![]() ![]() Once comfortably seated in a booth (Mom: “I chose one away from everyone else so we could talk honestly about the food.”), I opened the clamshell containers one by one revealing a steaming-hot, sumptuous Panda Express repast and looked across the table to my mom. Perhaps more shockingly, neither were the Panda Express workers. I told my mom what was happening - that I needed to taste through the menu and wanted her opinions, so she was not fazed when I ordered three “big” plates featuring three entrees each, plus all the sides, plus all the various appetizers, plus the chocolate chunk cookies sitting in front of the cash register. Under the neon light of a Panda Express video on the wall above us extolling the virtues of joining the Panda Express team, we tried 18 different Panda Express menu items. My only critique is that I wish there had been more orange sauce! I was surprised to find that the sauce had only been applied under the top bun of the sandwich, rather than coating the chicken breast - which I think could've really made the titular flavor stand out more.One night in June, I took my mother to a Panda Express in a mall. The orange chicken sauce is that sweet and tangy dance on the tongue that we all know and love, but the addition of the new spicy aioli adds a delicious kick that really makes the sandwich feel special. The chicken breast is juicy on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside thanks to the rice puff batter, while the cabbage and pickles provide some freshness and sharpness to balance out the two sauces. "Texture is very important to our orange chicken sandwich." "After putting together all the components, we did the 'one bite' test to see if all the ingredients, flavors, and textures work together," he said. Chef Wang told me this was Panda Express' goal from the beginning. The orange chicken sandwich is packed with bold flavors that surprisingly never overpower each other. The two sauces on the sandwich were absolutely delicious. But I'm so glad I got to have those two pieces because they were fantastic.īut, if you have a serious nut allergy, please don't try this at home. Within a few hours, my throat began to itch and I had to pop a Benadryl, so I'll likely never chance eating the crispy almond chicken again. And the sauce strikes a perfect balance between sweet and savory. The chicken is perfectly crunchy, with a satisfying texture that rivals the original orange chicken. ![]() The dish features crispy chicken (which has the same rice puff breading as the sandwich) topped with almonds, green onions, and a garlic soy sauce. I'm actually somewhat allergic to almonds - not in a life-threatening, EpiPen-needed way, but sometimes it'll make my throat itch and my tongue taste like metal - but I couldn't resist trying at least one piece of the chicken, which looked absolutely delicious. Both of the main ingredients were nicely sauced and paired great together.īut the standout of this plate was easily the crispy almond chicken. But I thought the eggplant tofu was cooked really well. The vegan fried rice was pretty forgettable and, in my opinion, needed a lot more veggies to amp up the flavor profile. I also tried the new vegan fried rice, eggplant tofu, and crispy almond chicken. Wang said the team also wanted the sandwich to still "feel like a meal you might get at Panda," which is why they made sure to include veggies and a delicious carb, plus go "all in on the sauce." We also tried toasting the bread, but toasted bread tends to get a little tough and doesn't travel as well." ![]() "And the texture of the bread was key, too, because we have a lot of crunchy elements. "We tried steamed bao buns, sesame buns, thick toast, pita-like bread, and others," Wang told me. One of the team's biggest challenges was finding a bread that would travel well, and pair nicely with plenty of different ingredients. "The idea started with us thinking of a handheld option that's easy to eat, and in a way that people are really familiar with." "We know convenience and ease are incredibly important to guests, especially these days," he said. It often indicates a user profile.Ĭhef Jimmy Wang, the chain's director of culinary innovation, told me that the Panda Express team wanted to create a new menu item that customers could enjoy on the go. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. ![]()
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