I Tried Orange Chicken from Trader Joe’s, Panda Express, and P.F. Chang’s

Let’s talk about orange chicken now. This is a popular dish with many people. People talk about where to get the best.

The orange chicken we had started somewhere. A lot of people say it came from Andy Kao of Panda Express, who says he pioneered the recipe in 1987. It became a big deal in the food world, and other places quickly copied the idea. They wanted to make their own version.

I really enjoy eating orange chicken on a regular basis. So it was important to me to find the best version. I decided to try three popular places. These included Trader Joe’s, Panda Express, and P.F. Chang’s. I wanted to see which one had the best overall flavor. The criteria for judging were taste, feel, appearance and cost.

My test started with first place. It was P.F. Chang’s Orange Chicken. I paid $14.95 for this dish alone. This price was much higher than others tasted. It felt like more upscale takeout. The best part was the way it looked.

When the dish was served, it looked really good. It wasn’t like regular boxed chicken. They topped it with fresh orange slices and scallions. The chicken pieces were thick and covered in sauce. The rice was also free. It looked like a full restaurant plate.

P.F. Chang’s chicken was juicy. The coating around the chicken was great too. They say it’s a batter that is lightly coated to make the chicken crispier. It was thin and delicate to bite into. The meat inside tasted very tender. Everything was cooked just right.

But I didn’t really like the sauce there. The chicken and the styling were good instead. They have a citrus chili sauce recipe on the menu. I thought it was too sweet and I choked on it. I could barely feel the flavor of the chili peppers when I ate it. The texture of the sauce wasn’t good for me either. It had a jelly-like texture that felt weird. The orange slice garnish looked okay, but they didn’t provide any additional flavor at all.

Well, P.F. Chang’s did do a good job. If you have a sweet tooth, this dish is still delicious. Maybe some people like sweet and sour flavors. But I usually like the mix of orange and spice flavors. This sauce lacked that particular flavor. And at $14.95 it’s way overpriced.

My next stop was the famous Panda Express, which is said to have invented the dish of Orange Chicken. I’ve been eating their version of this dish for years. There’s a reason it’s a classic dish; it’s delicious and inexpensive.

Panda Express’ small order looks simple. It comes in a red box that we are all familiar with. Inside are chicken nuggets drenched in sauce. The chicken is medium sized and crispy.

However, the simple appearance doesn’t fool you. This orange chicken always tastes great, and the special sauce makes it a real standout. It’s thick enough to stick to the chicken pieces. It wraps around every bit of you nicely.

The sauce found a nice balance between sweetness and tartness. There’s a delicious fresh flavor at the end. It makes you want to keep eating more pieces. This feels like an addictive snack. The orange flavor is there, but it’s not overpowering. The cayenne pepper gave the chicken an extra kick that I really liked. The chicken pieces themselves were fried very well. The outer skin was crispy and had a great texture. There was just the right amount of coating on each piece of chicken and it gave the crunch that one craves.

It’s obvious why Panda Express is an expert. They’ve been doing it for a long time to get it right. This is the original and trusted food choice. A small serving costs less than five dollars. That’s enough for one person. It feels like a great value for the money.

Then there was the last course of orange chicken. This is Trader Joe’s name brand. You can get it in the store’s freezer. It’s very popular with everyone who shops there. It even made it into their special Hall of Fame. Last year, I tasted it for the first time in person. I can see why people are so enamored with it. It tastes just as delicious as takeout.

The big difference is that you have to cook it. You can’t eat this dish right away. Some people may not like this extra step. But I think cooking is a good thing, it gives you control over the sauce and the way it is cooked. It gives you more options. To test it out, I baked this batch in the oven and was really surprised by the results. It doesn’t look like I made this out of the fridge, this looks like real restaurant chicken nuggets.

The coating on the chicken was thicker. It was thicker than anywhere I usually eat. This made it crunchy with every bite. Even after baking in the oven, the chicken was still soft on the inside. It didn’t taste greasy or heavy. It reminded me of take-out store chicken.

A lot of people say that the sauce makes the orange chicken tasty.Panda Express has a really good balance of sauces.Trader Joe’s sauce is not the same though. But it’s very close to that famous flavor combination.Trader Joe’s sauce seems thinner. It’s more like a glaze than a thick syrup.

I mix the frozen chicken with the sauce before cooking. This way there is just the right amount of sauce on each piece of chicken. There won’t be sauce everywhere. Joe’s sauce is definitely not as spicy. This is a good thing for those who like mild flavors. And I found the sweetness to be natural.

In fact, it tasted more tart than the others. I really liked the difference. This tartness helped to reduce the sweetness. It became a well-balanced treat. It had a delicious sweetness and tartness. It has enough depth to satisfy.

Let’s talk about their price. Price is really a big factor. Panda Express has a small combo meal for less than five dollars. That’s usually enough for one person. And look at the big bags at Trader Joe’s. A 22 ounce bag is only $4.99 and will last several meals. You can get a lot more food for the same amount of money.

Directly comparing the three places. p.f. Chang’s was my least favorite. This is mostly because the sauce doesn’t taste right and it’s way overpriced there. It didn’t give me the classic flavors I craved. Panda Express is definitely a good choice, their sauces are balanced and reliable and make you feel like they are experts. For fast food, it’s hard to top them.

But for a regular meal, Trader Joe’s wins for great value. Yes, cooking at home takes more effort. But for the cost of one meal, you can get a big bag of multiple sauces.

You get two meals out of one bag, so it’s a great way to get two meals out of one. For me, Trader Joe’s is a clear winner. Spend more money, buy more food. Yes, you may need to wash a pan later. But there’s no denying the deliciousness that comes with every dollar.Trader Joe’s wins in taste, feel and price. It is my new go-to food.

Panda Express keeps it classic with an expertly crafted version. andy kao is usually credited with the dish. He was the executive chef at Panda Express. The story goes that he made it while traveling in Hawaii, back in 1987.

He drew inspiration from the fruits of Hawaii and combined them with the sweet and spicy flavors of China. He made some changes for the people here though, switching to boneless, skinless chicken, as well as he made it less spicy. And then the dish quickly caught fire.

It started small and then exploded. It became a big deal worldwide. Stores and restaurants have come out with their own versions. It’s because of the crispy chicken and the sweet and tangy sauce that people love.

Lots of places are now selling the dish. Not just the three big stores we discussed. There are a lot of places selling this dish now. Many other chains have come up with their own versions. Less common places have it too. More frozen food options are available for families.

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