Description
Panda Express orange chicken elevates home cooking with a zesty, crispy masterpiece straight from Chinese-American cuisine. Home chefs can easily recreate this restaurant favorite with simple ingredients and quick techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsps rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- Zest of 1 orange
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Transform chicken into uniform, bite-sized morsels for consistent cooking and easy consumption.
- Establish a two-stage coating process using flour and whisked eggs to create a crispy exterior.
- Thoroughly dredge each chicken piece first in egg, ensuring complete coverage, then generously coat with flour for maximum crunch.
- Preheat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet to medium-high temperature, creating an optimal frying environment around 375°F.
- Carefully place floured chicken into hot oil, allowing pieces to turn golden brown and crisp, approximately 5-6 minutes, rotating occasionally for even browning.
- Transfer fried chicken onto paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil and maintain crispiness.
- Craft a vibrant orange sauce by combining zesty orange juice, fragrant zest, umami-rich soy sauce, caramelizing brown sugar, tangy rice vinegar, aromatic garlic, and spicy ginger in a saucepan.
- Simmer sauce ingredients over medium heat until mixture becomes glossy and slightly thickened, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Gently fold crispy chicken pieces into warm sauce, ensuring each morsel is luxuriously coated with the tangy, sweet glaze.
- Serve immediately while chicken remains crisp and sauce clings tantalizingly to each piece.
Notes
- Customize flour coating by adding cornstarch for extra crispiness, ensuring a restaurant-quality crunch.
- Prevent soggy chicken by maintaining consistent oil temperature around 350°F during frying.
- Consider using gluten-free flour and tamari sauce for a celiac-friendly version without compromising flavor.
- Cut chicken uniformly to guarantee even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 34
- Calories: 227
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 263 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg