If you ever find yourself craving a meal that's filling, fun to eat, and won't break the bank,
Panda Express makes an excellent choice. The Chinese-inspired, California-based chain has
been satisfying customers' taste buds since it was founded nearly 40 years ago in 1983. The
company's co-founders, Andrew and Peggy Cherng, are two Asian-American immigrants who met when
they were students at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Upon graduation, the couple entered the restaurant business,
as they wanted to bring the excitement of their home country's fare stateside while adding their
own twist. The bestselling Panda Express menu item of all time is, without a doubt,
orange chicken. The saucy, sweet and sour chicken dish, developed by the chain's
executive chef a few years after its opening, was so successful that orange chicken is now
a pillar of Chinese-American cuisine. But as we all know, nothing is better than the original.
If you've never tasted Panda Express' orange chicken, you're in for a real treat.
There are so many ways to improve a dish. Sometimes, it's a spice that does the trick.
Other times, it's a homemade sauce that adds the necessary pizzazz. Whatever the method,
it's that little extra something that makes a dish pop. And that's exactly what makes
Panda Express' orange chicken so delicious. Although the recipe isn't authentically Chinese,
it pays homage to the flavors found in the food of Hunan Province, according to NPR.
Panda Express considers its original orange chicken to be its signature dish,
as stated on the brand's website. To describe the entree in the simplest way possible,
it's essentially crispy chunks of battered and fried chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy,
orange-scented sauce. Are you drooling yet?
Although many Millennials grew up eating orange chicken, the dish hasn't been around for very long
at all. The original recipe for the famous dish was invented in 1987 at a Panda Express location
in Hawaii — and the creative force behind it was the chain's former executive chef, Andy Kao. He
was traveling to the Aloha State with CEO Andrew Cherng to conduct some very important culinary
research that would impact the company for many years to come, an Uber Eats video explains.
Inspired by Hawaiian and Hunan cuisine, Chef Kao cooked different iterations of chicken with fresh,
locally grown citrus. A bone-in version of the dish was successful,
so staff then tested a boneless version based on customer feedback,
NPR reports. The dish made its way back to California shortly after and became the sensation
we know today. Panda Express now sells nearly 100 million pounds of orange chicken per year
across all of its stores, with one out of every two customers ordering the popular entree.
"Eddie, you're the grand poobah of the orange chicken fan club."
In a video with Tasty, director of product development Jimmy Wang shares the ins and
outs of how Panda Express employees make its famous orange chicken every day. The dish begins
with 1-inch pieces of chicken thighs that are coated with "just the right amount" of batter.
Salt, white pepper, cornstarch, and flour make up the dry ingredients in the simple coating,
and they're whisked together with oil, egg, and water until smooth. The chicken chills in the
batter for 30 minutes and is then deep-fried in small batches for six minutes until golden.
The beloved orange sauce is made in a hot wok of sautéed fresh ginger,
garlic, and chili flakes. Once these ingredients are fragrant, cooks add white and brown sugar,
orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and a cornstarch slurry, allowing the mixture to simmer and reduce
until it reaches a maple syrup consistency. Finally, the chicken is tossed in the tangy
sauce — along with a tablespoon of sesame oil for shine and nuttiness — until thoroughly coated and
ready to be enjoyed. While it would be fun to eat Panda Express' orange chicken every day,
it's best to consider the fried dish an occasional comfort food rather than a wholesome staple.
"I enjoyed your orange chicken yesterday
but I don't feel like it made me lose weight or get healthier."
A 5.7-ounce serving of orange chicken contains 490 calories, including 210 calories from fat,
the company website reads. The same serving also packs in more than 800 milligrams of sodium,
80 milligrams of cholesterol, and 19 grams of sugar.
Perhaps the silver lining of the nutrition label is that a helping of orange chicken offers a
hearty 25 grams of protein. Plus, customers can choose to pair their meat with steamed rice or
"super greens," like broccoli, kale, and cabbage, for a lighter accompaniment to a delicious main
course. Moreover, you can be extra conscious about what you consume by making copycat orange chicken
at home. Wherever you choose to eat this medley of flavors, you're sure to enjoy each and every bite.
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