express' suppliers aren't permitted to add MSG to their ingredients, and no MSG is added to any of its food during preparation.

No, it is not. Traditional orange chicken is full of fats, carbohydrates, added sugars and a lot of salt, all things that are not good for your body, weight management, or overall health.

Whether Orange Chicken is baked or fried, it can get soggy if left to sit for too long once combined. To prevent soggy chicken, serve immediately or store the chicken and sauce separately, then combine when reheating.

Orange chicken is small, bite-sized pieces of chicken that have been breaded, fried, and coated in a tangy, orange sauce. The sauce has an intense sweet and salty orange flavor, with just a little bit of heat.

Looking at each component, it's easy to see that orange chicken can easily be made to be a high calorie and high fat dish, making it less than ideal for dieting purposes.

Panda Express Orange Chicken (1 order) contains 42.9g total carbs, 41.9g net carbs, 17.5g fat, 13.5g protein, and 383 calories.

Rich in vitamins and minerals (15.7%/cal) - a good source of Selenium, Vitamin B6, Copper, Phosphorus, Zinc, Vitamin C and Potassium. Contains a moderate amount of risky components that may include saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugars (0.03%/oz). Good source of proteins (19% of DV/100g).

If you are a meat-eater, lean chicken breast is a great source of protein if you want to beat belly fat. But do not forget healthy, fatty fish such as salmon.

Is orange chicken a processed food? ›

This product is highly processed. If you'll take a look at its ingredient list, you'll discover new words to add to your vocabulary. Many of these ingredients are required to increase the shelf life of the product and improve the flavor that disappears when food is not fresh.

Wang says Panda Express uses dark chicken meat coated with a light batter. The sauce is a balancing act of sweet and sour: a little yin — with brown sugar and honey — and a little yang — Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce and more.

The chicken itself is made with dark meat that is lightly battered then fried. Before creating orange chicken as we know it, Panda Express restaurants in Hawaii served a similar dish with bone-in meat.

Ingredients: dark meat chicken, water, sugar, distilled vinegar, modified food starch, corn starch, potato starch, contains less than 2% of: wheat, orange extract, caramel color, salt, garlic, phosphoric acid, rice, sesame oil.

Contrary to Popular Belief, There's No MSG in Its Food

Panda Express' suppliers aren't permitted to add MSG to their ingredients, and no MSG is added to any of its food during preparation.

Orange chicken and sesame chicken may both feature boneless chicken meat, but they are distinct dishes that differ in several key ways. While sesame chicken uses a base sauce of soy sauce and sesame oil to create a savory, nutty flavor, orange chicken incorporates soy sauce and orange zest for a sweet and tangy taste.

Brown rice is also rich in dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, lower high blood pressure and support the good bacteria in your gut. Fiber also helps ward off constipation and promotes weight loss by helping you feel full longer.

Rice & Noodles – Avoid

The Fried Rice has 570 calories (the extra calories are from fat) and 900mg sodium. The Chow Mein has fewer calories (400), but has way too much sodium (1,060mg!).