What to Order at Panda Express: Every Item, Judged

The Original Orange Chicken

Order it

$4.20 avg · 560 cal

19g protein · 63g carbs · 25g fat · 4.5g protein per $

The dish that keeps the lights on, and it earns the spot. Crackly dark-meat chunks in a sweet-tangy glaze that stays crisp longer than any other fried entree on the line. At 560 calories for the small scoop it isn't health food, but it's the one thing you'd actually miss if it disappeared.

Honey Sesame Chicken Breast

Order it

$4.20 avg · 420 cal

16g protein · 44g carbs · 20g fat · 3.8g protein per $

The white-meat sleeper. 420 calories against orange chicken's 560, with a lighter, less candied glaze and real chicken breast instead of thigh nuggets. Try it once and it takes over the second-scoop slot for good.

Mushroom Chicken

Order it

$4.20 avg · 180 cal

13g protein · 12g carbs · 9g fat · 3.1g protein per $

Your best move when you don't want to feel the meal three hours later. Sliced chicken, zucchini, and mushrooms in a light soy-garlic sauce at 180 calories, about a third of the orange chicken. It can come out under-seasoned on a slow afternoon, so ask for a fresh batch.

Kung Pao Chicken

Order it

$4.20 avg · 270 cal

20g protein · 16g carbs · 14g fat · 4.8g protein per $

Peanuts, bell pepper and dried chilies give the diced chicken some crunch and a low burn most of the menu lacks. 270 calories, though the peanuts make it eat heavier than the number reads.

Super Greens (side)

Order it

$3.20 avg · 180 cal

8g protein · 17g carbs · 9g fat · 2.5g protein per $

Same price as chow mein, roughly 340 fewer calories. Broccoli, cabbage and kale, wokked fast enough to keep some bite.

Chow Mein (side)

Decent

$3.20 avg · 520 cal

14g protein · 89g carbs · 12g fat · 4.4g protein per $

Delicious and a genuine trap. The stir-fried noodles are the best-tasting side here, but a scoop is 520 calories, within spitting distance of the orange chicken sitting next to it. Split it with super greens if you can't talk yourself out of it entirely.

Broccoli Beef

Decent

$4.20 avg · 190 cal

17g protein · 14g carbs · 7g fat · 4.0g protein per $

At 190 calories it's one of the leanest entrees, which is both the selling point and the catch. Mostly broccoli, a few thin slices of beef, a glossy soy sauce. A fine diet pick. Underwhelming if you actually came for beef.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Decent

$4.20 avg · 280 cal

38g protein · 13g carbs · 9g fat · 9.0g protein per $

Griddled thigh brushed with teriyaki, 280 calories, and better than it has any right to be straight off the grill. Timing is everything with it. Left under the heat lamp it turns rubbery fast, so it's great at noon and sad by three.

Cream Cheese Rangoon

Decent

$1.95 avg · 190 cal

5g protein · 24g carbs · 8g fat · 2.6g protein per $

Crunchy wrappers, sweet cream-cheese filling, a fan favorite for good reason. But the small order is three pieces and they deflate into chewy leather within ten minutes of the fryer. Eat them first, while they still crackle.

Honey Walnut Shrimp

Skip it

$5.45 avg · 340 cal

13g protein · 28g carbs · 20g fat · 2.4g protein per $

The premium upcharge buys you dessert pretending to be dinner. Battered shrimp in a mayo-based glaze with candied walnuts, and enough sugar that it stops being savory somewhere in the middle of the container. The shrimp are small, too. An upcharge to eat the sweetest thing Panda makes.

Beijing Beef

Skip it

$4.20 avg · 480 cal

14g protein · 46g carbs · 27g fat · 3.3g protein per $

Panda's most divisive entree, and not in a flattering way. The battered beef shows up either soggy or overcooked, buried in a ketchup-sweet sauce that reads closer to candy. 480 calories that belong on a dessert menu. Broccoli beef does beef better for well under half of them.

Black Pepper Angus Steak

Skip it

$5.45 avg · 180 cal

$5.45 buys a smaller scoop of steak that's frequently chewy. Pass.