Why Panda Express Doesn't Use White Meat For Its Iconic Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken is one of the best things to ever come out of Panda Express, coming in second only to Honey Walnut Shrimp in our rankings of Panda Express menu items. It's savory yet sweet, succulent yet crunchy, and satisfying in every way a quick Chinese takeout fix should be. There's a reason it's been popular ever since its creation in the 1980s, when executive chef Andy Kao first added it to the menu. The secret to its success? Using dark meat instead of white.

In a 2018 interview with Restaurant Dive, Panda Express culinary director Jimmy Wang explained why the restaurant chain sticks to using chicken thighs for its signature dish. "In authentic Chinese cuisine, dark meat chicken is often preferred over white meat for its depth in natural flavor, texture, juiciness and ability to take on flavor of the marinades. All of these factors play an important part in creating our original orange chicken and why it continues to be our best-selling dish and fan-favorite," he said.

It isn't always dark meat, however — some locations offer a vegan version of Orange Chicken made with Beyond® meat substitutes. Either way, the dish is something that's kept Panda Express in business for decades, and you can be sure that the chain will find ways for more people to enjoy it. In fact, if you ask nicely enough, you can get fresh Orange Chicken every time you pop by Panda Express.

Exactly why dark meat tastes better is a matter of complex biology. Chickens store energy near their legs and neck in the form of fat tissue — which makes sense considering these are where their most active muscles are — and fat, as we know, means flavor. At the same time, dark meat gets its pigmentation from a higher level of the protein myoglobin compared to white; it's the red liquid that usually gets confused for blood when you cut into freshly cooked meat. Myoglobin helps oxygenate the muscles it reaches, which in turn contributes to a higher level of enzymes that break down fat and produce more flavor compounds.

As that fat melts, it coats the meat fibers and keeps everything moist. This is why swapping out white meat for dark makes for better chicken nuggets; not only does the meat itself taste more robust, but it's also juicier. The higher fat content also means it's got more natural binders, making dark meat the best chicken cut for meatballs and burger patties.

In the case of dishes like Panda Express' Orange Chicken, a lot of the moisture created by the fat melting is sealed in by the combination of high heat and the crisped-up batter. This results in fewer of the chicken's natural flavor compounds leaking out during the cooking process, giving you an altogether more satisfying mouthful of meat.