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Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken: Crispy Fakeaway Recipe
Inspired by Panda Express Orange Chicken Not the official recipe
- 1 hr 5 min
- Makes 4 bowls with rice
- ~$3.52 per serving~£2.85 per serving
- Save ~$21 vs Panda Express
- Not enough ratings yet
Crisp, twice-fried pieces of chicken thigh tossed in a sticky sauce of fresh orange, soy, ginger and garlic, served over rice. A takeout-style fakeaway for anyone far from a Panda Express.
Clone Score
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Rate the cloneCost at home
Save ~$21
~$3.52 each at home
- Homemade
- ~$14.08 for 4 (~$3.52 each)
- At Panda Express
- ~$35.20 for 4
That's 60% less.
~£2.85 each at home
- Homemade
- ~£11.41 for 4 (~£2.85 each)
Estimate · prices checked Oct 2026 · vary by location · excl. tax & delivery.
Estimate. Restaurant prices checked Oct 2026. Prices vary by location; tax and delivery fees are not included. Pantry staples (salt, oil…) are not included.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- Pantry
For the sauce
- Pantry
To serve
Pantry staples are not included in the cost estimate.
Ingredient cost
- Homemade
- ~$14.08 for 4 (~$3.52 each)
- At Panda Express
- ~$35.20 for 4
- Homemade
- ~£11.41 for 4 (~£2.85 each)
Method quantities are for the original 4 bowls with rice.
Kitchen gear
- Heavy pot or wok for frying
- Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
- Wire rack over a tray
Method
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Start the rice so it is ready with the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and toss them in a bowl with the egg and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce.
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In a second bowl, mix the 1/2 cup of cornstarch, the flour and the salt. In a jug, whisk the orange zest and juice, sugar, vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.
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Pour the oil into a heavy pot or wok to a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm), keeping it no more than half full, and heat to 350°F (175°C), checking with a thermometer.
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Lift the chicken a few pieces at a time into the starch mix, coat well and shake off the excess. Fry in 3 or 4 batches for 4 to 5 minutes, until light golden and 165°F (74°C) in the center of the thickest piece. Drain on a rack.
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Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry all the chicken again, in batches, for 1 to 2 minutes until deep golden and very crisp. Drain on the rack.
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In a clean wok or wide pan, warm 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and stir the garlic, ginger and pepper flakes for 30 seconds. Pour in the orange mixture and bring to a boil.
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Stir the cornstarch slurry and add it to the pan. Boil for about 1 minute, stirring, until the sauce turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
-
Take the pan off the heat, add the chicken and toss quickly to coat every piece. Scatter with green onions and serve at once over the rice.
Tips for a closer clone
- Thighs stay juicy through two rounds of frying; breast meat dries out faster.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce right before eating: the coating starts to soften within about 10 minutes.
- For a sweeter, more takeout-style glaze, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more sugar to the sauce.
- Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches, or the coating soaks up oil instead of crisping.
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About this dupe
UK and US
Everything is easy to find in British supermarkets. Chicken thigh fillets are already boneless and skinless; rice wine vinegar is the usual UK label for rice vinegar; and plain flour and cornflour do the coating. Use light soy sauce rather than dark, which would make the sauce too dark and salty.
vs the original
On the menu in the US only (menu status reviewed Oct 14, 2026); we found no Panda Express restaurants in the UK. The restaurant price we compare against is a bowl with one entrée and one side, so this recipe includes steamed rice to make the comparison fair. Fresh orange zest gives a brighter, less candied flavor than most takeout versions.
What it costs: ingredient costs are estimates for the amount used, from supermarket listing prices checked on Oct 15, 2026 (Target.com in the US, Trolley.co.uk for UK supermarkets). Prices vary by store and week.
Where this recipe comes from
Untested: a starting point written with AI help and checked against our recipe rules. Nobody has cooked it yet. Make it, rate how close it gets, and tell us what you changed. How we label recipes
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Copycat recipe inspired by the restaurant original. Not the official recipe. DupeEats is not affiliated with Panda Express.
The original
From dupeeats.com/d023 · Copycat recipe, not the official recipe. DupeEats is not affiliated with any restaurant brand.