Orange chicken recipe inspired from the chain Panda Express. Crispy sauce coated orange chicken recipe. Asian Chinese inspired orange chicken recipe. Serve with rice or fried rice. Copycat Recipe. With step by step pictures.
We used to live in Del Mar, San Diego and just next to our apartment complex was a small little mall and they had Panda Express. It was my number one place for my fast food craving once a month. Sometimes twice. We all loved Panda Express and settled for orange chicken and rice. The sweet, tangy, spicy, crispy orange chicken was divine. I tried a lot of recipes and I am so happy to have finally found this recipe after a lot of tweaking that’s so good. Its really easy to make and I am sure you will love it.
For the Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken marinade
Take a bowl and add in the egg white, a tablespoon of dark soy sauce, a tablespoon of rice vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk well. Add in the boneless diced chicken pieces and mix well to coat. Top the mixture with 1/4 cup of all purpose flour (maida), 1 tablespoon of corn starch, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
Note: Keep the chicken pieces small so it cooks even and crisps quickly. The marinade penetrates well if the pieces are small.
Combine well to coat the chicken pieces. Marinate the chicken for at-least 30 minutes to an hour. The egg whites and vinegar makes the chicken juicy and moist.
Deep Fry
Heat oil in a pan until hot. Slide the marinated chicken pieces one by one in oil. If the pieces stick to the bottom, gently loosen with a fork to release. Do not crowd the pan. The pieces will stick together if crowded. Fry till golden and crisp. It will take about couple of minutes. Remove the pieces once they are golden and drain it on paper towels. Repeat until all the chicken pieces are fried.
For the Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce
Take a bowl and add in a tablespoon of minced garlic, a tablespoon minced ginger, a teaspoon of red chilli flakes, 1/2 cup orange juice, a tablespoon dark soy sauce, a tablespoon rice vinegar, a tablespoon sugar, 2.5 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk well to form a sauce.
Take a wide pan and bring it to heat. Add in the sauce and let it simmer for five minutes till syrupy.
Add in the fried chicken pieces. Gently toss to coat for a minute. Add in the finely chopped spring onions and toss for one last time.
Tasty Panda Express Style Orange Chicken is ready. Get ready to eat. We made some serious copycat orange chicken. Serve with rice or fried rice.
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup all purpose flour (maida)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 500 grams chicken, boneless, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2.5 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 spring onions, chopped fine
- 500 ml sunflower oil / vegetable oil to deep fry
- Take a bowl and add in the egg white, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Whisk well. Add in the boneless diced chicken pieces and mix well to coat. Top the mixture with all purpose flour (maida), corn starch and baking powder. Combine well to coat the chicken pieces. Marinate the chicken for atleast 30 minutes to an hour.
- Heat oil in a pan until hot. Slide the marinated chicken pieces one by one in oil. Fry till golden and crisp. Remove the pieces once they are golden and drain it on paper towels.
- Take a bowl and add in the minced garlic, minced ginger, red chilli flakes, orange juice, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, tomato ketchup and salt. Whisk well to form a sauce.
- Take a wide pan and bring it to heat. Add in the sauce and let it simmer for five minutes till syrupy.
- Add in the fried chicken pieces. Gently toss to coat for a minute. Add in the finely chopped spring onions and toss for one last time.
I tried this recipe with gobi and it turned out awesome., thank you for the recipe .
I trust only your recipes when i browse for a recipe , becos they turn out perfect .
It has become habitual for me to browse your site, I just type “k” and my browser knows what im looking for đ
Thanks so much. Really happy to know that you like our site. Happy cooking.
Hello mam, I follow Ur recipes and they are fool proof almost all the time . Can I avoid egg? My hubby s allergic to it
Hi Bhuvanesh, I have never tried without eggs but I think it will work. You can try.
Funny, I skipped this recipe so many times thinking it had orange in it â today I remembered and went back and tried it â simply delicious! Iâm so glad I did!!
Ps : btw, orange chicken too is delicious with noodles or fried riceđ
Thank you Maria.
Can I use regular vinegar instead of rice vinegar?
Yes. You can.
Kannama kannama azhagu poonjillai
Dedicated to u speciallyđ¤đ¤đ¤
Thanks Aparna. Shy coming đ
Kannamma kannamma onnu na sollalama
Mind blowing orange chicken.
Sweet kisses .
Thank you!
Hi akka,
I’m Sumeetha from Pondicherry….Ever since I came thru ur website, it has become habitual for me to browse ur recipes even when I’m not in need ….jus love ur way of writing.U just read our mind..all the doubts which arise are given a full stop then and there.I’ve become a huge fan of yours.
A special mention to the Orange chicken recipe….This recipe made me write to u..The taste is beyond words…my guests jaw dropped….nuances of taste was felt with every bite..The BEST …As in thamizh tradition , can gift u a bangle for the hands which gave us this recipe..Thank u and Best wishes for the years ahead.
Regards
Sumeetha
You are so generous with your words Sumeetha. It means a lot to me. I am just blushing here reading the nicest things you have to say. I am really glad that your guests liked the chicken. Happy cooking Sumeetha.
This recipe is just awesome.. I tried this today and everyone went crazy over this.. They loved it… Thank you suguna aunty..
Thank you!
Love yr recepies … love the writing even more …
Thank you so much Priya!
I tried this today.Terrific!!!!!!We finished everything within five minutes.
Thanks so much Raji Ravi. I am so glad that you guys liked it.
Hi, is there a substitute for rice vinegar? Thanks!
You can use regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
superb…. superb…. superb….. temting pics, definitely i will try this weekend….
Thank you so much jincy!
Do you think I could try this with tofu or mushrooms instead? Looks brilliant!! Much drooling.
Sure. You can try.
Hello Suguna,
Jus luv your style and recipes. Keep them coming. ?
Thank you so much Mary . ? ? ?. Happy Cooking!
My son love this one. I am going to make it tonight.
Thank You!