What is Panda Express Crispy Almond Chicken Breast?
According to Panda Express, the entree “features large, juicy all-white meat chicken breaded with our crunchy, signature puffed-rice breading that is wok-tossed with toasted almonds & freshly chopped green onions in a savory garlic soy sauce.”
How is it?
It tastes like it was inspired by Korean fried chicken, and if for some reason oranges go extinct and Panda Express can no longer offer its signature dish, this could easily replace it for me. Yes, it’s Orange Chicken-level delicious.
If you’ve never had Korean fried chicken, well then, stop reading this and go try some because it’s super good. But, if that’s not possible, go read all the recipes Google spits out and make your own. If that’s not possible, add it to your food bucket list with a note that says, “Bring moist towelettes.”
The thick dark colored garlic soy sauce that fills every nook and cranny in the breading is not as sweet as previous Panda Express sauces, but nevertheless, it delights my savory side. The soy sauce stands out a little bit more than the garlic, and if not for a slight sweetness, the sauce might’ve been a bit too salty.
The coating has a satisfying crunch to it, and for the most part, doesn’t get soggy from the sauce. The white meat chicken was tender, although some pieces I received seemed to be mostly batter.
Oh, some Korean fried chicken recipes are spicy, but these definitely aren’t.
So what about the almonds? They provide some added texture and allow Panda Express to put the word “almond” in its name, but they don’t add any flavor. I think they’re mostly there to prevent this from looking like other crispy Panda Express chicken dishes.
Anything else you need to know?
When I first heard about this product, I thought, “Wow. Panda Express created a crunchy coating using almonds.” But as you read in the description above, it’s a puffed-rice breading.
Also, do you know what would’ve been cool to offer with this, Panda Express? If someone orders the Crispy Almond Chicken Breast, they should be given a Chinese almond cookie instead of the usual fortune cookie. SYNERGY, Panda Express!!! SYNERGY!!! Am I using that correctly, businesspeople?
Conclusion:
Like Amazon shipping box sizes, the number of sauced and boneless crispy chicken dishes that Panda Express has offered over the years is vast. The folks in its test kitchens know how to make them delicious, and this new Crispy Almond Chicken Breast proves that once again.
Purchased Price: $10.90
Size: Large à la carte container
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5.5 oz) 470 calories, 24 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 960 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 23 grams of protein.