The Absolute Best Dish At Panda Express Is Also The Most Popular

Dining at Panda Express is anything but dull. With dozens of delicious menu items and just as many ways to customize your meal, there's a reason why the fast food chain is so beloved. For the indoctrinated (or the indecisive), choosing the best dishes can sometimes prove challenging, which is precisely why we decided to rank 15 of the most popular Panda Express items. One dish reigns supreme at Panda Express — their tried-and-true orange chicken.

Touted as Panda Express' signature dish, orange chicken accounts for more than one-third of the fast food chain's total sales. At its core, the dish consists of battered and double-fried pieces of chicken thighs that are "wok-tossed" in velvety and viscous sauce laden with citrus and chilis. As for what gives orange chicken an edge, most of its appeal lies within its gustatory depth. It's sweet and spicy with a tangy twist and fragrant hints of nutty sesame oil and savory garlic cloves. While it teems with flavor, each bite is perfectly balanced. 

The Hunan-inspired recipe for orange chicken boasts a fair amount of textural variety, as well. Each satiating bite of meat is juicy and tender on the inside, yet audibly crispy and crunchy on the outside — it's also slightly sticky and caramelized from being tossed in its vibrant sauce. All in all, Panda Express' orange chicken outshines the other entree options.

Orange chicken can easily be enjoyed on its own by the forkful. However, it tastes even better when paired with the right side dish. A simple serving of steamed rice or garlicky super greens can best accentuate the richly nuanced chicken. Flavorful fried rice or chow mein can make wonderful companions, too. If you're feeling particularly hungry, you could even ditch the bowl for a plate (or bigger plate) complete with multiple entrees and pair the chicken with our other top favorites like SweetFire chicken or Beijing beef.

Although the orange chicken will please palates, there are a few ways to guarantee an even better dining experience. For example, we recommend ordering at Panda Express locations as soon as they open for the freshest orange chicken. Alternatively, some swear by ordering a party tray and then meal prepping for the week. In fact, ordering a tray allows you to request more chilis for an especially fiery batch of chicken. Of course, that's not to say that you can't spice up individual portions with a packet of chili sauce. 

As a final word of advice, always fill out the survey at the bottom of your meal receipt and be sure take advantage of Panda Rewards. At the end of the day, these are the easiest ways to reap freebies and discounts that can be put towards dining on more of Panda Express' famous orange chicken!