Copycat Recipes: Panda Express Orange Chicken
By: Leah Rodrigues
Published: July 22, 2014

Damn Delicious has a copycat orange chicken recipe that gives Panda Express' version a run for it's money.  You might ask yourself, "why would I make orange chicken myself when I can buy it?"  The answer is simple, economics.  It's cheaper to feed you family a home cooked meal (not to mention healthier) as opposed to one prepared at a restaurant.  Also, eating dinner together allows everyone to reconnect and enjoy each other's company.
Orange chicken has everything you could ever want in a chicken dish.  It's crispy, sweet, a little tart and pairs perfectly with white rice.  When attempting to make orange chicken at home, there are a few key steps that will truly make it similar to the restaurant version.  Before frying, you want to marinate the chicken in the same sauce that you'll be tossing it in.  This will give your chicken two layers of flavor - one on the inside and one on the outside.  Deep fry the chicken in a cornstarch batter.  A flour based batter is heavier than it's cornstrch counterpart so the breading won't be as light and crispy.  In other words, your batter should be more similar to tempura batter than pancake batter.
Serve this meal with white or brown rice and stir fried broccoli.  Your family is going to love this meal and perhaps you'll find that they like your version better!