Panda Express Actually Listened And Brought Back This Fan-Favorite

It was just 2 years ago that Panda Express dropped its limited run of spicy Orange Chicken, a heated twist to the classic that is the staple of the chain. For the past two years, fans have demanded and clamored for the deviously spicy entree item to be brought back. Well, they finally listened.

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That’s right spice fans. Panda is bringing their hot Orange Chicken back to menus, just in time for Nation Orange Chicken Day. Orange Chicken is Panda’s best seller. The entree dish accounts for over a third of all their entree sales. Is anyone doing it like the Queen Orange Chicken? Well, her hot cousin might be. 

Spicy Orange Chicken Returns (For Now)

When spicy Orange Chicken came out in 2024, the item sold out nationwide. When they brought it back last year, it sold out again. The people spoke and they wanted it hot. For a limited time, the hot version is back on the menu (and is sure to sell just as quickly as it did the other times). 

Now, with Orange Chicken being their most popular menu item and the hot version being as popular, it makes you wonder when this dish will make the jump from limited menu to main menu. Knowing fast food, the hot Orange Chicken is going to go the way of the McRib and be a regular on the limited menu. So while you can rely on it coming back, you’re probably going to have to wait for its limited release every time. 

The Spicy Recipe Isn’t That Different

So just what makes the hot Orange Chicken different from the regular Orange Chicken? Not much. But the little that is changed makes a huge difference. Both use Panda’s signature breaded chicken pieces and their classic orange sauce. But the hot really kicks up the heat. 

The hot version features six times more crushed chili than the original recipe and a half-cup of the same scorched dried chilies from Kung Pao Chicken. If you like a kick of spice to your food, this is just the dish for you. Orange chicken is a vinegar based sauce as well―if you know anything about flavors and cooking, you know vinegar enhances heat. So it’s not just a bunch of heat, but spice that gets even hotter once mixed into the sauce and simmered. 

That said, all of the ingredients for the spicy Orange Chicken are right there with other menu items. Why not make the hot version a permanent part of the menu? Well, probably because we keep begging for its return. Panda Express knows we’ll wait until they can hype up a limited time offer―and they’re not wrong.