Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

I made this Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken last Tuesday and honestly it turned out way better than I expected. The batter’s thicker than most recipes call for but that’s what makes it actually crispy instead of just fried. I’m writing this down before I forget what worked.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The batter stays crunchy even after you toss it in sauce
• You can fry everything in about 15 minutes if you work in batches
• Orange juice and vinegar balance each other so it’s not just sweet like some versions
• No weird ingredients, just stuff that’s probably in your kitchen already
• The cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce in like 30 seconds and you can see it happen
• Tastes basically identical to Panda Express orange chicken but you control the heat level

The Story Behind This Recipe

I got tired of paying $12 for a small container of orange chicken when I knew I could make it cheaper at home. Took me three tries to get the batter right because the first two times it just fell off in the oil and made a mess. Turns out you need way more cornstarch than feels normal and you can’t skip whisking it smooth or you get lumps. Last Tuesday after work I finally nailed it and my husband ate like six pieces before I could even plate it. Now I make a double batch and freeze half the fried chicken before saucing it.

What You Need

You need 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into 1-inch pieces, and the size matters because anything bigger won’t cook through before the outside burns. For the batter you’re mixing 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1 cup cornstarch, then whisking in 2 large eggs and 1 cup milk until it’s thick and smooth. The cornstarch’s what makes it crunchy so don’t try to substitute more flour or you’ll just get soggy fried chicken.

You’ll need 2 cups vegetable oil for frying but honestly you might use a bit more depending on your pan depth. The sauce starts with 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar which sounds like a lot of vinegar but it cuts the sweetness. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger and 2 cloves garlic minced, plus 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if you want heat. I usually skip the flakes because my kids complain.

For thickening the sauce you need 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water, which you whisk together in a little bowl before adding. Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish aren’t optional in my opinion because they add the crunch and freshness that keeps it from being just heavy fried food.

How to Make Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

Whisk together your flour, cornstarch, eggs and milk in a large bowl until the batter’s thick and smooth. It should coat a spoon heavily without just sliding right off. Toss all your chopped chicken pieces into the batter and make sure each piece is separated so they don’t fry into one giant clump, which happened to me the first time and was a nightmare to deal with.

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep saucepan until it hits 375°F on a thermometer. The oil should shimmer but not smoke, and if you drop a tiny bit of batter in it should sizzle immediately and float. Carefully add a batch of battered chicken into the hot oil and use a slotted spoon to break apart any pieces that stick together.

The oil temperature’s going to drop when you add the chicken so adjust your heat to keep it between 325-350°F. Fry each batch for 4 to 6 minutes until the pieces turn golden brown and you hear that steady crackling sound. I noticed the chicken actually floats higher in the oil when it’s almost done, which is a good visual cue.

Remove the fried chicken with your slotted spoon and set it on a wire rack lined with paper towels. Don’t just pile it on a plate or the steam makes the bottom pieces soggy and you lose all that crispy texture you worked for.

For the sauce whisk together the orange juice, white sugar, distilled white vinegar, soy sauce, grated fresh ginger, minced garlic and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Pour it into a large skillet or wok and bring it to a boil then lower it to a simmer. Stir in your cornstarch slurry and watch the sauce thicken in like 30 seconds, it’ll start clinging to your spoon instead of running right off.

Toss all the fried chicken into the thickened sauce and coat every piece thoroughly. The smell when the sauce hits the hot chicken is unreal. Serve it immediately over steamed rice or with chow mein, then sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t break up the chicken pieces when I dropped them in the oil and they formed this massive connected blob that was raw in the middle and burnt on the outside. Had to throw out the whole first batch. Now I add the chicken one piece at a time with my fingers or use a fork to separate them the second they hit the oil, takes an extra minute but saves the whole dish.

Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

By Emma

Prep:

20 min

Cook:

30 min

Total:

50 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water (for sauce thickening)
• Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

Method

1. 1 In a large bowl, whisk together all batter ingredients until the mixture is thick and smooth enough to coat the chicken evenly without dripping excessively.
2. 2 Toss the chopped chicken pieces into the batter, making sure each piece is well coated and separated to avoid clumping during frying.
3. 3 Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep saucepan and bring it up to 375°F; the oil should shimmer but not smoke.
4. 4 Carefully add a batch of battered chicken into the hot oil, breaking any clumps apart gently with a slotted spoon. Expect the oil temperature to drop; maintain between 325-350°F by adjusting heat as needed.
5. 5 Fry the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, listening for a steady crisp frying sound and watching for even color development.
6. 6 Remove the fried chicken with a slotted spoon and place it on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil without steaming the crust.
7. 7 For the sauce, whisk the orange juice, sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a bowl until combined.
8. 8 Pour the sauce into a large skillet or wok and bring it to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken, watching for the sauce to cling lightly to a spoon.
9. 9 Toss the fried chicken pieces in the thickened sauce, coating each piece thoroughly so the sweet and tangy aroma fills the kitchen.
10. 10 Serve immediately over steamed rice or alongside chow mein. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions for crunch and color.

Nutritional information

Calories

520

Protein

30g

Carbs

45g

Fat

28g

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Tips for the Best Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

Don’t walk away from the oil once you start frying. I checked my phone for literally 30 seconds and the second batch started turning dark brown instead of that light golden color you want.

The batter thickens as it sits so if you’re making this over more than 10 minutes you might need to whisk in a tablespoon of milk before coating your last batch. I noticed the chicken pieces from my third batch had way thicker coating than the first and it changed the texture.

Your wire rack setup matters more than you’d think. I tried draining on just paper towels once and the bottoms got soggy and kind of steamed themselves soft, totally killed the crispy chicken recipe I’d worked for.

Taste your sauce before adding the chicken because once it’s coated you can’t fix it. Mine was too sweet the second time I made this so I added another tablespoon of vinegar and it balanced out, but you have to do that before the chicken goes in.

The chicken actually keeps frying a bit even after you pull it out because it’s so hot inside. I learned this when I thought a piece looked too light and left it in longer and it ended up too dark.

Serving Ideas

I serve this over plain white rice but the sauce is so good it soaks into the rice and that’s half the meal honestly. Sometimes I’ll throw in some frozen mixed vegetables that I microwave separately and toss with a little soy sauce.

Fried rice works better than plain if you have leftovers because you can reheat everything together in one pan. We did this Thursday night with rice from Wednesday and it was actually easier than the first time.

My sister puts this in flour tortillas with shredded cabbage and it’s weird but it works. The crunch from the cabbage plus the saucy chicken is actually really good and my kids ate it without complaining.

Variations

You can swap chicken thighs for breasts and they stay juicier but they take about 1 minute longer to fry through. I prefer thighs now because the dark meat doesn’t dry out if you accidentally overcook it by 30 seconds.

Orange marmalade instead of orange juice makes it stickier and sweeter, you’d cut the sugar down to 1/4 cup if you do this. Tried it once and my husband loved it but I thought it was too candy-like.

Adding a tablespoon of rice vinegar on top of the distilled white vinegar gives it more of that Panda Express orange chicken flavor I remember. The rice vinegar’s milder so it doesn’t punch you in the face like straight white vinegar does.

Sesame oil drizzled on at the end, maybe a teaspoon, makes it taste more restaurant-style. Don’t cook with it though because it burns and tastes bitter, learned that one the hard way.

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts? Yeah chicken thighs work and honestly stay more moist. Just fry them about a minute longer because dark meat needs a bit more time to cook through completely.

Why did my batter fall off in the oil? Your batter wasn’t thick enough or the oil wasn’t hot enough when you added the chicken. The batter needs to set immediately when it hits the oil or it just slides right off and makes a mess.

Can I bake this instead of frying it? You can bake it at 425°F for about 20 minutes but it won’t be crispy like fried, it’ll be more like breaded baked chicken. The texture’s completely different and honestly not worth it in my opinion.

What kind of orange juice should I use? Regular orange juice from the carton works, I use whatever’s cheapest at the store. Fresh squeezed makes it taste brighter but it’s not worth the effort for this recipe.

How do I know when the oil is hot enough? Use a thermometer and wait for 375°F or drop a tiny bit of batter in and if it sizzles immediately and floats you’re good. If it just sinks and sits there the oil’s too cold.

Can I make the batter ahead of time? You can mix it an hour ahead but whisk it again before using because the cornstarch settles at the bottom. I wouldn’t make it the night before because the eggs sit too long and it gets watery.

Why is my sauce too thin? You either didn’t use enough cornstarch slurry or you didn’t let it simmer long enough after adding it. It should thicken in 30 seconds but if your heat’s too low it takes longer.

Can I use rice vinegar instead of white vinegar? Rice vinegar’s milder so you’d need to use about 1/2 cup instead of 1/3 cup to get the same tang. I’ve done it both ways and honestly they both work fine.

How do I store leftover orange chicken? Put it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days but the coating gets soft from the sauce. It’s still good but you lose that crispy texture completely.

Can I freeze this? Freeze the fried chicken before you sauce it and it keeps for about 2 months. Thaw it reheat it in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes then toss it in fresh sauce.

How do I reheat leftovers? Oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes gets it warm and keeps some texture. Microwave makes it soggy and kind of rubbery, don’t do it unless you’re desperate.

What if I don’t have fresh ginger? Ground ginger works but use 1/2 teaspoon instead of 2 teaspoons because it’s way more concentrated. Fresh tastes better though if you can get it.

Why did my chicken turn out greasy? Your oil wasn’t hot enough so the chicken absorbed oil instead of frying crispy. Keep it between 325-350°F while you’re actually frying or this happens every time.

Can I make this less sweet? Cut the sugar down to 1/3 cup and add an extra tablespoon of vinegar. My mom doesn’t like sweet stuff and I make it this way for her and she actually eats it.

Do I really need the cornstarch in the batter? Yeah you need it, that’s what makes it crispy. Just flour makes it more like southern fried chicken coating which is good but not what you’re going for here.

What size pan should I use for frying? Something deep enough that 2 inches of oil still leaves 2 inches to the top so it doesn’t bubble over. I use a 4-quart saucepan and it works.

Can I double this recipe? You can double everything but fry it in the same sized batches or your oil temperature drops too much. Just takes longer to get through all the chicken.

Why does my batter have lumps? You didn’t whisk it enough, cornstarch clumps if you don’t really work at it. Takes me about 2 minutes of whisking to get it completely smooth.

How many pieces of chicken should I fry at once? However many fit in a single layer without crowding, usually 6 to 8 pieces depending on size. If you crowd them the temperature drops too much and they steam instead of fry.

What if my sauce is too thick? Add orange juice a tablespoon at a time until it loosens up. I’ve had this happen when I accidentally added too much cornstarch slurry and it’s an easy fix.

Can I use bottled garlic and ginger? Yeah the jarred stuff works fine, use the same amounts. Fresh tastes a bit better but I’ve used jarred when I’m lazy and nobody noticed the difference.