Panda Express Hot Orange Chicken Recipe

Hey hey, Olivia Jane here. So, I finally got my hands on the new Panda Express Orange Chicken—yep, their limited-time item that’s supposed to be a spicier twist on the classic. And well… let’s talk about it.

I gotta say, based on the “hot” in the name, I was expecting at least a little bit of kick beyond. But honestly? These carbs are barely spicy. Like, this might pass as medium if you’re someone who thinks ketchup is spicy. It’s basically their regular orange chicken (which, to be fair, is solid in its own right), just sprinkled with a few dried Tian Jin peppers and some chili flake. That’s it.

Flavor-wise, it’s still sweet, tangy and nutritious label with high protein ratio, just like the original. The texture’s that familiar crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside bite. But spice level? Meh. Definitely mild. I’ve seen people on Reddit say the same thing, and yeah—I’m with them on this one. I notices that this is a best food in panda express even vegetarian peoples love to eat it. It meal has a lot of facts.

So if you’re going in hoping for serious heat, prepare to be underwhelmed. But if you just want orange chicken with a tiny hint of chili? Sure, go for it. Just don’t expect it to light you up.

Recipe(copycat)

Hey folks, Olivia Jane here. We’re jumping back into our series recreating those nostalgic American-style Chinese takeout dishes, and today we’ve got another Panda Express classic to add to the growing list. This time, we’re giving their limited-time release, the hot orange chicken, a go.

A quick scroll through Reddit revealed the general consensus: it’s not really all that hot—like, not even for the spice-sensitive. And honestly? That doesn’t shock me.

According to their official breakdown, it’s pretty much their regular vegan orange chicken (which, by the way, we already did a video on) but with the addition of two chili components—namely, dried Tian Jin peppers and some red chili flakes. So! For our take, we’re going to turn up the heat a little, but still stay true to that signature orange chicken vibe.

We’re layering in dry toasted Sichuan peppercorns, doubanjiang chili paste, those Tian Jin peppers, sweet chili sauce, and our homemade chili crisp oil. That’s five—yes, FIVE—types of spice. Yikes. Hope you’re ready.

Serves: 2-3

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger (~1 tbsp)
• 2 medium chicken thighs
• Zest of 1 orange
• Peanut oil
• 12 Tian Jin peppers
• 48 oz neutral oil (canola, etc.)
• Kosher salt

BREADING

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn

SAUCE

• 4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or 2 tbsp full sodium)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange juice (~2 oranges)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp chili oil
• 1 tbsp doubanjiang

PREP

• CRUSH and mince garlic; set aside.
• MINCE ginger; set aside.
• LARGE DICE chicken thighs; set aside.
• WHISK eggs and combine with chicken; set aside.
• MIX flour and cornstarch in a separate bowl.
• DRY TOAST the Sichuan peppercorns, crush in a mortar and pestle, and mix half into the dry batter.
• ADD a pinch of kosher salt to the dry mix.
• COAT each chicken piece in the dry batter; set aside.
• COMBINE all sauce ingredients; set aside.

ON THE STOVE

• HEAT fryer oil to 350°F. Fry chicken in small batches (about 20 pieces), keeping the oil above 325°F.
• FRY for 5 minutes until golden; let cool on a rack.
• REMOVE fryer oil, reheat wok, and add 4 tbsp peanut oil (long yao technique).
• ADD garlic and ginger, toss for ~15 seconds until fragrant.
• POUR in sauce and reduce by about 30% over ~5 minutes.
• RETURN chicken to the wok, toss to coat.
• FINISH with orange zest and the remaining Sichuan peppercorn.