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A plate of Panda Express style orange chicken with a glossy sauce

Quick way to grow Orange Chicken (Panda Express Style) skills

This recipe provides a quick and easy way to make delicious Panda Express-style Orange Chicken at home. It's perfect for a weeknight meal and delivers that classic sweet and savory flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 650 kcal

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Whisk
  • Saucepan
  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Wire rack

Ingredients
  

Chicken

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

Marinade

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch

Breading

  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 0.5 cup water

Orange Sauce

  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water

Frying Oil

  • 3 cups vegetable oil

Instructions
 

Marinate Chicken

  • Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch, then mix well and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper for the breading. In another bowl, whisk the egg and water.

Prepare Orange Sauce

  • Combine orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, orange zest, and red pepper flakes in a saucepan. Whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then add to the saucepan.

Cook Chicken

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Dip each marinated chicken piece into the egg wash, then dredge in the dry breading mixture, ensuring it's fully coated.
  • Fry chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and place on a wire rack to drain excess oil.

Simmer Sauce and Combine

  • Bring the orange sauce mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until it thickens. Add the fried chicken to the thickened sauce and toss to coat evenly.

Serve

  • Serve immediately with rice and steamed vegetables, if desired.

Notes

For extra crispiness, double-fry the chicken: fry once for 3 minutes, remove, then fry again for 2 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Adjust red pepper flakes to your spice preference.