Emily Carter
Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish of fried chicken coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce glaze. It is the signature dish of the American fast-food chain Panda Express, which sells over 100 million pounds of it every year. Chef Andy Kao is credited with inventing orange chicken in 1987 at a Panda Express in Hawaii. Panda Express has since expanded its menu to include Beyond the Original Orange Chicken, a plant-based version of the original dish.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Creator | Chef Andy Kao |
| Year of creation | 1987 |
| Place of creation | Hawaii |
| Inspiration | Flavors from Hunan Province, China |
| Type of dish | American Chinese |
| Type of chicken | Dark meat, boneless |
| Batter | Light |
| Sauce | Sweet and sour, savory, tangy, with a little kick |
| Sauce ingredients | Brown sugar, honey, Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, orange peel oil, crushed red chile pepper, ginger, garlic |
| Oil for frying | Peanut oil |
| Chicken coating | Cornstarch, flour, egg |
| Recipe variations | Double the sauce, add garlic powder, use white and brown sugar, substitute vinegar with orange juice, add orange zest |
| Plant-based option | Beyond The Original Orange Chicken |
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What You'll Learn
History of Panda Express' Orange Chicken
Panda Express's signature dish, orange chicken, is an American Chinese dish of fried chicken coated in a sweet orange-flavoured chilli sauce. It is a variation of a traditional Chinese dish found in the Hunan Province, which uses tangerine instead of orange.
In 1987, classically French-trained Chef Andy Kao, who was working as Panda Express' executive chef, modified the traditional bone-in chicken dish from Hunan, China, to create the original Chinese-American orange chicken recipe at a Panda Express in Hawaii.
The dish consists of dark chicken meat coated with a light batter, which is then deep-fried and tossed in a wok with the orange-flavoured sauce. The sauce is a combination of sweet and sour flavours, with brown sugar and honey, Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a little crushed chilli. The key to the sauce, according to Panda Express' executive director of culinary innovation, Jimmy Wang, is using oil from orange peels.
Since its creation, orange chicken has become one of the most popular dishes at Panda Express, with the chain selling over 100 million pounds of it every year. The company has even used a dedicated food truck to tour the country, distributing samples of orange chicken. In 2024, Panda Express expanded its menu to include a plant-based version of the dish, Beyond the Original Orange Chicken, at 600 locations across the United States.
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Recipe and ingredients
The original orange chicken at Panda Express is a signature dish at the American Chinese fast-food chain. It is an Americanized version of dishes found in China, specifically inspired by the flavours of Hunan Province. It was invented by classically trained French chef Andy Kao in 1987 at a Panda Express in Hawaii.
The dish consists of crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and sour orange-flavoured sauce. The chicken is coated in a light batter and then deep-fried. The sauce is made with orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, honey, Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a small amount of crushed chilli.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breast tenderloins, cut into 1x1-inch cubes
- Cornstarch
- Flour
- Egg
- Oil (preferably peanut oil)
- Orange juice
- Orange zest
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Chinese black vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Crushed red chilli pepper flakes
- Green onions
Instructions:
- Cut the chicken into 1x1-inch cubes and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine salt, white pepper, cornstarch, and flour. Whisk to combine.
- Add the egg, water, and oil until the mixture reaches the consistency of pancake batter.
- Add the chicken to the batter and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer to 350-375˚F.
- Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, then into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Add the chicken to the wok in small batches and fry for 3-6 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, and orange zest.
- Clean the wok and heat for 15 seconds over high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil, the ginger, garlic, crushed red chilli pepper flakes, and green onions and stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chicken back to the wok and toss with the sauce until coated.
Enjoy your homemade Panda Express-style orange chicken!
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Popularity and sales
Panda Express's orange chicken is one of the company's top-selling dishes, with over 100 million pounds sold annually. The dish was invented by classically trained French chef Andy Kao in 1987 at one of the chain's locations in Hawaii. Kao modified a popular bone-in chicken dish, drawing inspiration from the flavours of Hunan Province in China.
The dish consists of dark chicken meat coated with a light batter and tossed with a savoury sweet-and-sour sauce. The sauce is made with orange peels, brown sugar, honey, Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a small amount of crushed chilli.
The popularity of orange chicken has led Panda Express to use it as a promotional tool, with a dedicated food truck touring the country and distributing samples of the dish. The company has also expanded the offering of the dish, introducing a plant-based version called 'Beyond the Original Orange Chicken' at 600 locations across the United States.
Panda Express's orange chicken has developed its own authenticity over the years, with fans creating skits and songs in its honour. It has become emblematic of "American Chinese" food, with some considering it to be one of the most creative dishes in the past thirty years.
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Comparisons to other dishes
Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish of fried chicken coated in a sweet orange-flavoured chilli sauce. It is the signature dish of the American fast-food chain Panda Express, which sells over 100 million pounds of it every year. However, it is rarely found in Chinese restaurants in China.
The dish is said to have originated in 1987 when Chef Andy Kao, who was then Panda Express' executive chef, modified a bone-in chicken dish that was already popular. Kao was inspired by the flavours of the Hunan Province in China. In Chinese, the dish is known as "陳皮雞", or "dried citrus peel chicken", which refers to dried orange or tangerine peel. However, the taste and recipes of this dish differ due to cultural and geographical factors. In American Chinese restaurants, the use of tangerine was changed to the use of fresh orange peel or no orange at all.
In terms of other Chinese-inspired dishes, orange chicken is comparable to General Tso's chicken, which is also an Americanised mutation of sweet and sour dishes found in China. However, when people in China were shown this dish, they were baffled and confused, as it did not resemble what they considered to be Chinese food.
Within the Panda Express menu, other dishes include Angus steak wok-seared with onions, red bell peppers, and mushrooms in a savoury black pepper sauce, and stir-fried pork marinated in original sauce with fresh mushrooms, paprika, onions, and green onions, and finished with a garlic sauce.
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Vegan alternatives
Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish of battered and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce. It was invented in 1987 by Chef Andy Kao exclusively for Panda Express, and has since become the chain's signature dish.
While the classic Panda Express orange chicken is not vegan, the chain launched its own vegan alternative in 2021. Dubbed "Beyond The Original Orange Chicken", the dish was created in partnership with plant-based meat manufacturer Beyond Meat. The vegan version sold over 1,300 pounds on its first day and has been relaunched a few times since.
If you're looking to make your own vegan orange chicken at home, there are several recipes available online. Many of these recipes use seitan as a meat substitute, while others opt for oyster mushrooms to recreate the dish's signature crunch.
To make the sauce, you'll need ingredients like orange juice, minced ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chili flakes. You can also purchase a ready-made orange sauce from retailers like Target, which is confirmed to be vegan.
Vegan orange chicken is also popping up on the menus of vegan restaurant chains and Asian fusion spots. So, if you don't feel like cooking, you might be able to find it at your local vegan eatery or Chinese restaurant.
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Frequently asked questions
Orange chicken is the signature dish of the American fast-food chain Panda Express, which sells over 100 million pounds of it every year. It is an American Chinese dish of fried chicken in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce glaze.
Chef Andy Kao is credited with inventing the original orange chicken at Panda Express in 1987. He was classically trained in French cuisine and worked as Panda Express' executive chef.
The original orange chicken was inspired by flavors from the Hunan Province in China. It is an Americanized version of dishes found in China, such as tangerine chicken, which is called "陳皮雞" in Chinese, meaning "dried citrus peel chicken". Over the years, it has developed its own authenticity and become one of the most requested dishes on Panda Express' social channels.
