Copycat Panda Express Hot Orange Chicken
This Copycat Panda Express Hot Orange Chicken features crispy fried chicken tossed in a sticky homemade orange sauce with fresh citrus, garlic, ginger, and plenty of spicy chili flavor. Serve it with rice or chow mein for an easy better-than-takeout dinner.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese Inspired
Ingredients
Scale
For the crispy chicken
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for frying
For the hot orange sauce
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 4 to 6 dried red chilies, optional
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For serving
- Sliced green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Steamed white rice, fried rice, or chow mein
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and cut them into approximately 1-inch pieces.
- Coat the chicken in egg. Beat the egg in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated.
- Make the breading. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Bread the chicken. Transfer the chicken pieces into the cornstarch mixture. Toss and gently press the coating onto each piece. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Mix the orange sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, Sriracha, crushed red pepper flakes, and sesame oil.
- Prepare the slurry. In a small bowl, stir together one tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of cold water. Set aside.
- Heat the frying oil. Add approximately 2 inches of frying oil to a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven. Heat the oil to 350°F.
- Fry the chicken. Working in small batches, fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Drain the chicken. Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack. Allow the oil to return to 350°F before frying the next batch.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat one tablespoon of neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the dried red chilies, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Cook the sauce. Pour the prepared orange sauce into the skillet. Bring it to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently.
- Thicken the sauce. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then slowly pour it into the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick, glossy, and able to coat the back of a spoon.
- Coat the chicken. Add the fried chicken to the skillet. Toss quickly with a wooden spoon until each piece is coated in the hot orange sauce.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with steamed rice, fried rice, or chow mein.
Notes
- Chicken thighs provide the juiciest, most restaurant-style results, but boneless chicken breasts can also be used.
- Keep the frying oil close to 350°F. Oil that is not hot enough can make the coating heavy and greasy.
- Fry the chicken in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop.
- Drain the chicken on a wire rack instead of paper towels to help preserve its crispy coating.
- For less heat, use one tablespoon of chili garlic sauce and omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
- For extra heat, add additional chili garlic sauce, crushed red pepper, or a sliced fresh chili.
- Leaving dried chilies whole adds gentler heat. Breaking them open will make the sauce considerably spicier.
- Toss the chicken with the sauce immediately before serving. The coating will soften the longer it sits in the sauce.
- Fresh orange juice and zest produce a brighter orange flavor than bottled juice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.