Description
This Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe brings crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet, tangy, and zesty orange sauce right to your kitchen. Just like the restaurant favorite, this homemade orange chicken is bold, flavorful, and totally addictive. Serve it over rice or with veggies for a DIY takeout night that’s better than delivery!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- Cornstarch
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut)
For the Orange Sauce
- Orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
- Orange zest
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Garlic (minced)
- Ginger (grated or minced)
- Red chili flakes (optional)
- Cornstarch (mixed with a bit of water to create a slurry)
- Sesame oil
Instructions
- In one bowl, whisk eggs. In another bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper.
- Dip each chicken piece in egg, then dredge in the flour mixture to coat.
- Heat oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- In a saucepan, combine orange juice, zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.
- Serve hot over rice or with stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
- Use chicken breast for a leaner option.
- Adjust chili flakes or add sriracha for extra heat.
- For a lighter version, bake or air fry the chicken instead of frying.
- Stir in veggies like broccoli or bell peppers for a full meal.
- Add a spoonful of hoisin or oyster sauce for a deeper, savory flavor.
- Keep chicken crispy by tossing in sauce just before serving.
