Do you sometimes get in the mood for a good meal? A deliciously made dish that is mouthwatering and satisfying at the same time? Well, I get that all the time. I always have a craving for good each time am free and bored. I invite a friend over for some ideas and we cook together.
Panda Express Ultimate Guide (100+ Articles) – Click here to read it!
Related articles about Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken
Why Go for Panda Express Catering?
How Good Is the Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken?
Eating is healthy. It is through eating that we give the body essential nutrients needed to build, protect and give the body energy. That is why we come up with all sorts of ideas and recipe in the name of providing for our body. Do you find yourself worrying about what you are eating?
I do that all the time. I have been struggling with my weight since I got my last born and that has made me choose a lot when it comes to what I put on my mouth. That does not mean I don’t indulge occasionally, sometimes I break it loose and have a meal or two out of the rules.
Enough of my chip chap, what are you into? What do you prefer when you want a meal that is whole but awesomely delicious? Read along and let me show you how to make a dish that is both nutritious and delicious from panda express.
About panda express
Being in the food industry is rewarding. That is one thing that the panda express owners and founders know very well. That is because they have been the sector since 1983. That has seen them endure the good and the bad to become one of the best in the field.
The number of years that they have operated comes with experience. They have enough experience to produce food that is peoples favourite and is quite unique. Am talking about food from the Chinese. They have a chef that has experience in Asian cosines and that has seen them achieve a lot.
In terms of success, they have been doing so much better than their competitors in the industry. They have over 2000 branches that offer food to people of different races. All that is thanks to their menu which has a variety of meals to choose from. You cannot go wrong with the menu.
Panda Express menu
If you have never gone to any panda express joint, you are missing a lot. That is because the menu is one of a kind. It is designed to show you what the chef can deliver and at what cost. That gives you a variety to choose from since they have many options. What is more to the menu?
What I found amazing and unique about the menu is the nutritional content of every meal. I have never seen that before in any men and to be honest, it took me by surprise. The menu gives you a summary of the nutritional content of every meal that you will take in the restaurant.
If you are a weight watcher like me, you will have a happy dance when you look at the menu. That is because you get to count your calories as you eat. That way, you will not have to be guilty after eating and walking out of their premises. When I am here, I go for their black pepper chicken
Why the Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken?
First, if you were to walk into any of their joints and have the black pepper chicken, you will understand why I am salivating already. The meal is so delicious. It leaves your mouth bursting with flavours and the source is just wonderful. There is more to the taste
When it comes to the nutritional content of the meal, you will smile and agree with me that it is every weight watcher dream come true. That is because losing weight is not about eating flat tasting food. With the meal, you can watch your weight along with having a delicacy.
The Chinese inspired meal will leave you wanting for more once you have a taste of it. The good part is you don’t have to wait for long for the meal to be served since it is prepared and cooked within 30 minutes. So, what is it about the meal that makes it so special?
What’s the big deal with the Panda Express black pepper chicken?
The meal is fast t cook, whether you are going to have it at their premises or make one by yourself at home. you will need 30 minutes to prepare and cook. It is also full of vegetables hence helps you balance your diet. Veggies in a meal are a good way of making sure your calorie intake is low.
The low carb diet is full of celery, onion and thick rich and tangy black pepper sauce. The low in calories and carb makes the meal favourable for people under keto and paleo diet you can enjoy the meal with no worries of adding some pounds on your waistline.
Now that I have told you a lot about the meal, how about I tell you the wonderful details. That you can make the meal yourself at the comfort of your home without having to go for the dish at the panda express joint. Yes, read along and know how to do so.
How to make panda express black pepper chicken
When you are out and about, it is good that you walk into any panda express outlet and experience it yourself. That does not mean that if you are indoor like now you cannot enjoy the meal. It is simple and straightforward for you to make. Read along and learn.
The thing is, if you were to make the meal at home yourself, it would take the lesser time that if you were to order from any outlet. That is because you don’t have to be put on a hold line to wait on your meal to come. All you need is to jump into your kitchen and within 30 minutes, you are done.
However, before you get all anxious and excited about making the dish, there are a fact or two that you need to know about the meal. That will help you not to make unnecessary mistakes that can make your food lose taste. The facts include;
- Your source of heat or fire need to be hot and you also need to be fast
The meal is about making sure the food is ready but not overcooked. To do that, you need to make sure your fire is hot enough. That will ensure that your food cooks well. You were fast ensured that the food is not overcooked to retain their nutritional value and texture.
- Cook in batches
If the food is a lot, you need to make sure you cook in batches. That is to ensure that the food does not stay long in the pan and that water from the food is not drained. Place a bit of the food at a time and toss in the pan until you are all done.
- Vegetables
Just like you already know, overcooking your vegetables will make it lose its water. That will go with the nutritional content and the texture. Your vegetables should be should be soft enough but not overcooked.
It is also important to know that since you are doing it at home, you don’t have to follow the rule when it comes to veggies. Feel free to experiment on the various vegetables that you have in the house. The secret is to not overcook them and, they should be fresh.
- About the sauce
At panda express, black pepper sauce is used. That doesn’t mean you are restricted to that, soy sauce is a good substitute in the house. You need to remember to use the sauce at the end. Using it before will make it cook and lose the taste which is not what we want to happen.
- The black pepper
It is the centre of attention when it comes to the meal. Make it coarse enough to be felt in the food. Already made black pepper is very fine and at times, it won’t bring the results you desire in the meal. If possible, ground it yourself to make sure it is seen and the punch felt while eating.
Ingredients used to make panda express black pepper chicken
- I pound chicken breast.
- 2 stalks of celery thinly sliced.
- The ½ medium white onion that is chopped.
- ¼ cup of light soy sauce.
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder.
- 1 tablespoon course grounded black pepper.
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch.
- 4 tablespoon of cooking oil.
Step to step guide on how to make panda express black pepper chicken
- Take the chicken and cut it into one-inch cubes. Set it aside.
- Mix in a bowl 2 tablespoon of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of chilly vinegar, cornstarch and the ground ginger. Take the sliced chicken cubes and put it in the mixture to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Take 2 tablespoons of oil and put it in a heavy bottomed pan. That will represent the wok used at panda express. Remember to make the heat hot enough for the meal.
- When the oil is super-hot, sway as you move the pan. Carefully, place the pieces of marinated chicken into the pan and toss it to cook.
- You need to cook on high heat and until it is brown and ready.
- Remove the chicken and in the same pan, add in the celery, onions and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
- You need to cook the veggies on high heat for 30 to 45 seconds. Constantly, stir the vegetables to make sure they don’t overcook.
- At this point, you need to add the remaining soy sauce, the chilli vinegar, the chicken that you cooked earlier and the black pepper.
- Let it cook for 15 seconds while you stir after you combine everything.
- After 15 seconds the meal is ready. Serve it hot and enjoy.
Sounds delicious right? Yes, just like the way it sounds, you will enjoy the meal once you get to make it at home. all you need is the right ingredient and the time to make the meal which is 30 minutes. Once you master the art, you are in for delicious meals in the future.
Advantages of panda express black pepper chicken meal
- Easy and fast to make
Like I mentioned earlier, it is easy and quick to make at home. the ingredients used to make the meal are readily available in your kitchen and what makes it more convenient is the fact that you can substitute some of them to suit what you have.
- Diet friendly
Yes, that is what drove me to the meal. To be honest, most Chinese foods is full of fats and unnecessary calories that it can scare any dieter away. With the meal, you get to consume 280 calories which are low enough for a single meal. The veggies add a plus to the meal.
- Delicious
I had to mention that again. It is hard to get a weight loss diet that is both low calories and delicious. When you get to eat the meal, you will understand why the meal is one of the most made meals at panda express joints. People find it mouthwatering and irresistible.
Disadvantages
- Chances of an undercooked food
When you are told to be fast and the heat must be hot, it is hard to know if a meal is ready on the inside or not. When cooking the dish, you need to be keen to ensure your meat and vegetables are ready both on the inside and the outside.
Panda express black pepper chicken is about combining chicken with vegetables. Celery and onions being used most, chicken is marinated, cooked and combined with the vegetables. A sauce always used at the end to enhance the taste of the meal. Panda express knows and executes that very well.