The restaurant that invented orange chicken, wok-fired kung pao, and honey walnut shrimp worth the premium. The consensus on America's Chinese kitchen.
The full ranking
The restaurant that invented orange chicken, wok-fired kung pao, and honey walnut shrimp worth the premium. The consensus on America's Chinese kitchen.
The Original Orange Chicken
Invented at Panda Express by chef Andy Kao in 1987, the crispy battered chicken in tangy-sweet orange sauce is the most copied dish in American Chinese fast food. Every major ranking puts it at or near number one.
Kung Pao Chicken
The one Panda dish where the heat is real: wok-fired chicken with zucchini, red peppers, whole chilies, and crunchy peanuts. The Takeout named it the best entree on the menu.
Beijing Beef
Battered beef with onions and bell peppers in a sweet-and-spicy red sauce, a break from the menu's soy-and-oyster baseline. Critics call it the most underrated order at Panda.
Chow Mein
Stir-fried noodles with cabbage, celery, and onion that reviewers say beat most sit-down versions: short, slurpable, never gummy. The side that anchors practically every plate.
Broccoli Beef
Tender sliced beef and crisp broccoli in ginger soy sauce, one of the lightest entrees on the menu at 150 calories a serving. A reliable Wok Smart pick that critics consistently rank mid-pack or better.
Honey Sesame Chicken Breast
Crispy chicken breast strips with string beans and yellow peppers in a sweet honey glaze. The Takeout calls it the dark horse of the menu, closer to General Tso's than anything else Panda makes.
Honey Walnut Shrimp
Tempura-battered shrimp in a creamy honey sauce with candied walnuts, the premium entree that Chowhound ranked number one over even the orange chicken.
Black Pepper Sirloin Steak
The other premium entree: thick-cut sirloin wok-seared with cracked black pepper sauce, broccolini, and red peppers. Nineteen grams of protein in a 180-calorie Wok Smart serving.
Mushroom Chicken
Diced chicken wok-tossed with mushrooms and zucchini in a light ginger soy sauce. A quiet favorite that The Takeout ranked above half the menu for its simple, savory balance.
String Bean Chicken Breast
Chicken breast with crisp string beans and sweet onions in ginger soy sauce, the menu's most dependable lighter order. The Takeout praises its umami depth and tender, unbreaded chicken.
Ranked across 3 sources: Tasting Table · Menu Items Ranked 2025; Chowhound · Menu Items Ranked 2026; The Takeout · Entrees Ranked 2025. Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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