Herbie Creative Recipes

Herbie's Panda Express Orange Chicken

Name: Herbie's Panda Express Orange Chicken: Crispy Frozen Chicken Tossed in Bottled Orange Sauce with Cashews
Prep time: 17 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 52 min
Yield: About 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup dry sticky, jasmine, or basmati rice, cooked according to package directions (about 3 cups cooked); 20 to 24 oz frozen crispy breaded chicken pieces, such as nuggets, popcorn chicken, or tempura-style chunks; 3/4 to 1 jar (about 15 1/2 to 20 3/4 oz) Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce; 1/2 cup roasted cashews; 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (from 1 orange); 4 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for serving; 1 bell pepper, any color, sliced into thin strips; 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for cooking the optional pepper; 2 to 4 tablespoons canned coconut milk

Crispy Frozen Chicken Tossed in Bottled Orange Sauce with Cashews

A quick orange chicken toss made with extra-crispy frozen breaded chicken pieces, Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce, roasted cashews, fresh orange zest, and green onions.

Mains Stovetop Asian Chinese Fusion From Herbie About 4 servings Prep 17 min Cook 35 min Total 52 min

Created August 13, 2026

5.0 (1 review)

Finished

Ingredients

Rice and chicken

1 cup dry sticky, jasmine, or basmati rice, cooked according to package directions (about 3 cups cooked)
20 to 24 oz frozen crispy breaded chicken pieces, such as nuggets, popcorn chicken, or tempura-style chunks

Orange sauce toss

3/4 to 1 jar (about 15 1/2 to 20 3/4 oz) Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce
1/2 cup roasted cashews
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
4 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for serving

Optional additions

1 bell pepper, any color, sliced into thin strips
1 teaspoon neutral oil, for cooking the optional pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons canned coconut milk

Instructions

Cook the rice according to the package directions. Keep it warm for serving.
Cook the frozen breaded chicken pieces according to the package directions until deeply golden and crisp. An air fryer gives the crispest result, but the oven works well. Cook in batches if needed so the pieces are not crowded.

Prep
While the chicken cooks, zest the orange, slice the green onions, and slice the optional bell pepper into thin strips.
If using the bell pepper, heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pepper strips for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add 3/4 of the jar of Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce and warm it until gently bubbling. Stir in the optional coconut milk, if using. Add more bottled sauce only if the chicken needs it.
Add the crisp chicken and cashews to the warm sauce. Toss just until evenly coated, 30 to 60 seconds. Fold in the orange zest and half of the green onions, then take the skillet off the heat.

Cooking
Serve immediately over the warm rice. Finish with the remaining green onions and extra cashews, if you like.

Finished Herbie's Panda Express Orange Chicken: Crispy Frozen Chicken Tossed in Bottled Orange Sauce with Cashews — Finished dish

Notes

Use bite-size breaded chicken pieces, not whole frozen chicken breasts. Nuggets, popcorn chicken, and tempura-style chunks all work.
Start with about 3/4 of the Panda Express Orange Chicken Sauce jar. Add more only as needed to coat the chicken so it stays crisp instead of swimming in sauce.
Do not leave the chicken in the sauce over heat. A quick toss keeps the breading from going soggy.
Zest the orange before cutting it. One fresh orange gives more zest than this recipe needs.
The optional coconut milk rounds out the sweetness. Start with 2 tablespoons, then add more to taste.

Reviews

5.0

1 review

5 stars 1
4 stars 0
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1 star 0

Anonymous 2026-08-13

Crispy chicken, glossy orange sauce, and plenty of cashews. Fast enough for a weeknight.