Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

This homemade orange chicken is crispy, sticky, sweet, and tangy, exactly like Panda Express but made fresh in your own kitchen. Bite-sized pieces of chicken get coated in cornstarch and fried until perfectly crispy, then tossed in a glossy orange sauce that clings to every single piece. Serve it over steamed rice and you have a takeout-quality dinner in about 30 minutes.

Why You will Love This Recipe

Crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and tangy orange glaze

The sauce gets perfectly sticky and glossy

Ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish

Way better than anything from the mall food court

Kids and adults both go crazy for this recipe

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

For the Orange Sauce

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon orange zest

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sesame oil

For Serving

Steamed white rice

Sliced green onions

Sesame seeds

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper until every piece is evenly coated. Shake off any excess.

Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven to 375 degrees. Fry the chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per batch until golden and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pan. Transfer to a wire rack and set aside.

While the chicken fries, make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, orange zest, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Give the cornstarch slurry a stir and pour it into the simmering sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil.

Add all the fried chicken to the sauce and toss until every piece is evenly coated. The sauce should cling to the chicken in a thick, sticky glaze.

Serve immediately over steamed rice and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Kelvin Tips

Use chicken thighs, not breasts. Thighs stay juicier and more tender after frying, which gives you that perfect contrast between the crispy coating and the soft, juicy meat inside.

Make sure your oil is hot enough before frying. If the oil is not at 375 degrees, the cornstarch coating will not crisp up properly and will turn soggy.

Fresh orange juice and zest make a huge difference here. The bottled stuff works in a pinch, but fresh oranges give the sauce a brighter, more authentic citrus flavor.

Toss the chicken in the sauce right before serving. If it sits in the sauce too long, the crispy coating will start to soften.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 480

Protein: 34g

Fat: 18g

Carbohydrates: 46g

Fiber: 1g

Sodium: 640mg