Panda Express is reintroducing the Hot Orange Chicken, a spicy twist on their classic Orange Chicken, due to popular demand. Available nationwide starting July 11, 2026, the Hot Orange Chicken features a bold blend of sweet and spicy flavors with an increased amount of chili flakes. The dish has received significant praise from customers, prompting requests for it to become a permanent menu item. This limited-time offering follows its successful releases in the past two summers.

Panda Express Is Bringing Back the ‘Best Thing on the Menu,’ According to Fans

It’s getting hot in here.

Kennedy Dierks

Kennedy Dierks is a devout foodie and news writer at Allrecipes with over five years of experience in food media. A former Associate Editor at Spoon University, she’s written hundreds of articles on food news, trends, recipes, and grocery must-haves.

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Published on July 9, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Panda Express is bringing back a fan-favorite dish that customers have been asking the chain to make permanent after its limited run the past two summers.
The sweet and spicy addition will be available on menus nationwide beginning July 11.

When it comes to Panda Express, no meal from the fast casual chain is complete without an order of cream cheese rangoon, a bowl of orange chicken, and chow mein. While there are the tried-and-true staples we turn to time and time again, Panda Express occasionally introduces a new item that creates a stir.

Earlier this summer, it began testing the all-new Sichuan Chicken & Fries Shake Boxes, a spice bag-inspired meal with crispy chicken bites and fries tossed in chili crisp sauce. And now, Panda Express has announced that a revamped classic will come back to menus—and it’s one fans have been begging for.

Panda Express Brings Back Hot Orange Chicken

Two people dining with dishes from Panda Express including broccoli sauces drinks and orange chicken

Panda Express

Just like the temperature outside, Panda Express is heating things up this summer and bringing back a fan-favorite menu item that it introduced in 2024: Hot Orange Chicken. This limited-time item is a spicy upgrade to Panda’s legendary Original Orange Chicken. While the original is beloved for its sweet tang and touch of heat, the returning iteration features a bold combination of sweet and fiery flavors for an extra spicy kick.

Striking the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, Panda Express’ Hot Orange Chicken cranks up the heat with two different types of chili peppers. While the Original Orange Chicken recipe uses one scoop of crushed chili flakes, the Hot Orange Chicken recipe calls for a whopping six scoops of crushed chili flakes and a ladle of the dried chili peppers used in Panda’s Kung Pao Chicken.

To say the initial release of Hot Orange Chicken was successful is an understatement. From the overwhelming praise on social media, it’s evident that fans absolutely loved the dish. Many begged the chain to make the “best thing on the menu” a permanent item. “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep this on the menu forever!” wrote one fan.

“Please make it permanent! It’s a 20 out of 10,” another pleaded.

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It seems like Panda took the hint about fans’ love for the dish since it brought the Hot Orange Chicken back for another limited run in 2025. And, starting July 11, Panda Express will be serving up Hot Orange Chicken nationwide for its third summer in a row—but only for a limited time.

If you’re a fan of the Original Orange Chicken or just looking to spice things up, Panda Express’ Hot Orange Chicken is the perfect way to add some sizzle to your summer dining. Just be sure to stop in before it disappears from menus—and don’t forget the egg rolls and fortune cookies while you’re there.

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