Low-FODMAP 'Copycat' Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe; Gluten-free, Dairy-free | Dr. Rachel Pauls (2024)

72 Responses

  1. Not a copycat

    Meh. This recipe was very salty and orange-y, but not very sweet for me. I even tried to sweeten it extra but I couldn’t get it to the point where it tasted like my beloved Panda Express. It did taste much like other at-home orange sauces I’ve had, but not brand name.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for letting us know Casey! You may find that lowering the soy sauce and increasing the brown sugar would make it sweeter and less salty. We thought it was exactly like Panda, but appreciate the feedback. Hope its better next time 🙂

      Reply

  2. Amazing!

    So I can’t really speak to how much of a “copycat” it is because I can’t remember the last time I ate at Panda Express. BUT I absolutely love orange chicken and this recipe was absolutely amazing! It did take me longer than expected to make. Probably because I shallow fried instead of deep fried, and I made kind of a ridiculous amount of chicken. But I would do again any day!

    Reply

    1. Melissa, That is so good to hear! Glad you loved the recipe and thank you for the feedback 🙂

      Reply

  3. What brand of light corn syrup do you recommend? Is there a substitute for light corn syrup?

    Reply

    1. Great question! We use Karo brand which contains: Corn Syrup, Salt, Vanilla Extract (vanilla Beans, Water, Ethyl Alcohol). However, other brands are likely fine too. Please note that while high fructose corn syrup is high in FODMAPs, regular corn syrup is OK to consume. If you prefer to avoid this ingredient then maple syrup may be a close alternative. Good luck!

      Reply

  4. This may not be an exact Panda Express copycat, but this is a fantastic recipe, which we have made a good few times now. And who knew it was so easy to make! Love it!

    Reply

    1. Ben,
      Thank you for your comments! We are so pleased you are enjoying the Orange Chicken. Have a great day 🙂

      Reply

  5. Very good

    Made this for my son since he’s on low FODMAP diet I added a little more corn syrup to sweeten it a bit more but delicious! Thank you for this recipe will definitely use again!

    Reply

    1. Jennifer,
      Thank you for your comments! This is wonderful. We think your son may also enjoy our low-FODMAP Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe. It is deliciously sweet and Dr. Rachel’s son’s favorite dinner. Have a great day 🙂

      Reply

  6. Yum!

    This turned out so good! I love the fresh orange zest and juice. Maybe I’ll actually be able to get through the low FODMAP diet after all haha!

    Reply

    1. Harley,
      Thank you so much for commenting! We are thrilled you enjoyed the recipe. The low-FODMAP diet CAN be delicious!

      Reply

  7. Made this tonight and enjoyed the outcome. I will be making this again but I think with less soy sauce, less red pepper and extra orange zest. Who would know this low FODMAP recipe was so good!

    Reply

    1. Awesome Jocelyn!
      Glad you enjoyed the recipe and we always think low-FODMAP food tastes amazing. Check out all our best low-FODMAP chicken recipes here!

      Reply

  8. The recipe calls for about 6lb of chicken for 6 servings. This is a typo right? The 6 pieces of chicken should be around 1.5lb totally with .25lb of chicken per serving?

    Reply

    1. Goodness!
      We have not seen that error, but you are absolutely correct. It should be approximately 1.5 pounds.
      We will update the recipe. Thank you so much ?

      Reply

  9. This was delicious! I made it for my family and they loved it. It was a bit too spicy for me, so next time I make this, I’m not gonna add so much red pepper.

    Reply

    1. Wonderful! Glad to hear your family enjoyed it, and you will be able to enjoy it more the next time too. Much appreciated 🙂

      Reply

    1. Lynn, what great feedback!
      We are ecstatic to hear that.
      Please stay in touch 🙂

      Reply

  10. I tried this recipe last week and it tasted so good that I was afriad that it would trigger an IBS attack haha (or course it didn’t)! I’m going to make this again following the frying instructions in oil because I’m interested in the difference, but I put the chicken in my airfryer on 400 for about 20 minutes and it was delicious!

    Reply

    1. Abyssinia,
      We are so jealous that we don’t have an air fryer! We bet you will love it the traditional method as well. Thank you so much for the feedback?

      Reply

  11. The sauce ingredients lists 1/4 cup water twice. Is it supposed to be 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup

    Reply

    1. Hi Michael,
      Thanks for noticing this! It should only be listed once. We will fix that 🙂 Have a great day!!

      Reply

  12. Sooooo good

    This was sooooo tasty. Thank youuuuu

    Reply

    1. Shalanna,
      What wonderful feedback! We are super happy to hear from you, let us know how our other recipes work out in the future??

      Reply

  13. Hits the spot!

    I’ve missed ordering out and foods that just hit the spot. This recipe did that for me. Tangy, sweet, spicy – this recipe checks all those boxes. All the oranges during my shopping trip were in bad shape so I ended up using 1/2 a cup of pure OJ and let it simmer down a bit, worked great! Can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch!

    Tip: I used the “Saute” setting on the Instant Pot to fry the chicken. The Instant Pot maintains the temperature so I don’t need to constantly check and adjust the stove or even babysit the batch that is currently frying.

    Reply

    1. SUPER Kelly!
      Thanks so much for sharing and your AWESOME tips!! We love feedback like this 🙂
      You may be interested in hearing about a cookbook we are launching this October, 2020. The Low-FODMAP IBS Solution Plan and Cookbook contains more than 100 low-FODMAP Recipes that can be easily prepared in 30 minutes or less! Check out our Products page for ways to order and get a BONUS FREE PDF with your purchase!

      Reply

  14. SOOO tasty!!

    I made this today and I am OBSESSED! I did 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of maple syrup (substitute for corn syrup), and only a tablespoon of sugar (substitute for brown sugar). I’m not a big sweets fan (more of a dark-chocolate-semi-sweet, kinda gal) and these adjustments made it perfect for me!! This has seriously opened my eyes to delicious, low-fodmap recipes. Thank you so much, Rachel!

    Reply

    1. THAT IS AWESOME! What a wonderful comment to read, it warms our hearts!!
      We hope you find other great low-FODMAP inspiration on our blog, since delicious is the best part of eating, isn’t it?
      We also wanted to share that we have a cookbook coming out October 6,2020!
      The Low-FODMAP IBS Solution Plan and Cookbook contains more than 100 low-FODMAP Recipes that can be easily prepared in 30 minutes or less! Check out our Products page for ways to order and get a BONUS FREE PDF with your purchase.
      Please stay in touch and have a beautiful day ?

      Reply

  15. My whole family loved it

    I am following Low FODMAP diet. The rest of my family is not. I was afraid that I would have a really hard time getting them to try my food. I will be making this again.

    Reply

    1. Shelly,
      THANK you for sharing. We have the same situation at our house (only one with IBS) and everything is gobbled up by our 3 kiddos too!! We agree that low-FODMAP can still taste AWESOME. So glad you enjoyed the chicken and please stay in touch.

      Reply

  16. I didn’t use corn syrup, I did add a little maple syrup and it was so good! I will be making again!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jen,
      Thats wonderful! We love hearing about great substitutions for other readers. Have a beautiful day and please stay in touch with us!!
      🙂

      Reply

  17. So good!

    I’m not on the Low FODMAP diet but I made this recipe for my wife who is and we both loved this so much! Hands down, one of the best low FODMAP recipes we’ve ever tried — and it honestly feels like we’ve tried every one out there!

    Reply

    1. Andrew!
      AMAZING to hear this feedback. You made our day!!
      Enjoy this with your family and please stay in touch with us 🙂

      Reply

  18. Thank you!

    My daughter (12) was put in a low FODMAP diet and she really wanted Chinese. This hit the spot! Thank you so much!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Christy!
      You may also want to try the low-FODMAP Sweet and Sour Chicken. Our kids love it. Have a great day.

      Reply

  19. Air fryer?

    Looks like a great receipe! I just received an air fryer. Any guesses for how to use it with your receipe?

    Reply

    1. Hi Kristie,
      Fun! We don’t have one, but this recipe may be helpful to you for the chicken pieces. Good luck 🙂

      Reply

  20. Will make it again

    Very tasty and liked by all in the family. Thank you for sharing these delicous recipes, it has been hard living without onion and garlic. I’m learning to cook again without 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thank you Thora!
      We love hearing feedback like this 🙂

      Reply

  21. Delicious Family Meal

    I made this for my family and everyone enjoyed it! I’m the only one with fodmap concerns however I wanted to prove to myself that we can still enjoy family meals together on this diet and the point was made. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

    1. Laura,
      You MADE our day! How awesome to read this. Thank you so much for commenting 🙂

      Reply

  22. Delicious!

    This is delicious, and I don’t get immediate stomach pain after eating it!!

    I’ve made it at least 4 times for separate people, and it’s been a huge success every time! Big fan of this website and all the meals here, it’s been a lifesaver after being put on a low FODMAP diet, thank you! 🙂

    Reply

  23. Easiest Best Recipe Ever

    This was the easiest most delicious recipe I have made in a long time.
    We are new to FODMAP eating because of my son.
    What a wonderfully delicious way to enjoy the food we love !!!
    I will recommend this recipe to everybody I know.

    Reply

    1. Colette! Welcome to our site!
      You may want to check out our low-FODMAP Family Meals Collection for great ideas, and we just posted a low-FODMAP Honey Walnut Shrimp recipe, similar to Panda Express as well!
      Also, don’t forget our amazing cookbook, with over 100 original low-FODMAP recipes that prep in 30 minutes, a low-FODMAP meal plan and many tips and tricks 🙂
      Stay in touch with us, please!!

      Reply

  24. Great taste

    I added a blended cup of pineapple chunks with juice and the flavor was fantastic. I’ll make this again with a lot less chili flakes and ginger since the amounts in the recipe made our noses run.

    Reply

    1. Hi BigMac!
      Thanks for commenting and we love hearing ways to make this recipe your own 🙂
      Stay in touch!!

      Reply

  25. Harder to make than I thought

    I think I accidentally carmelized the sauce… it definitely didn’t look like the picture so I was a little but sad haha but it was definitely my fault! It still tasted alright but probably not the way it was supposed to lol :/ I want to try again but may need to study the recipe before another attempt haha

    Reply

    1. Ah too bad. Better luck next time!

      Reply

  26. Loved this Orange Chicken

    Made this tonight after my son’s hockey practice. It was delicious and had three out of four of us going back for seconds. Used maple syrup for corn syrup and did 1/4 cup soy sauce. Used our instant pot to fry the chicken and contain the canola oil a bit. While frying took longer than anticipated, the chicken was crispy and the sauce was orangy and the best. Served over jasmine rice. Yum…

    Reply

    1. Awesome Laurie!
      Love hearing tips on making the recipe your own 🙂

      Reply

  27. Winner!

    Another stellar recipe! I did reduce the amount of red pepper flakes and used 1/4 cup of soy sauce. The green onion tops really complimented the dish. Cannot wait to make this for the hubby. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Sumner!
      We are so happy to read this kind review and comment! We love hearing feedback like yours!!
      Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day and stay in touch 🙂

      Reply

  28. Delicious

    To my surprise, this was one of the best chicken recipes I’ve made since my husband has been following a low FODMAP diet. It was a perfect balance of sweet and salty for us. We don’t like things too sweet and we love Asian food but I’ve not found many recipes I can make at home that rival restaurant versions. This one does, and I’d serve it to guests!

    Reply

    1. Hi Boymommy!
      Thank you so much for sharing your comments and review. Please stay in touch with us!!

      Reply

  29. The sauce recipe for this is so good you can just skip the chicken and have it with rice!!

    Reply

    1. Awesome! Thank you for posting!!

      Reply

  30. Loved it!

    I really loved it! Panda triggers my stomach issues and I’ve missed it terribly. I’ll probably add more brown sugar next time to sweeten it up, but still enjoyed it as is

    Reply

    1. Great Alicia!
      Thank you!!

      Reply

  31. she loved it

    I’ll make this again..I didn’t have corn syurp so I used maple syurp & used braggs amino’s vs soy sauce and I won’t change that next time as it was delishous!

    Not on the healthy side like you said but much healthier than Panda Express

    Reply

    1. Gary,
      Love hearing from you! Thank you so much for your review 🙂

      Reply

  32. Hi, is it supposed to be 1 cup vinegar? I used 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and it is overwhelming.

    Reply

    1. Hi Kel,
      We apologize, but we saw the blog printing had been corrupted on the site. As you probably noticed, the font was not accurate and what looked like 1, was actually 1/2. We have fixed it, but unfortunately you used a lot more vinegar than the recipe. So sorry about this website blip!!

      Reply

      1. That would explain it. Thanks for answering!

        Reply

  33. Is there a way to leave out the corn syrup or substitute it?

    Reply

    1. Hi Ashley,
      We have not tried to substitute, but maple syrup would be reasonable as it is also low in FODMAPs. Good luck!

      Reply

  34. The orange sauce recipe is the best I’ve ever found, with one caveat… too much ginger. Is it supposed to call for 1 tablespoon of ginger powder?
    I used McCormick Organic Ground Ginger & it was way too strong. Besides that it was awesome & my family was so surprised it didn’t have onions or garlic

    Reply

    1. Hi Janelle,
      So happy to hear from you! We are surprised that this error has gone undetected, but we do use 1 tablespoon of GRATED FRESH ginger in the recipe, NOT powder. This must have been a typo, thank you for mentioning. Fresh ginger is a great flavor boost if you have it at home! Sorry about the taste being too strong. Please stay in touch!

      Reply

  35. The Orange Chicken was a winner at our house tonight! Yumm Yumm!
    I also made the stir fry, I added baby corn. My family loved it all.
    Thank you so much for the low FODMAPS recipies! I will be making this again, and looking for more recipies.

    Reply

    1. Thank you so so much, Donna! We hope you stay in touch with us.

      Reply

Low-FODMAP 'Copycat' Panda Express Orange Chicken Recipe; Gluten-free, Dairy-free | Dr. Rachel Pauls (2024)
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