Panda Express tests plant-based orange chicken

Panda Express began trials of a plant-based version of The Original Orange Chicken on July 26. The meat alternative is available at select locations in New York City and Southern California for a limited time.

Doughman Headshot3 Headshot
(Panda Express)
(Panda Express)

Panda Express began trials of a plant-based version of The Original Orange Chicken on July 26. The meat alternative is available at select locations in New York City and Southern California for a limited time.

“As the creator of the Original Orange Chicken, Panda has significant brand equity in this staple American Chinese comfort food,” said Chef Jimmy Wong, executive director of culinary innovation for Panda Express. 

“Creating a fresh new take on a classic favorite is a great and accessible way to introduce plant-based proteins to our guests and perhaps even drawing a new audience to Panda.”

The Original Orange Chicken features crisp pieces of fried chicken covered in a sweet and tangy sauce that has just a touch of heat. The plant-based version, developed with Beyond Meat, closely mimics the original in size, shape, texture and flavor and is covered with a vegan sauce the Asian quick service chain says tastes just like the original. 

Beyond Chicken expands

Earlier this month, Beyond Meat announced that Beyond Chicken, a plant-based faux chicken tender, at select restaurants across the country starting on July 8.

“We’re innovating the poultry market with the new Beyond Chicken Tenders – the result of our tireless pursuit for excellence and growth at Beyond Meat,” Dariush Ajami, Chief Innovation Officer, Beyond Meat, said at the time.

Plant-based proteins went mainstream in 2019, however most meat alternatives available on the market are designed to taste like beef or pork. This is because it is much more difficult to mimic the taste and texture of poultry.

Beyond Chicken tenders is now available at nearly 400 restaurants across the U.S. For a full list of foodservice locations, click here. In addition to Panda Express, Beyond Meat also has deals to develop plant-based meat substitutes with Pizza Hut, KFC, Denny’s and Dunkin’, according to TechCrunch.

Like what you just read?  Sign up now for free to receive the Poultry Future Newsletter.

Page 1 of 178
Next Page