Who Makes The Better-Value Orange Chicken: PF Chang's Or Panda Express?

Orange chicken has been a Chinese American classic for nearly four decades, and for good reason. The sweet, saucy, citrusy dish is a flagship menu item at big-name chains like P.F. Chang's and Panda Express. However, there are some noteworthy differences in price, portion, and quality between the orange chicken options at these popular Asian restaurant chains. So it may lead customers to wonder who makes the best-value dish. While P.F. Chang's serves the better orange chicken, if you're looking to get the most bang for your buck, Panda Express is the clear winner.

Price and portion are the two most important factors here: Before tax, a Panda Express orange chicken bowl costs around $8.50 to $9.50 and contains about 5.9 ounces of chicken and a side. P.F. Chang's medium-sized orange chicken entree with white or brown rice typically rings up at $18 to $20. P.F. Chang's doesn't share how many ounces of poultry are in its orange chicken entree, though our reviewer indicated that it contains more than the competition. However, from a nutritional standpoint, a Panda Express bowl with white rice contains 28 grams of protein, while the P.F. Chang's entree packs 35 grams. In other words, P.F. Chang's offers just 25% more protein for over double the price of Panda Express. Taste-wise, P.F. Chang's was our reviewer's favorite thanks to its complex spiciness and large, moist chunks of chicken, but the slightly superior flavor wasn't proportional to the dramatic price difference.

Our taste tester found P.F. Chang's orange chicken narrowly better than Panda Express', but they emphasized that it was a close call and could "very well be a matter of preference." To that end, some internet reviewers favor the flavor of Panda Express orange chicken. One Reddit user wrote, "PF Changs is overrated, especially their orange chicken," adding, "I prefer the panda orange chicken, it's more subtle, but there is a definite tang from the citrus." (Panda Express' orange chicken is flavored with real orange peel, which is part of what makes it so delicious.)

Taste is subjective, but the concrete price difference between these two dishes makes Panda Express an easy choice for value-conscious customers. If you want to take things to the next level and get the most orange chicken for your buck at the fast-casual chain, try a Panda Express ordering hack and opt for a bigger plate, which comes with one side and three entrees (all of which can be orange chicken). Multiple customers agree that the bigger plate is the best value option on Panda Express' menu, especially if you beef it up with your own perfectly fluffy rice at home.