Many people ask is orange chicken Chinese or American, and the answer shows how food traditions can change when they reach new places.
Orange chicken is one of the most popular dishes in American Chinese restaurants, but its story is different from what many people expect.
According to reports from Smithsonian Magazine and food history notes shared by chef Andy Kao, the dish we know today actually started in the United States, not in China.
The question is orange chicken Chinese or American often comes from how the dish looks. The crispy breading, sweet glaze, and bright color feel like they might come from a long tradition. But in China, chicken dishes tend to be lighter, less sweet, and naturally use fresh citrus.
RELATED: Why Does Food Poisoning Cause Headaches?
Classic Chinese cooking, described by food writer Fuchsia Dunlop, focuses more on balance and less on sugary sauces. That is one reason the version popular in American restaurants is considered a new creation.
Chef Andy Kao is widely credited with creating the first modern version of orange chicken in 1987 for Panda Express, one of the biggest American Chinese chains in the country. His goal was to make a dish that tasted familiar to American customers but still carried touches of Chinese flavor.
According to Panda Express’s own published history and interviews with Kao, the kitchen team tested different sauces and frying methods to find the perfect mix of sweet, tangy, and crispy. This process helped shape the dish that later became a national favorite.
When asking is orange chicken Chinese or American, it helps to look at how Chinese food changed after immigrants came to the United States in the 1800s. Writers like Jennifer 8. Lee, who studied American Chinese cuisine in The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, notes that immigrants had to adjust their recipes to the ingredients and tastes they found here.
This created dishes that were partly inspired by Chinese flavors but redesigned for a new audience. Orange chicken became part of that tradition.
In China today, dishes that use citrus do exist, such as Hunan-style orange-peel chicken, but they are prepared in a different way.
Learn more about whether your favorite foods and drinks are unhealthy.
They focus more on dried orange peel and savory seasoning, not on the sweet, sticky glaze found in the American version.
Food researchers such as Harold McGee have explained that sugar-heavy sauces became common in the U.S. because they matched American preferences and helped restaurants serve fast, consistent meals.
So, is orange chicken Chinese or American? Based on food history research, chef interviews, and restaurant records, the dish is mainly an American creation with Chinese roots.
Click here to learn more about 7 foods that can make you smell bad.
It reflects both cultural tradition and the way cooking changes from one country to another. Today, it stands as a symbol of American Chinese cuisine, familiar, flavorful, and shaped by generations of cooks adapting to new tastes.
FAQs About Is Orange Chicken Chinese or American
Who invented orange chicken?
Chef Andy Kao is credited with creating the modern version of Panda Express in 1987.
Do people eat orange chicken in China?
Not usually. China has citrus-based dishes, but they taste different from the American version.
Why is orange chicken so sweet?
American taste preferences influenced the use of sugar in the sauce.
Is orange chicken the same as General Tso’s chicken?
No. Both are American Chinese dishes, but General Tso’s is spicier and less citrus-focused.
What cuisine does orange chicken belong to?
It belongs to American Chinese cuisine.
Is orange chicken authentic Chinese food?
It has Chinese-inspired flavors but was created in the United States, so it is not considered traditional Chinese food.