Orange chicken has become a staple in American freezers, offering a quick fix for those Chinese takeout cravings.
With so many brands competing for your attention in the frozen food aisle, finding the tastiest option can feel overwhelming.
I’ve sampled countless varieties to bring you this definitive ranking of frozen orange chicken brands that’ll save you from dinner disappointment.
15. Tai Pei Orange Chicken
Yikes! Tai Pei’s offering might make you question your life choices. The sauce resembles liquid candy rather than anything citrusy, drowning pathetically small chicken pieces that somehow manage to be both soggy and tough.
Where’s the chicken hiding? You’ll need a magnifying glass to find the tiny morsels buried under the neon-orange syrup. Sadly, even the microwave instructions seem optimistic about what this product could become.
14. La Choy Orange Chicken
How La Choy managed to create chicken that tastes like it’s been sitting in a high school cafeteria for three days remains a culinary mystery. The sauce? Imagine orange-scented water with a hint of corn syrup. Though the packaging promises “authentic Asian flavor,” your taste buds will strongly disagree. If cardboard could be flavored with artificial orange, this would be the unfortunate result.
Consider this a last-resort option when the pantry is bare.
13. InnovAsian Orange Chicken
What if I told you InnovAsian’s orange chicken had potential, but ultimately falls flat? The sauce initially hits with promising citrus notes before dissolving into an overwhelming sweetness that makes your teeth ache. Rubbery chicken chunks resist both fork and teeth with surprising determination.
Despite the “innovative” brand name, there’s nothing groundbreaking about this mediocre offering that leaves you wishing you’d ordered takeout instead.
12. Foster Farms Orange Chicken
Foster Farms clearly didn’t get the memo about balance being key. Their orange chicken sauce contains enough sugar to fuel a kindergarten class for hours, yet somehow still lacks authentic citrus flavor. Inconsistency plagues each bag – some pieces emerge gloriously crispy while others remain disappointingly chewy. The chicken quality itself isn’t terrible, but the execution makes this a forgettable contender in the frozen orange chicken arena.
11. Hart Orange Chicken
Hart puts the “meh” in mediocre with their utterly forgettable orange chicken.
Neither offensive nor impressive, it exists in that culinary limbo where you’ll eat it if it’s there but never specifically crave it. The chicken pieces lack distinctive texture – not quite crispy, not quite tender. Meanwhile, the sauce delivers a one-note sweetness without the complex tangy-spicy balance that makes great orange chicken shine. Convenient? Yes. Memorable? Absolutely not.
10. Kevin’s Orange Chicken
Whoa there, Kevin! Someone went overboard with the citrus zest.
This brand’s bold approach divides opinions faster than politics at Thanksgiving dinner. The chicken itself deserves praise – tender, antibiotic-free pieces that actually resemble real meat. However, the sauce packs such an aggressive citrus punch that your mouth might pucker in surprise. For those who prefer their orange chicken to taste predominantly of orange, this could be your holy grail.
9. Real Good Orange Chicken Bowl
Health-conscious chicken lovers, rejoice! Real Good prioritizes protein and minimizes carbs, creating a surprisingly satisfying option for the fitness-minded frozen food shopper. Unfortunately, the chicken’s texture resembles something you’d chew as exercise for your jaw muscles. The sauce earns points for not being cloyingly sweet, offering subtle orange notes instead. If macros matter more than mouthfeel, this brand deserves consideration in your freezer rotation.
8. Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Plant-Based Chicken
Plant-based pioneers will appreciate Gardein’s valiant attempt at veganizing this takeout classic!
Their meatless morsels deliver surprisingly satisfying crispiness when baked, though the texture inside reveals their non-chicken origins. The sauce deserves applause – bright, balanced, and not overpowering the main attraction. Vegans missing their pre-plant-based Chinese food favorites should definitely give this a try! Even omnivores might be pleasantly surprised by how close this comes to scratching that orange chicken itch.
7. Crazy Cuizine Mandarin Orange Chicken
Ever wondered why this brand named itself “Crazy”? Perhaps it’s their audacious claim of restaurant-quality frozen food. While not entirely crazy, they do deliver decent flavor in a convenient package. The chicken pieces achieve respectable crispiness when baked, though they shrink considerably during cooking. Their sauce walks the middle path – neither offensively sweet nor memorably complex. For those emergency dinner nights when cooking feels impossible, Crazy Cuizine provides a satisfactory solution without rocking your culinary world.
6. P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Orange Chicken
P.F. Chang’s brings restaurant flair to your microwave with their surprisingly sophisticated frozen offering! The sauce actually tastes like it was crafted by someone with taste buds – featuring notes of ginger, garlic and authentic orange zest.
Chicken pieces maintain dignity despite their freezer hibernation, though they never quite achieve the textural glory of fresh restaurant versions. If you’re craving P.F. Chang’s but can’t bear the thought of changing out of pajamas, this admirable home version will satisfy without requiring pants or reservations.
5. Tyson Any’tizers Orange Chicken
Tyson knows chicken, and it shows! Their Any’tizers line delivers consistently satisfying orange chicken that never disappoints, even if it rarely amazes.
The nugget-style format creates maximum crispiness-to-meat ratio, perfect for sauce adherence. Speaking of sauce – it strikes that crowd-pleasing middle ground between authentic Chinese restaurant flavor and American palate preferences. For reliable frozen orange chicken that even picky eaters approve, Tyson deserves its spot in your freezer’s starting lineup.
4. Kirkland Signature Orange Chicken (Costco)
Costco’s Kirkland brand proves bulk doesn’t mean basic! Their massive orange chicken package delivers both quantity and quality, making it the budget-conscious shopper’s secret weapon. The generously-sized chicken pieces maintain impressive crispiness when baked.
Sauce packets allow customization – use half for lighter coating or the full packet for sauce enthusiasts. Though not quite restaurant-caliber, this option offers unbeatable value that feeds a crowd without emptying your wallet.
3. Trader Joe’s Mandarin Orange Chicken
Bow down to the frozen food aisle royalty!
Trader Joe’s legendary orange chicken has achieved cult status for good reason – it consistently delivers restaurant-quality flavor that has shoppers hoarding bags in their freezers. The chicken bakes up remarkably crispy, while the sauce achieves that elusive sweet-tangy-savory trifecta. Its popularity occasionally leads to empty freezer cases and disappointed shoppers. When you spot it in stock, grab two bags – you’ll thank yourself later when orange chicken cravings strike without warning!
2. Marie Callender’s Orange Chicken
Marie Callender’s doesn’t just do pot pies! Their orange chicken meal delivers a hearty, satisfying experience that feels homemade rather than factory-produced. The sauce deserves special mention – complex, balanced, and actually tasting of real oranges rather than candy.
Chicken pieces remain juicy inside while developing a satisfying exterior texture. The complete meal format means no last-minute rice cooking, making this perfect for those days when even boiling water feels like too much effort.
1. Panda Express Frozen Orange Chicken
The undisputed champion has entered the ring! Panda Express brings their signature dish from restaurant to freezer without sacrificing what makes it special – that perfect balance of crispy exterior, tender interior, and that iconic sauce. Unlike competitors who merely approximate restaurant flavors, this IS the restaurant experience. The authentic sauce features real orange peel notes complemented by subtle spice.
For those moments when only the best will do, Panda Express delivers restaurant-identical results from your own kitchen. Orange chicken perfection awaits in your freezer!