Sunday, May 23, 2010

REVIEW: Panda Express Orange Chicken in a Bottle

I inexplicably love Panda Express (despite people questioning my Kung Pao preference) . Love. It. And every time I go at least one of the sides MUST be Orange Chicken so I was excited to find a bottle of the Orange Sauce at the grocery store.


It doesn't have a recipe on the bottle though. Which I thought was kinda lame. So, I looked up a recipe & I think the chicken itself was pretty darn close.

Take 2 large eggs, 1 ½ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp white pepper, & 1 TB of veggie oil. (I only had black pepper & it was fine) & beat them in a bowl.

Add 1/2 cup of cornstarch & 1/4 cup of flour. Mix!

Cut 4-5 chicken breasts up in bite-sized pieces and put in the bowl. Mix to coat. Put 1-2 inches of veggie oil in a pan. Heat, then add chicken pieces in one at a time (I had to do 3 batches of them).

Don't cook them too long. About 5-7 min until they are a little brown on each side.

Then add the bottle of sauce. The sauce is STRONG. You won't get the chicken as "saucey" as they do at the store. I put TOO much sauce on to make it look like the actual Panda Express chicken (& so there would be sauce for the white rice) but it was too strong.

Cut green onions on the top & serve over rice. YUM!

COMPLAINTS: Like I said, the sauce is pretty darn strong. It tastes the same- orangey, vinegary, gingery, & spicey but A LOT more than at the store. Next time I'd use a lot less sauce & I think it would be better.

9 comments:

Debbee said...

Yum...I will have to look for that in my local grocery store. Thanks for the post
:)
Debbee

Linda, Mom and Granny said...

Thanks for the Chicken recipe I will looking for Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce in a our area. I LOVE IT!!!

Ashley said...

I got some of that sauce a while back - tasty! I would just cook some chicken in a pan (with no batter) and make a chicken stir-fry with the sauce. But you are right, it is strong!

Smithy said...

I wonder if there is some way to "water down" the sauce...

i love good chinese food and there is a serious lack of it in Utah making Panda express one of the best bets for your $$

April Carter said...

It looks yummy though and your culinary skills are great! I think you should come cook for ME!

Sharon said...

Panda Express Orange Chicken is by far my favorite. We have to go to Utah to get it. I hope that one of our stores will carry the sauce. I like Ashleys idea about using it for stir fry.

Natalie said...

mmmm.....my fav too!!!

Cindy said...

That looks yummy!

anelieze castrejon said...

saw this at the store and thought i'd try it, too! will take your advice and use less.