Introduction
Hot Orange Chicken Panda Express Recipe, which is now the most popular item on their menu and on social media. My own experience was that it was love at first taste! Additionally, I had a feeling that this recipe deserved a homemade version that we could all enjoy before it goes away because this hotty is only provided at their restaurants for a short period of time.
Bite-sized pieces of tender chicken breasts are sliced, cooked until crispy, and then combined with garlic, aromatic spices, and a zesty, tangy, sweet sauce in a sizzling wok. This imitation dish is a spicy take on their traditional Orange Chicken! The orange chicken’s sweet tanginess balances out the spiciness, which is incredibly spicy and wonderful but not overpowering.
Reasons to Love Spicy Orange Chicken
You have to create this at home if you haven’t tasted Panda Express Hot Orange Chicken. There aren’t many Panda Express restaurants around, and for many of us, they can be out of reach.
The six scoops of red pepper flakes and Szechuan red chili peppers in Fiery Spice offer just the right amount of pleasant heat without being overpowering.
I did said it: better than Panda Express. In a blind side-by-side taste test, everyone chose this spicy orange chicken.
Sticky Sweet: the harmony of sweetness, tartness, and spice is expertly achieved.
Plenty of Citrus: this version is possibly more “orangey” than Panda Express’. There is a distinct orange flavor from the fresh zest and juice.
In contrast to certain Asian meals with sauce coating, where the breading tends to get goopy and mushy, the breading on this spicy orange chicken remains securely attached to the chicken.
What is Hot Orange Chicken from Panda Express?
Panda Express’s newest limited-edition menu dish is a fiery and spicy take on their well-known and adored Orange Chicken. Social media is ablaze, and Panda claims to have added SIX scoops of red pepper flakes and Dried Whole Red Chili Peppers (the typical orange chicken contains one scoop).
Where to Find Ingredients?
You may get almost all of the ingredients on the list in your grocery store’s Asian foods or international section. An Asian store, such as H Mart, will undoubtedly have everything if one is close by. The one component that can be difficult to find is dried Szechuan red chili peppers. If your local store doesn’t carry these, Amazon offers a sizable, long-lasting bag.
Key Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts will be chopped into 1- to 2-inch pieces. As at the restaurant, dark meat such as chicken thighs can also be used.
Zest and orange juice: Zest an entire orange and add it to the sauce. Make sure you have a zester or microplane so you can cut the zest without cutting off the pith, which is the bitter white component.
Brown sugar: The taste of caramelized sugar is added by the brown sugar.
The sauce’s salty component is soy sauce. I always use the low-sodium version so as not to add too much salt to the dish.
Rice wine vinegar gives the sauce more acidity. If you are unable to locate rice wine vinegar, you may use apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar in its place.
Garlic: For a truly distinct garlicky flavor, use freshly minced garlic rather than the variety that has been pre-minced and put in a jar.
A few of spoonfuls of sesame oil provide a lot of flavor. It has an even stronger flavor if you can find toasted sesame oil.
Our chicken dredge’s foundation is made of flour and cornstarch. The sauce also thickens with the addition of cornstarch.
How to Make Hot Orange Chicken
Step 1: Make The Sauce
When the sauce is ready to be utilized in the last stage, we’ll whisk together all of the components in it, cover, and put it aside.
Step2: Toast and deep-fry the chicken
After chopping the chicken into small pieces, we will first throw it in the egg and oil wash and then again in the flour and cornstarch mixture. After shaking off extra flour, cook them in batches for around three minutes.
Step 3: Turn on the stove
In a wok over high heat, we begin by sizzling our garlic, red pepper flakes, and chilies. After they sizzle for about 30 seconds, we’ll add the sauce and let it thicken. Add the chicken and continue tossing and stirring until every piece is thoroughly coated.
FAQ
What is Panda Express orange chicken made of?
dark meat chicken, water, sugar, distilled vinegar, modified food starch, corn starch, potato starch, contains less than 2% of: wheat, orange extract, caramel color, salt, garlic, phosphoric acid, rice wine, sesame oil. *The dish uses a proprietary batter and sauce.
What is orange chicken sauce made of?
How to make the orange chicken sauce. The orange sauce is made from a mixture of the orange juice and zest, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and rice vinegar. This is bubbled up in the wok until slightly thickened. The chicken is then added back in, and tossed in the sauce until fully coated
Why is orange chicken so sweet?
Fat adds a lot of flavor and Chinese restaurants began to adapt chicken recipes to involve deep frying each piece of meaet. With added sugar and corn starch to help thicken and sweeten Chinese sauces, dishes such as General Tso’s Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken and, of course, Orange Chicken became very popular
Is orange chicken Chinese or American?
While the orange chicken is one of the most famous Chinese dishes in America, it is a purely American invention, with no authentic Chinese resturants or restaurants in China serving this dish.