17 Panda Express Recipes for Chinese Food Fans (2024)

Panda Express is one of the most popular eateries if you like Asian food but you don’t always want to go to a restaurant to get your Chinese food fix. The following Panda Express recipes are great copycat dishes that you can make quickly and easily at home. Whether you’re in the mood for beef, chicken, pork, noodles, or something else, you’re sure to find something you can’t wait to whip up and enjoy!

Black Pepper Chicken – Copycat Panda Express

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Make restaurant-style black pepper chicken at home in just 30 minutes with this delicious copycat Panda Express recipe. Satisfy your Asian food cravings with this easy and flavorful stir-fry.
Get the Recipe:Black Pepper Chicken – Copycat Panda Express

Wok Seared Steak and Shrimp – Panda Express Copycat

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Make this tasty Panda Express copycat wok-seared steak and shrimp dish at home with soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger, and garlic flavors. Impress your friends or enjoy it for lunch or dinner – it’s like an Asian surf and turf with beef and shrimp!
Get the Recipe:Wok Seared Steak and Shrimp – Panda Express Copycat

Easy Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken Recipe

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Love Panda Express but can’t make it to the restaurant as often as you’d like? This Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken Recipe will cure your craving any time it hits.
Get the Recipe: Easy Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken Recipe

Honey Walnut Shrimp – Panda Express Copycat

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This Panda Express honey walnut shrimp copycat recipe coats crispy deep-fried tempura shrimp in a tantalizing sweet and savory sauce that’s served with candied walnuts. This will become one of your favorite quick dinner recipes!
Get the Recipe: Honey Walnut Shrimp

Orange Chicken

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Panda Express Copycat Orange Chicken is a delicious and crispy chicken that is coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. This healthy orange chicken makes for an easy dinner.
Get the Recipe: Orange Chicken

Instant Pot Fried Rice

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Let your instant pot get the flavor of Panda Express fried rice on your table in no time. This recipe is easy, tasty and best of all, budget friendly so you can get your Panda fix anytime!
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Fried Rice

Orange Chicken – Panda Express Copycat

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Panda Express Copycat Orange Chicken has tender chunks of pan fried chicken that are smothered in a delicious orange sauce that has a kick of heat! The perfect quick night dinner option that’s ready in just 35 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Copycat Orange Chicken

Eggplant Tofu (Panda Express Copycat)

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This eggplant tofu is a copycat recipe for the popular dish served at Panda Express! Crispy tofu is tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Eggplant Tofu (Panda Express Copycat)

Sweet Fire Chicken

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Sweet Fire Chicken smothered in an irresistible sweet and spicy zingy sauce that is better (and healthier!) than your favorite Chinese takeout!
Get the Recipe: Sweet Fire Chicken

Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

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Drunken Noodles are a Thai food stir fry noodle dish that packs a punch of heat and is loaded with tender chunks of chicken and veggies!
Get the Recipe: Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

Broccoli Beef

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If you love broccoli beef over rice from Panda, then you have to try this copycat recipe. It is so tasty, and you are going to love how quick this dish comes together for a weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Beef

Kung Pao Chicken

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This recipe for kung pao chicken might be even better than what you can get at Panda Express! You are sure to love the flavor of this easy and budget friendly take out fake out!
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken

Vegan Orange Tofu

17 Panda Express Recipes for Chinese Food Fans (13)

This 15 minute meal is a perfect vegan option for those nights you want take out, but don’t really want to go out and get it. It is made with simple ingredients for a flavorful and filling meal when served over rice.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Orange Tofu

Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork

17 Panda Express Recipes for Chinese Food Fans (14)

Use crispy pork belly to make this restaurant quality sweet and sour pork. This tastes even better than what you will get from Panda Express. It is also not too complicated to make on a weeknight for fast, homemade food.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork

Black Pepper Chicken

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Black pepper chicken makes for such a wonderful and easy dinner option. This recipe is loaded with celery to make a healthy one dish meals that tastes even better than an order from your favorite fast food spot.
Get the Recipe: Black Pepper Chicken

Chow Mein Copycat

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If you can’t resist chow mein from Panda Express, then you need to make this at home, as soon as possible. It is so easy to make on a busy night and it pairs well with chicken, pork, beef or shrimp for a versatile homemade meal.
Get the Recipe: Chow Mein Copycat

Mushroom Chicken

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Serve this mushroom chicken with zucchini over rice for a homemade meal that tastes even better than what you can get at Panda Express. This is so fresh and flavorful for a fast weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Chicken

Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause.

Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts. As well, Bella celebrates her Italian heritage with tasty dishes inspired by her favorite Italian foods. She has been featured in publications such as MSN, Self, Well + Good, New York Post, Salon, and more.

As a social media influencer, Bella can be found on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Since 2015, she has partnered with international brands and Fortune 500 companies. Living with celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes, Bella takes every opportunity to share her experiences with T1D and educate others about these autoimmune diseases.

17 Panda Express Recipes for Chinese Food Fans (2024)

FAQs

What is the signature dish of Panda Express? ›

Chef Andy Kao develops The Original Orange Chicken® entree for Panda Express. Inspired by the flavors of Hunan Province, the dish features crispy chicken bites in a sweet and spicy orange sauce.

What iconic dish was invented by Panda Express? ›

The most famous dish at Panda Express is the Orange Chicken. Inspired by flavors of the Hunan Province in China, Chef Andy Kho developed it in 1987, and it has been a consistent part of the menu ever since.

Was orange chicken invented by Panda Express? ›

While the dish is very popular in the United States, it is most often found as a variation of General Tso's chicken in North America rather than the dish found in China. Chef Andy Kao claims to have developed the original Chinese-American orange chicken recipe at a Panda Express in Hawaii in 1987.

Is Panda Express in China? ›

The Chinese Panda Express reportedly opened in July. Aside from a similar logo, the menu also includes the US chain's popular Kung Pao Chicken and Tangerine Peel Chicken. The management of its landlord, Chenggong Seazen Wuyue Plaza, told news portal Thepaper.cn that it was reviewing the outlet's credentials .

What is the unhealthiest food at Panda Express? ›

The #1 worst Panda Express order is…the Chow Mein and Orange Chicken. The combination of Orange Chicken, a dish inspired by a Chinese dish called chen pi niu rou, and classic chow mein stir-fried noodles is nothing short of delicious. Unfortunately, if it's a nutritious meal you're on the hunt for, this one isn't it.

What is the most ordered food at Panda Express? ›

A representative from Panda's PR team said that the five top-selling entrées at the restaurant are (drumroll please): Beijing Beef, Broccoli Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Mushroom Chicken, and, of course, the Original Orange Chicken—the dish that Panda Express is credited with inventing.

Is Panda Express owned by McDonald's? ›

Is Panda Express owned by McDonald's? No. Husband and wife co-founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng still own and run their privately-held company, The Panda Restaurant Group.

What is orange chicken called at Chinese restaurants? ›

橙子chengzi - orange, 鸡ji - chicken. It's a typical American dish, you won't find it in China.

Did Panda Express stop using MSG? ›

The answer to your question is probably Yes. Panda Express claims that they do not add extra MSG to their food, but they issued disclaimer that ingredients they use could include MSG.

Why did Panda Express stop selling orange chicken? ›

They have said this was due to the entree being a limited time item, but the popularity should make them change their minds. Now, millions of people will not be able to have a full meal other than sides at Panda Express. The people are outraged as seen in the comments on various social media accounts.

Do people in China eat orange chicken? ›

Orange chicken is among the most popular staples on the menu at Chinese restaurants in America. Why not in China, you might ask? Well, because orange chicken isn't Chinese food at all. In fact, there's a distinct difference between Chinese food and Chinese American food, and orange chicken exemplifies the latter.

What is kung bo? ›

Kung Pao chicken (a.k.a. Gong Bao or Kung Po) is a stir-fried Chinese dish that consists of cubed chicken in a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce. It originated in southwestern China in the early 1800s.

What is the Panda Express controversy? ›

The complaint, filed in July 2021, accused the popular Chinese American eatery of advertising a “low-price” delivery fee — typically $2.95 — on its website and mobile app. Instead, it charged customers an additional 10% “service fee” on deliveries. Panda Express has denied any wrongdoing in the case.

Who owns Panda Express now? ›

Andrew Cherng (Chinese: 程正昌; pinyin: Chéng Zhèngchāng; pronounced /ˈtʃɜːrŋ/; born April 1948) is a Chinese-born American billionaire restaurateur. He is the founder and chairman of Panda Restaurant Group, based in Rosemead, California. He is the co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Panda Express.

What is the largest Chinese restaurant in the US? ›

Kowloon Restaurant is in Saugus, Massachusetts, a short distance north of Boston. It is a landmark along U.S. Route 1. The property spans 5 acres (2.0 ha). The restaurant exterior includes a 30 ft (9.1 m) tiki statue above its entrance.

What is the most popular bowl at Panda Express? ›

1. The Original Orange Chicken. We doubt anyone will be surprised to see The Original Orange Chicken in the number one spot. In fact, at every Panda Express we've ever been to, the dish is served from a bowl on the counter that's nearly twice the size of all the others.

Why is Panda Express famous? ›

Panda Express is often the first taste of Chinese culture and food for many people across the country and we take pride on delivering American Chinese cuisine innovation and ability to create authentic, yet approachable Chinese-inspired dishes to our guests.

What is signature dish in menu? ›

A signature dish is a recipe that identifies an individual chef or restaurant. Ideally it should be unique and allow an informed gastronome to name the chef in a blind tasting. It can be thought of as the culinary equivalent of an artist finding their own style, or an author finding their own voice.

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