Orange Chicken is one of Panda Express' most popular dishes and now the chain is giving consumers a new way to enjoy the classic recipe with the debut of the Orange Chicken Sandwich.
Panda Express recently announced that it is beginning to test the Orange Chicken Sandwich at its Pasadena-based Panda Express Innovation Kitchen on September 16th, 2021. The sandwich started with a breaded white meat chicken breast coated in the brand's signature Orange Chicken sauce. The whole thing is then topped with a spicy aioli sauce, a bed of shredded cabbage, and a smattering of thick crinkle-cut bread and butter pickles. To bring everything together, the sandwich is served on a sweet King’s Hawaiian Bun.
Image Credit: Panda Express
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Asian-inspired Sandwiches
- There is an opportunity for fast-casual restaurants to experiment with combining traditional Asian flavors and presentation with Western-style sandwiches.
- New Menu Items Based on Popular Dishes
- Fast-food chains can take advantage of their best-selling menu items and create new, innovative products to keep customers interested and excited.
- Sweet and Spicy Combinations
- There is an opportunity for food companies to experiment with sweet and spicy flavor profiles in their products, as demonstrated by the use of Panda Express' signature Orange Chicken sauce paired with a spicy aioli sauce for the Orange Chicken Sandwich.
Where This Applies
- Fast Food Restaurants
- Fast food chains can use customer preferences and successful menu items to create innovative new dishes, like the Orange Chicken Sandwich from Panda Express.
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- Restaurants can experiment with incorporating unique flavors and presentations, like the Asian-inspired Orange Chicken Sandwich, into their menus to stand out from competitors.
- Food Manufacturing
- There is an opportunity for food manufacturers to create unique new products with unexpected flavor combinations and to partner with fast-food chains or casual dining restaurants to offer exclusive menu items, like the Orange Chicken Sandwich from Panda Express.
