Panda Express is bringing back this fan-favorite spicy dish
National Orange Chicken Day is on July 15 and Panda Express is celebrating by bringing back a fan-favorite menu item.
The fast casual restaurant chain said its Hot Orange Chicken is returning to all restaurants nationwide beginning July 11 for a limited time, while supplies last.
The chain says the Hot Orange Chicken, invented in 1987 by Chef Andy Kao at a Hawaii Panda Express location, is the chain's best-selling limited-time menu offer in its history. The company says more than a third of all Panda Express customers include Orange Chicken in their meal.
"Orange Chicken is the dish that put us on the map, and National Orange Chicken Day is proof it took on a life of its own," said Evelyn Wah, vice president of brand innovation at Panda Express, in a news release. "Celebrating it with Hot Orange Chicken felt right because our guests have never let us forget how much this dish means to them, and this is us showing up for that."
Customers are excited over the return of Hot Orange Chicken
The chain says the Hot Orange Chicken features the same signature orange sauce as the Original Orange Chicken but with added heat from six times more crushed chilies and half a cup of dried chilies – the same ingredient used in the chain's Kung Pao Chicken.
There will be no additional upcharge for Orange Chicken, according to Panda Express – it is priced the same as other entrees on the menu.
Panda Express took to TikTok to make the announcement and customers who clearly love the Hot Orange Chicken flooded their comments. One user said, "Omg I was waiting for centuries" while another said, "On my soul I'mma bout to act a fool!". Another user chimed in with, "BEST NEWS".
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Panda Express is bringing back this fan-favorite spicy dish
Reporting by Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 9:28 AM.