Homemade Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken

If you are looking for orange chicken that tastes just like the real deal, this is it! The orange flavor stood out but it didn't overpower the meal. The chicken was juicy, soft, and flavorful. This Copycat Homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken recipe delivers the flavors of your favorite takeout dish in your own kitchen. It’s a treat the whole family will love - and will be asking for seconds!

Make this easy copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken at home—crispy fried chicken tossed in sticky orange sauce for a family favorite dinner. This orange chicken has a crispy exterior with a sweet, citrus-forward glaze and subtle ginger notes—similar to takeout, but fresher and less oily.

Homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken with broccoli and rice served on a plate.

• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Serving size: 4
• Total cook time: 25-30 minutes
• Total prep time: 5-10 minutes
• Family friendly: YES!
• Rating: 8.5/10
• Serving suggestions: Serve with rice, broccoli, or toast

Why You Will Love This Orange Chicken Recipe

This recipe brings the happiness and nostalgia of a fast-food meal, but with a lower price tag and portion control. The orange sauce is sticky and gooey, making it just like Panda Express. The texture is crispy because it's double fried to add that extra crisp - making sure every piece was browned to perfection. The time you put into this recipe will make you love and appreciate it even more. 

What Makes This Recipe Different

This copycat Panda Express orange chicken takes traditional orange chicken and adds a unique flare to it through double frying and exchanging some ingredients. I never add salt to my recipes so that is a huge part of what makes my recipes different. I did not use orange zest but kept orange juice to still have that strong orange flavor. 

Why This Recipe Works

If you’re looking for a homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken with the perfect hot, sweet, and tangy balance, this is it. The sticky orange sauce paired with a double-fry method creates ultra-crispy chicken you’ll want to make on repeat.

Pro Tips

• I fried the chicken and then added them back into the vegetable oil and fried them again - you can choose to do a single or double fry
• I didn't have some of the ingredients so I just replaced them with something else. Instead of the rice wine, I used the sesame oil. Instead of ginger root, I used ground ginger. Feel free to adjust based on what you have available

Inspiration

This recipe was inspired by Insanely Good Recipes. I used less than two pounds of chicken, omitted the salt, I did not have an orange so I did not use orange zest and the chicken still turned out amazing. I used ground ginger instead of ginger root, garlic powder in place of minced garlic, omitted the red pepper flakes, and did not use rice wine or the cornstarch/water slurry. 

If You Enjoy Chicken Recipes, You May Also Like

Everything You Need to Make Panda Express Orange Chicken

*Items marked with an asterisk (*) are Amazon affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

  • 2.5 large chicken breasts, cut into pieces
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
  • Vegetable oil (to fry)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • *3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • *PAM or cooking spray
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • Green onions, to top
  • *Sesame seeds, to top

Note: For extra crispiness, let the chicken rest for 2–3 minutes between the first and second fry. If you want a thicker, stickier orange sauce, simmer it a little longer before adding the chicken.

Ingredients for Homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken laid out on the countertop.

Step-By-Step Guide: How to Make Panda Express Orange Chicken
✓ Step #1: Add chicken to a bowl - In a bowl, add diced chicken and set aside.

Chicken Breast in a bowl, ready for frying.

✓ Step #2: Make your dredge - Gather two more bowls. In one, you are going to add the egg, white pepper and 1 tbsp vegetable oil and stir. In the second one, add the 1/2 cup of cornstarch and the 1/4 cup of flour. Stir until well mixed. Set aside.

The dredge for the Homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken in two separate bowls.

✓ Step #3: Make the sauce – For the orange sauce, you want to mix the soy sauce, orange juice, and brown sugar in a bowl. Stir until completely combined and set aside.

Sauce for Homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken in a bowl.

✓ Step #4: Fry the chicken –  Add the oil to the skillet (about 1/4-1/3 of the frying pan). I set the temperature on medium/high and let it sit about 3-5 minutes. I added a tiny bit of water and, if it sizzles, it's ready to go. 

Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and then the flour and cornstarch mixture. Add to the frying pan. Fry for 4 minutes until it reaches a light brown color. You can use a slotted spoon or a spatula, and remove them onto a plate. I had to cook two batches so I did the second batch the same way.

Chicken frying in a pan.

✓ Step #5: Double fry – Add back to the oil and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and place it on a paper plate to drain. At this point, the chicken should be brown and crispy. 

Fried chicken on a paper plate next to a slotted spoon.

✓ Step #6: Make your sauce –  In another frying pan, spray it with PAM cooking spray and add the garlic powder and ground ginger and cook for 30 seconds. 

Ground ginger and garlic powder in a frying pan.

✓ Step #7: Add in orange sauce – Add in the orange sauce and sesame oil. Cook for 30-60 seconds. 

Orange sauce in a frying pan for Homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken.

✓ Step #8: Add chicken – Add chicken and let sauce thicken, 5-10 minutes. The sauce thickened enough for me without the slurry, but if you prefer a stickier coating, you can add cornstarch + water at this stage.
Chicken and orange sauce combined in a frying pan.

✓ Step #9: Serve – Add to a plate. Top with green onions and sesame seeds and serve with rice. 

Homemade Panda Express Orange Chicken on a plate, topped with green onions and sesame seeds and served with rice.

How To Store Panda Express Orange Chicken

Store chicken in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove, until warm.

About the Author

Abbie Guerrero is the creator of Savvy with Abbie and has been blogging since 2009. She has developed over 800 original recipes and shares thoughtful book reviews and personal reflections. Writing has been a lifelong passion and a meaningful form of self-expression.
Recipe and photos by Abbie Guerrero. All photos are original.

What Did You Think Of This Chicken Recipe?
Did you enjoy this homemade orange chicken? What did you think?

How You Can Support Savvy with Abbie

✓ Pin this recipe on Pinterest
✓ Comment below and let me know if you made this recipe
✓ Review/rate the recipe below so others can see what you thought of it
✓ Follow this blog for more chicken recipes

Make this recipe at home - know all of the ingredients that are going into it and remove the hefty price tag. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Easy Crockpot Potato Soup with Hash Browns & Cream Cheese

Image
This easy crockpot potato soup is creamy, comforting, and made with simple ingredients like hash browns, cream cheese, and bacon. If you’re looking for a no-fuss slow cooker potato soup that’s perfect for busy days, this recipe is a family favorite. This easy crockpot potato soup recipe is one of those recipes I started making when I needed something easy that I could throw together in the morning and not think about again until dinner. Between working from home, keeping up with everything around the house, and making sure Jace had something he’d actually eat, I needed meals that were simple but still felt homemade. What I love about this potato soup is that it uses ingredients I almost always have on hand. I don’t have to run to the store for anything fancy, and it still turns out creamy, filling, and comforting every single time. Over time, I’ve adjusted the recipe to make it a little richer and more flavorful than the original version, especially by increasing the cream of ...
Read more

In-N-Out Double-Double Animal Style Burger Recipe (No Onions)

Image
From the first bite, all I could say was "Wow!" If you have been to In-N-Out, this recipe is as close to the real deal as you can get. Between the acidity in the sauce, the super juicy beef patties, refreshing lettuce, and cheesy patties, you will be wanting more! It blew my mind how much it tasted like a real double double animal style burger.  We have a family of three and we each had our own version of this copycat recipe. I had a single patty, Kevin had our homemade version of the Double-Double Animal Style burger (without onions) and Jace had a double without the sauce. The burger was so juicy, the meat was perfectly cooked, it was one of those things where I took my first bite and my eyes closed and I just savored the first bite. Juicy, cheesy, and full of flavor - this no-onion In-N-Out copycat Double-Double Animal Style burger tastes just like the real deal! • Difficulty Level:  Intermediate • Serving size:  3 burgers • Total prep time: 10 minutes • Total cook ti...
Read more

Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper - Better Than the Box!

Image
Kevin (my fiancé) loves homemade hamburger helper and this recipe tasted way better than any boxed hamburger helper out there. Hamburger helper is nostalgic for me though. Growing up in the 90's, I do remember having it every once in awhile. Homemade is always a better choice, though. This recipe is easy to whip up in one pan, making cleanup simple and dinner fast. This homemade hamburger helper combined creamy cheese with tender pasta and had simple, flavorful seasoning choices which included onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder for a little kick. It was flavorful, and really good, with Jace and I both rating it an 8/10 and wanting to make it again. Skip the box! This homemade hamburger helper is cheesy, flavorful, and family-approved - ready in just 25 minutes! • Difficulty Level: Easy • Serving size: 5 • Total cook time: 20–25 minutes • Family friendly: Yes, all three of us enjoyed it and we had leftovers! Why This One-Pan Pasta Works So W...
Read more