How to Impress Your Guest with Panda Express Orange Chicken? Hosting guest in your house can be fun. I mean, you get to impress them with your well-decorated house, well-preserved wine and of course a wonderfully cooked meal. That is the time that your cooking skills should shine.
Panda Express Ultimate Guide (100+ Articles) – Click here to read it!
Related articles about Panda Express Orange Chicken
Should I buy the Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce?
Panda Express Burrito with Orange Chicken Are Everyone’s Favorite
So, are you hosting some over the weekend? What do you have in mind? Having a meal in mind earlier helps you to prepare to avoid last minute rush. You don’t want to get confused when the guest is about to arrive. Have a meal in mind and buy all the ingredients that you need.
How about Chinese? Yes, you can never go wrong with an Asian meal. That is because they tend to be finger licking good, low in calories and rare to find. If you serve your guest a Chinese meal, you will achieve the goal of impressing them.
There are so many Chinese meals to choose from. If you were to look around, you will be out of choice on the meal to choose from. My advice is to keep it simple and go for a meal whose ingredients are readily available. A good example is the panda express orange chicken.
About Panda Express
Panda Express has been in the industry long enough to understand what the customer wants. Owned by an Asian family, they specialize in Asian cuisine in the USA. They have been accepted all over the state competing with the big fish in the industry. Have you ever had a chance to dine here?
They have delicious food to die for. With their well trained and experienced chef, they use their secret ingredient to make sure they prepare and serve food that will keep the customers coming for more. Once you dine with them, you will understand why they are peoples favourite.
In their menu, you will have a lot to choose from. The menu is full of well-crafted meals that will leave you satisfied. The good thing about the menu is that it is well stated with the calorie content of every meal that you will have. That goes a long way in helping a diet watcher decide what to eat.
What is panda express orange chicken?
I must confess the first time I heard about the name, I thought it is a meal full of oranges and chicken. I was surprised to see that only a half of a cup of orange juice is used in the whole recipe. So, what is this meal that is talked about by everyone who walks in panda express?
It is a signature meal for the panda express group of restaurants. It is delicious and well prepared to make sure you have a taste of both Asian and modern taste in one meal. The good part of the meal is that the ingredients are readily available and you can find them at your local grocery store.
I remember when I walked into a panda express outlet. I was eager to have a taste of the famous orange chicken such that I was sure of what I wanted before I even place my order. It is true, the meal did not disappoint. It is delicious and bursting with goodness once it is in your mouth.
Nutritional value of the panda express orange chicken
According to many, it is not probably the healthiest meal on the menu for you to have. That does not mean you should not treat your guest to a meal of the orange chicken. There is nothing wrong with breaking a rule or two about nutrition when it comes to a tasty meal right?
It has a high about of calories coming from fat and the sugar involved in cooking. The total amount of calories that you will consume with a serving is about 420 calories which can be low or high compared to your daily intake.
If you were to take the meal, you need to take it in portions. That means to prepare a meal to be shared like the way you will do to your guest. That way, they will end up consuming a small portion of the meal. Your aim is to impress them with a delicious meal, right?
How to prepare panda express orange chicken
Now that you have decided to treat your guest with orange chicken from the panda express, you need to prepare earlier. That is by listing down all the ingredients that you need then proceed to the grocery store to buy what you need.
For the cooking of the orange chicken you will need;
- 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- 1 teaspoon salt.
- 1 teaspoon white pepper.
- 1 cup cornstarch.
- 3 cups of flour.
- 1 egg.
- 1½ cup water.
- 2 tablespoon of
- 6 cups for frying.
You need to remember that the ingredient above is for 8 serving. They are for preparing and cooking the chicken when it comes to the sauce, you will need;
- 1 tablespoon
- ½ tablespoon chilli
- 1 tablespoon garlic that is minced.
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger.
- ¼ cup sugar.
- ¼ brown sugar.
- ¼ cup orange juice.
- ¼ cup distilled vinegar.
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce.
- 2 tablespoons of water.
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch.
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
After getting all the ingredients, you need to make sure they are all hygienically and well-kept for the day. The meal is simple to make and does not need prior preparation. All you need is to make sure everything is available on the day of the hosting.
Procedure on how to cook the panda express orange chicken
On the day of the hosting, you need to give yourself time to cook, have everything ready and set for cooking. If need be, look for assistance from your house help or a relative to make things flow easier in the house. Organizing yourself will avoid a chaotic situation.
For you to cook the orange chicken you need to;
- Take your chicken meat from the fridge and cut it into cubes. Make sure the cubes are even and the chicken should be well skinned. To reduce the number of calories, you need to look for chicken parts with less fat in it. one you have cut into equal cubes, set aside.
- You need to take one of the mixing bowls that you have. In it, you need to mix the salt, white pepper, cornstarch and flour. Make sure you mix it well as it will be used to prepare the chicken. After mixing it, you need to keep it aside.
- In the mixture above, you need to add the egg, water and one tablespoon oil. You need to whisk the mixture to appoint where it looks like a pancake mixture batter. Once you are done, you are assured that you are in for the next step. All along make sure your work is tidy and counters are wiped.
- Now you need to add the previously cut cubes of the boneless skinless chicken thighs. You need to make sure you mix well and all the chicken is covered with the pancake-like After you are done, put the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Do you have a wok? If not, don’t worry, you can use a heavy bottomed pan for this step. In the heavy bottom pan that you have, heat the six cups of oil to 350c. it is recommended to use a heavy bottomed pan to avoid sticking and burning of the chicken.
- Once you are sure the oil is hot, add the chicken that previously placed in the fridge for 30 minutes. You need to cook for 5-6 minutes. Make sure it attains a crispy brown colour. Once it is ready and brown, you need to remove them and drain them in oil draining towel.
- For the sauce, you need to use a heavy bottomed pan. Place it under medium heat and add the one spoon oil.
- Once the oil I shot, you need to add the red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic and cook for 30 seconds while stirring consistently.
- You need to then add sugar and the brown one and stir to blend.
- Add the orange juice and allow the sugar to begin to dissolve in the liquid. Make sure that all this time you are stirring continuously.
- Add the soy sauce and the vinegar and continue stirring.
- In a small bowl, you need to mix water and the cornstarch then add the mixture into the pan and continue to stir so that it can blend with the rest of the mixture.
- You need to continue stirring until a syrup-like consistency is achieved.
- After you are done, add the fried chicken into the sauce and stir until the chicken is completely covered with the sauce.
- To finish, put a topping of sesame oil and simmer the meal cool. You need to make sure you serve almost immediately after cooking. Let your visitors enjoy the meal.
There you go! The meal is ready for your guest your guest. Am sure you will enjoy making the meal. It is simple and easy once you master the art. Your guests will surely enjoy your hosting. Don’t forget to include a good bottle of wine.
While making the meal, there are some things you need to remember. You are not at panda express, you can bend rules where necessary. It is good to note that;
- The ingredient is key to a good Asian meal. Get them right and your meal will be perfect.
- You can bend the rules a little. There is nothing wrong with cutting the meat to whichever. the size you want. The important thing is to make sure the meat gets cooked evenly on the inside.
- The longer you marinate the meat, the better you enhance the taste, marinate overnight if possible.
- If you don’t have a wok, don’t worry, you can comfortably use a heavy bottomed pan and your meal will be just fine.
Advantages of panda express orange chicken meal
- Quick
When you are hosting, you have little time to cook. That is because you still have so many other things you need to do make your visitors comfortable. Panda express orange chicken is a good example of a meal that is easy to make and take less time.
- Available ingredients
Like you have seen in the ingredients, they are readily available on your shelves or your local grocery store. There is nothing that will need you to hustle a lot to get. All you need to do is walk into your nearest store with the list and get what you need for the meal.
- Easy and straightforward
There is nothing complicated about the cooking. Everything is easy and straightforward. The procedures are spontaneous and you get to see the results immediately. All you need to do is follow the instructions and you get your meal in no time.
Disadvantages of panda express orange chicken
- High in calories
If you are cautious about the number of calories you consume, the orange chicken meal will be the least on your list. That is because it is known to have a higher number of calories compared to other items on the menu.
If you have a special liking when it comes to what you consume, you need to walk in any panda express food joint. In here, you will find many delicacies including the panda express orange chicken that will awaken your taste buds and still nourish your body.
When it comes to hosting your guest, you need to wow them. Food is the sure way of making sure they will remember your place. With what you experience at panda express, you will be able to prepare the panda express orange chicken that is most people prefer and love.