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Panda Express Orange Chicken (Copycat)

Panda Express Orange Chicken (Copycat)

With this recipe, making Panda Express Orange Chicken just became easier than ordering takeout!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 441kcal
Author: Katherine - Yummfully

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cups water
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Vegetable oil for frying

For the glaze:

  • ½ tbsp sesame seed oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 -inch piece ginger freshly grated
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup orange juice (no pulp)
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • Sriracha to taste
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
  • Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

  • Make the batter: in a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, egg, water, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, salt, and pepper to taste until smooth.
  • Add the chicken pieces, make sure they are all covered with batter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 mins.
  • Into a large skillet, pour about one inch of oil and heat it over medium-high heat until it sizzles when you drop a bit of batter into it.
  • Shake off any excess batter from the chicken pieces and fry them until brown on both sides. You might need to do this in batches. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and keep warm.
  • Make the glaze: in a medium sized skillet or saucepan, heat the sesame seed oil and saute the minced garlic and grated ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and sriracha. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved.
  • In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with water and add it to the sauce. Cook until slightly thickened.
  • Mix the chicken pieces into the glaze and continue cooking until all the pieces are well coated with the glaze and are heated through. Serve over rice with sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top.

Notes

  1. Make sure to remove the excess batter from the chicken pieces before frying them or your skillet will fill up with burnt pieces of batter.
  2. Fry the chicken while it is still cold. This will make for crispier chicken.
  3. Remember to use pulp-free orange juice for a perfectly smooth glaze.
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Nutrition

Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g