Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
My copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken is sticky, sweet and tangy. Succulent chicken pieces with a crispy coating and plenty of that delicious sauce.
Ingredients
90 g (3/4 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 medium egg
¼ tsp garlic salt
pinch salt and pepper
90 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) cold water
8 chicken thigh fillets (skinless and boneless) chopped into bite-size chunks
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil for frying
Orange Sauce:
juice of 2 large oranges
zest of half an orange
6 tbsp caster sugar or superfine sugar
5 tbsp soy sauce (I use dark soy sauce, but you can use half dark and half light soy sauce for a lighter coloured sauce). You can use low sodium soy sauce if you prefer.
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 3 tbsp cold water to form a slurry, (optional)
Instructions
✅Start by making the batter for the chicken. In a large bowl, add the plain (all-purpose) flour, egg, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and water and mix together using a whisk until smooth. You want a thick batter that will coat the chicken. If it's too thick, add a splash of water and mix again.
✅Place the chopped chicken thighs in a separate bowl and sprinkle on the cornflour (cornstarch). Toss together so the chicken is coated in the cornflour.
✅Add the chicken to the batter, and mix together so the chicken is coated in the batter.
✅Add the oil to a wok or large frying pan (skillet) and heat over a medium-high heat until hot.
✅While the oil is heating, make the orange sauce. In a medium bowl, mix together the orange juice and zest, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and rice vinegar. Put to one side.
✅When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the oil. I find it's best to work in two or even three batches for the crispiest chicken. Add the chicken in a piece at a time, and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden brown and cooked throughout.
✅Once cooked, place the chicken in a bowl lined with kitchen paper while you cook the second batch. You can add a little more oil in if needed, to ensure the chicken is surrounded by oil, but be sure to keep the temperature up so the oil is bubbling and hot.
✅Carefully dispose of any leftover oil from the wok and turn down the heat to medium. Add the orange sauce to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
✅If you want to thicken further, then slowly pour in the cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water) whilst stirring.
✅Add the chicken back to the wok and carefully toss together until the chicken is coated in the sauce. I find the best way to do this is to slide a spatula underneath the chicken, lift it up and turn it over – do this repeatedly until all the chicken is coated.
✅Serve the chicken over boiled rice, topped with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
My copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken is sticky, sweet and tangy. Succulent chicken pieces with a crispy coating and plenty of that delicious sauce.
Ingredients
90 g (3/4 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 medium egg
¼ tsp garlic salt
pinch salt and pepper
90 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) cold water
8 chicken thigh fillets (skinless and boneless) chopped into bite-size chunks
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
120 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil for frying
Orange Sauce:
juice of 2 large oranges
zest of half an orange
6 tbsp caster sugar or superfine sugar
5 tbsp soy sauce (I use dark soy sauce, but you can use half dark and half light soy sauce for a lighter coloured sauce). You can use low sodium soy sauce if you prefer.
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 3 tbsp cold water to form a slurry, (optional)
Instructions
✅Start by making the batter for the chicken. In a large bowl, add the plain (all-purpose) flour, egg, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and water and mix together using a whisk until smooth. You want a thick batter that will coat the chicken. If it's too thick, add a splash of water and mix again.
✅Place the chopped chicken thighs in a separate bowl and sprinkle on the cornflour (cornstarch). Toss together so the chicken is coated in the cornflour.
✅Add the chicken to the batter, and mix together so the chicken is coated in the batter.
✅Add the oil to a wok or large frying pan (skillet) and heat over a medium-high heat until hot.
✅While the oil is heating, make the orange sauce. In a medium bowl, mix together the orange juice and zest, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and rice vinegar. Put to one side.
✅When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the oil. I find it's best to work in two or even three batches for the crispiest chicken. Add the chicken in a piece at a time, and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden brown and cooked throughout.
✅Once cooked, place the chicken in a bowl lined with kitchen paper while you cook the second batch. You can add a little more oil in if needed, to ensure the chicken is surrounded by oil, but be sure to keep the temperature up so the oil is bubbling and hot.
✅Carefully dispose of any leftover oil from the wok and turn down the heat to medium. Add the orange sauce to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.
✅If you want to thicken further, then slowly pour in the cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water) whilst stirring.
✅Add the chicken back to the wok and carefully toss together until the chicken is coated in the sauce. I find the best way to do this is to slide a spatula underneath the chicken, lift it up and turn it over – do this repeatedly until all the chicken is coated.
✅Serve the chicken over boiled rice, topped with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
