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Amazing 40-Year Secret Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)

Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)
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Recreate the popular sweet and tangy crunch of Panda Express Orange Chicken right in your home kitchen. This copycat recipe delivers crispy fried chicken pieces tossed in a bright, flavorful orange sauce. It’s a delicious memory transported from the takeout menu to your table.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces for chicken
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for batter
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch for batter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt for batter
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper for batter
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice for sauce
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar for sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar for sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce for sauce
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger for sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced for sauce
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest for sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water for slurry
  • Optional: Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whisk the egg. In a separate shallow dish, combine the flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
  2. Dredge the chicken pieces first in the egg, then coat thoroughly in the flour mixture. Shake off excess.
  3. Heat about 1 to 1.5 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C).
  4. Carefully fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove chicken and drain on a wire rack lined with paper towels.
  5. While the chicken fries, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and orange zest.
  6. Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  7. Whisk the cornstarch slurry and slowly pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
  8. Remove the sauce from the heat.
  9. Place the fried chicken in a large bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the chicken.
  10. Toss gently until all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
  11. Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.

Notes

  • For extra crispiness, you can double-fry the chicken: fry once until light golden, let rest for 5 minutes, then fry again until deep golden brown.
  • Richard recalls the sauce having a bright, fresh orange flavor; using fresh orange zest makes a big difference.
  • We sometimes add a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a subtle warmth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishdiarist.com/orange-chicken-copycat-panda-express-recipe/