Gluten Free Options At Panda Express (& The Best GF Panda Express Recipes)

Wondering what you can eat at Panda Express on a gluten free diet? Eating fast food when following a gluten free diet can be quite challenging. Many fast-food restaurants have small kitchen spaces and even if they do offer gluten free food, cross-contact is usually a huge risk because of this. However, are there any gluten free options at Panda Express? Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Panda Express?

Panda Express is a fast food restaurant that specializes in American Chinese cuisine. The first Panda Express opened in 1983, and the chain now has more than 2,400 locations. Most are in the US, and you’ll also find it in Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and a few other countries.

This popular fast food chain serves well-loved dishes such as orange chicken, teriyaki chicken, kung pao chicken, and sweet fire chicken breast. They also have premium dishes such as Angus steak and honey walnut shrimp.

Is Panda Express Gluten Free?

Unfortunately, Panda Express is not a gluten free restaurant and state on their website that they don’t have any gluten free products. They also cook with shared equipment, so allergens could be present in any entree. Even if you’re looking for a quick bite, the options are incredibly limited.

While I’m used to not having many options in fast food restaurants, the variety on offer at Panda Express is incredibly disappointing.

Is Panda Express Chow Mein Gluten Free?

Unfortunately, the chow mein at Panda Express is not gluten free and should not be consumed when following a gluten free diet. One of the main ingredients in this dish is wheat. The only sides made without wheat are the steamed white and brown rice, and Panda Express doesn’t label them gluten free.

Panda Express Gluten Free Menu Options

There are very few menu items you can enjoy from Panda Express that are free from gluten. In fact, the only food made without wheat is the steamed rice. Everything is made in a shared kitchen, so cross-contact is possible. These items don’t list wheat:

Side Dishes – Gluten Free Options At Panda Express

• steamed white rice
• steamed brown rice

Drinks

• all drinks at Panda Express are gluten free

Sauces

• chili sauce
• hot mustard sauce
• plum sauce
• sweet and sour sauce

Homemade Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken

Panda Express doesn’t offer a reliably gluten-free teriyaki chicken dish, but you can prepare a similar meal at home using gluten-free ingredients.

For inspiration, see BeTony’s Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken.

The linked recipe must be adapted by using gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. Check the remaining sauce ingredients as well.

Panda Express Orange Chicken Gluten Free Recipe

Another of Panda Express’ most popular dishes is the orange chicken. It’s light, crispy – and absolutely delicious! Let’s take a closer look at this fan favorite.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 2lbs of chicken (in bite size chunks)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1/2 cup of cornstarch

For the Orange Chicken Sauce:

• 1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce or tamari
• 1/4 cup of orange juice
• 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest
• green onions (as garnish)

Recipe – Gluten Free Options At Panda Express

Step 1: Cook the Chicken

Grab a pan and heat your oil over a medium to high heat. Whilst the pan is heating, add the chicken, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well. Once evenly mixed, add the chicken to the hot pan. Cook chicken on a medium heat and stir a few times throughout. Leave your chicken to cook until brown and cooked through.

Step 2: Make the Sauce

In a separate bowl, add the gluten free soy sauce, rice vinegar, orange juice, water, brown sugar, garlic, cornstarch, red pepper flakes and orange zest. Whisk well until a sauce begins to form. When the chicken is cooked, pour your sauce into the pan and leave to simmer. Stir at regular intervals until the sauce begins to chicken.

Step 3: Serve

Remove from heat and sprinkle green onions over the top, if desired. Serve with rice or veggies.

Conclusion – Gluten Free Options At Panda Express

I hope this post has given you an idea of what gluten free options at Panda Express are available. Unfortunately, the options are very limited at the moment. We can only hope that in the future their menu expands and we can enjoy their delicious American Chinese cuisine again soon.

In the meantime, we’ll have to stick to making our own copycat dishes at home. Both the orange chicken and the teriyaki chicken are absolutely delicious, and I’d highly recommend both. What dish do you miss most? Do you have your own copycat recipe that you’d like to share? If so, please feel free to let me know in the comments below.