Best Panda Express Items Ranked: Top Entrées, Sides and Orders
The best thing to order at Panda Express depends on what you want, but Orange Chicken is the clear crowd favorite: it makes up about one-third of all entrées sold. For protein, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken leads with 33 grams. For the lightest meal, Broccoli Beef over Super Greens comes to about 280 calories. Below are the picks by goal, with the numbers behind each.
What is the best thing to order at Panda Express?
The most-ordered item is The Original Orange Chicken, about one-third of all entrées sold and 148 million pounds in 2025, according to figures Panda shared with QSR Magazine. For a first visit, a Plate with Orange Chicken and Beijing Beef covers the chain’s two best-known dishes for $11.10.
| Best for | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First visit | Orange Chicken | The chain’s top seller, about one-third of entrées |
| Beef | Beijing Beef | One of Panda’s five top sellers, crispy beef in a sweet-tangy sauce |
| Protein | Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 33 g protein in 275 calories |
| Fewest calories | Broccoli Beef | 150 calories, the lightest regular entrée |
| Premium splurge | Honey Walnut Shrimp | One of the five top sellers; $1.50 premium upcharge |
| Spice | Kung Pao Chicken | Sichuan-style chicken with peanuts and chili, 320 calories |
| Side | Half Chow Mein, half Fried Rice | Both fan-favorite sides in one, no extra charge |
What are the most popular Panda Express entrées?
A Panda Express spokesperson named the chain’s five top-selling entrées as Orange Chicken, Beijing Beef, Broccoli Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp and Mushroom Chicken, according to Eat This, Not That. Orange Chicken leads by a wide margin, with a third of all entrée orders. The other four cover beef, shrimp and a lighter chicken.
| Top seller | Calories | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Chicken | 510 | $5.40+ |
| Beijing Beef | 470 | $5.40+ |
| Broccoli Beef | 150 | $5.40+ |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp | 430 | $6.90+ |
| Mushroom Chicken | 220 | $5.40+ |
Prices are à la carte starting prices. See every dish on the Panda Express entrées menu page.
Which Panda Express entrée has the most protein?
On the regular menu, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken has the most protein at 33 grams in 275 calories. Black Pepper Sirloin Steak is next with 19 grams in only 180 calories. The limited-time Cantonese BBQ Brisket beats both with 44 grams, but it will leave the menu once supplies run out.
| Entrée | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 275 | 33 g | 12.0 g |
| Black Pepper Sirloin Steak | 180 | 19 g | 10.6 g |
| Broccoli Beef | 150 | 9 g | 6.0 g |
| Mushroom Chicken | 220 | 13 g | 5.9 g |
| String Bean Chicken Breast | 210 | 12 g | 5.7 g |
| Kung Pao Chicken | 320 | 17 g | 5.3 g |
| Honey Sesame Chicken Breast | 340 | 16 g | 4.7 g |
| Black Pepper Chicken | 280 | 13 g | 4.6 g |
| Sweet & Sour Chicken | 400 | 17 g | 4.2 g |
| Orange Chicken | 510 | 18 g | 3.5 g |
| SweetFire Chicken Breast | 380 | 13 g | 3.4 g |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp | 430 | 13 g | 3.0 g |
| Beijing Beef | 470 | 14 g | 3.0 g |
Real-world case 1 · Protein for your calories
How much more protein per calorie is Teriyaki than Beijing Beef?
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken gives 12.0 grams of protein per 100 calories (33 ÷ 275). Beijing Beef gives 3.0 grams (14 ÷ 470).
Result: for the same calories, Teriyaki delivers four times the protein of Beijing Beef.
Which Panda Express entrées are best if you like spicy food?
Kung Pao Chicken is one of the spiciest dishes on the everyday menu, with dried chili, peanuts and vegetables in a Sichuan-style sauce. SweetFire Chicken Breast adds a sweet chili heat, and Black Pepper Sirloin Steak brings pepper heat. Panda’s hottest dishes are usually limited-time items that come and go.
Recent examples include Hot Orange Chicken, which returned in summer 2026, and Dynamite Sweet & Sour Chicken made with Buldak, which ran from March 9 to May 25, 2026 and was billed as Panda’s spiciest dish yet.
What is the best value order at Panda Express?
The Bigger Plate is the best value for one hungry person: three entrées and a side for $12.90, only $1.80 more than a Plate. For a group, the 5-Person Family Meal at $43 works out to about $8.60 a person, cheaper than five separate Bowls.
Real-world case 2 · Price per entrée
How much does each entrée cost in a Bowl, Plate or Bigger Plate?
A Bowl at $9.30 buys one entrée serving. A Plate at $11.10 buys two, or $5.55 per entrée, and a Bigger Plate at $12.90 buys three, or $4.30 per entrée, with the side included each time.
Result: the third entrée in a Bigger Plate costs just $1.80, the cheapest entrée serving on the menu.
Is Panda Express good?
By the numbers, plenty of people think so. Panda Express runs about 2,600 restaurants, describes itself as the largest Asian dining concept in the United States, and was named Nation’s Restaurant News Brand Icon of the Year for 2026. Taste is personal, but its top sellers have stayed on the menu for decades.
Orange Chicken, the best seller, dates back to 1987, and Honey Walnut Shrimp and Beijing Beef are long-running favorites too. Like any chain, the experience can vary from one store to the next.
