Yahoo Lifestyle The 22 Best Copycat Panda Express Recipes
Orange Chicken
If you love Chines takeout as much as my family and I do, then you're probably all too familiar with Panda Express. On busy nights when cooking is an impossible task, it's our go to fast food option. Since we constantly crave dishes like Orange Chicken and Black Pepper Steak, to Fried Rice, Chow Mein and Honey Walnut Shrimp but we can't order out every night, I've searched far and wide for ways to make our favorite Panda Express dishes in my own kitchen. So here I've rounded up the 22 best copycat Panda Express recipes so you too can select a few to make or try them all!
What is Panda Express?
Panda Express is the largest American-Chinese restaurant chain in the United States.
The first Panda Express opened in 1983. I was just a teenager in high school when they first started and we piled our friends in the car and visited their first location at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California for lunch. Since it was just a 20-minute drive from our high school in Hollywood, we were repeat customers weekly.
Who Owns Panda Express?
Andrew and Peggy Tsiang Cherng and Andrew's father, Master Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng, started their family business as Panda Express and now have thousands of locations worldwide.
Related: Best Copycat Olive Garden Recipes
What are the most popular Panda Express menu items?
Orange Chicken
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Chow Mein
Honey Walnut Shrimp
Cream Cheese Rangoons
Fried Rice
Beijing Beef
Kung Pao Chicken
Black Pepper Steak
Honey Sesame Chicken
Related: 12 Best Copycat P.F. Chang's Recipes
Tips for Cooking Chicken and Beef in a Wok:
You will want to keep the beef super tender while it is cooking, so make sure to cook it at a very high temperature for the shortest period of time possible. The high temperatures allow for a quick sear on the outside while making the rest of the beef stay pink, and tender throughout.
Don’t ever crowd the pan with the beef. With the beef or chicken, you want the same thing. You need to allow the steam to escape from the pan in between the pieces of meat. So if the pieces of meat are so close that they are touching, they aren’t going to brown as well and you may end up with grayish tough cuts of meat.
These easy Panda Express recipes are not too difficult to try at home and you can make them as healthy as you want, with a minimal amount of vegetable oil added to your wok or skillet. So if there's no Panda Express near you, at least you can rely on these simple, fresh, less expensive Panda Express copycats! The best part? You don’t have to leave your house to enjoy them.
Click the “Launch Gallery” button to see all of these delicious (and easy!) copycat Panda Express recipes and don’t forget to check out my other popular posts:
Related: Copycat McDonald's Chicken Snack Wraps Are the Easiest Lunch Idea
Tornadough Alli
Deliciously tasty and a make at home takeout recipe this Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken is a flavorful and easy dish that takes no time at all to whip up!
Get the Recipe: Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken
Favorite Family Recipes
Make a healthier version of Panda Express Chow Mein at home for a fraction of the price!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Chow Mein Copycat
This is a low-carb/keto-friendly recipe.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken Recipe
Try to use leftover white rice for the best results.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Fried Rice
Dinner then Dessert
One of the healthy picks on the menu, this recipe is easy to make, done in 15 minutes, and tastes amazing!
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Chicken
Dinner then Dessert
A healthier alternative to the super popular Sweetfire Chicken.
Get the Recipe: Firecracker Chicken Breast
Dinner then Dessert
Just a few ingredients and ten minutes until you’re enjoying this delicious Chow Mein.
Get the Recipe: Chow Mein
Dinner then Dessert
The authentic recipe shared by a Panda Express chef in Hawaii, there is nothing more fun than working with the exact recipe!
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken
Kitchen Divas
This Honey Walnut Shrimp Panda Express copycat features a sweet and creamy sauce and crunchy walnuts over crispy fried shrimp.
Get the Recipe: Honey Walnut Shrimp Panda Express
Dinner Then Dessert
Honey Sesame Chicken Breast is a healthier twist on Orange Chicken with white meat, green beans, and bell peppers.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken Breast (Copycat)
Dinner Then Dessert
Panda Express Beijing Beef with bell peppers and sliced onions tossed in the wok with a tangy sweet and spicy sauce just like the one you line up for!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Beijing Beef (Copycat)
An easy homemade version that tastes so much better (and healthier) than take-out!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Sweet Fire Chicken Copycat
Little Sunny Kitchen
Wontons are filled with flavorful cream cheese then fried.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Rangoons (Panda Express Copycat)
Little Sunny Kitchen
Make a batch to serve with your favorite Chinese takeout foods, it tastes much better than the store-bought jarred stuff!
Get the Recipe: Sweet And Sour Sauce
Sweet and Savory Meals
Panda Express Beef and Broccoli is a spot-on copycat of the chain’s most popular dish!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Beef and Broccoli
Dinner then Dessert
The authentic recipe shared by a Panda Express chef in Hawaii, there is nothing more fun than working with the exact recipe!
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken
A Spicy Perspective
A light and zesty blend of broccoli, kale, and cabbage kissed with sauce, just like Panda Express makes but better with a gluten-free and keto version.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Super Greens (Copycat Recipe)
Sweet C Designs
Tastes just like it is from Panda Express, but a million times better with tons of garlic and black pepper chicken flavor for dinner the whole family will love.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken Copycat Recipe
4 Son R Us
Make this classic takeout recipe any night of the week to curb your cravings for Chinese food.
Get the Recipe: Copy Cat Panda Express Chicken & Green Beans
Dinner Then Dessert
Healthy, easy and makes a great sauce for salmon and beef too!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Mandarin Teriyaki Chicken (Copycat)
Dinner Then Dessert
Look if we NEED something totally healthy, I guess this is the best way to do it!
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Mixed Veggies (Copycat)
Dinner Then Dessert
Panda Express Shanghai Angus Steak is a quick stir fry dish with thinly sliced steak, mushrooms, onions, and green beans in a savory sesame sweet soy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Shanghai Angus Steak (Copycat)
Up next: Donut Miss This: 16 Great National Donut Day Deals and Freebies
