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Panda Express Keto and Low Carb Options – What Can I Eat?

November 18, 2019 by Rich

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re curious wanting to know ahead of time, on your way, or waiting in line at Panda Express. Have no fear as I’ve analyzed the menu items to give you the lowdown on what you can and cannot eat. This post goes in depth and lists out all of the Panda Express keto items.

Last updated: January 23, 2020

Keto Panda Express Featured Image

This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you as it helps support my page which is much appreciated!

Show me what I can eat
Click here for Infographic
What’s in this Article
 [hide]
  • Menu Overview
    • Appetizers: Not Keto Friendly
    • Sides: Only One Keto Option
    • Entrees: Surprisingly lots of options
    • Desserts: No Bueno!
    • Meal Sizes: “Just the bowl please”
    • A la Carte Sizes
    • Let’s recap (Do’s and Don’ts):
  • What are the healthiest and keto meals at Panda Express?
    • Bowl Combinations
      • 1. Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
      • 2. Mushroom Chicken Bowl
      • 3. String Bean Chicken Bowl
      • 4. Broccoli Beef Bowl
      • 5. Kung Pao Chicken Bowl
      • 6. Black Pepper Chicken Bowl
    • Vegetarian/Vegan Option: Ehhhh
  • Keto Panda Express Infographic
  • If you want to make your own
  • Other Tips & Tricks to Stay in Keto
  • Frequently Asked Questions
    • What can I eat at Panda Express on keto?
    • Is Panda Express Good for keto diet?

Menu Overview

Panda Express employees making a bowl inside the restaurant

What I like about Panda Express is their easy to follow menu. Their biggest strength lies in their menu and process minimization. There are just 4 major categories of foods: Appetizers, Sides, Entrees, and Desserts. They also make it very easy to order in 4 steps:

  1. Pick your Meal Size (Bowl, Plate, or Bigger Plate)
  2. Pick your Sides
  3. Pick your Entrees
  4. Pick your Extras

Appetizers: Not Keto Friendly

I wonder why all the delicious stuff I love have to be an appetizer. Panda Express only has 4 Items which are Chicken Potsticker, Cream Cheese Crab Rangoon, Chicken Eggroll, and Vegetable Spring Roll. As you can imagine, none of these are keto friendly. Without out a doubt, you cannot have any Panda Express Appetizers.

Sides: Only One Keto Option

As you know with Asian food, rice and noodles make up a huge portion of the diet. Sides is where we find these items. Luckily, or maybe not so much (depending on how you look at it) there is just one side item we can order and that’s the Super Greens which is made up of broccoli, kale, and cabbage.

Entrees: Surprisingly lots of options

Look for this logo

Panda Express makes it really easy here. Look for the Smart Wok logo. This signifies that the food item has 300 calories and at least 9 grams of protein. Kudos to them because these entrees also happen to be the most keto friendly. They are:

  • Black Pepper Chicken
  • Kung Pao Chicken
  • Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
  • Mushroom Chicken
  • String Bean Chicken
  • Broccoli Beef

Desserts: No Bueno!

And as you can guess, what Chinese American restaurant would it be without fortune cookies. This is the category they live in and not surprisingly we can’t have these on the keto diet. You won’t need these cookies because I can already tell your fortune if you were to open and eat one of these babies.

Meal Sizes: “Just the bowl please”

Panda Express Bowl measured at 6.25" x 6.25"

Unfortunately, anything larger than a Bowl is a no-go. Believe me, I sat there for hours trying to create a combo that would stay under 20 grams of net carbs and failed terribly.

A la Carte Sizes

Another option at Panda Express is ordering a la carte. In case you’re wondering, I took the time to measure the a la carte takeout boxes. The one I order happened to be chicken teriyaki.

a la carte boxes laid out and measured
Dimensions of Panda Express a la carte options
Weight of a small chicken teriyaki at 7.1 oz
The small is around 7.1 oz. Pictured above is the portion size of the chicken teriyaki.
the weight of a medium chicken teriyaki a la carte at 1 lb or 16 oz
The medium is around 16 oz or 1 lb. Pictured above is the portion size of the chicken teriyaki.

What I discovered is both the small and medium sized boxes are larger than the serving sizes. as 1 serving size of chicken teriyaki is at 6 ounces, a small at 7.1 oz, and medium at 16 oz. If we do the math, one serving size is about 1.33 grams of net carbs (8 g. of net carbs divided by 6 oz serving size) which would mean the small would be at about 9.44 grams of net carbs (1.33 x 7.1 oz) and a medium at 21.28 (1.33 x 16 oz). Essentially this means, a small a la carte chicken terikyaki is ok as a snack since it falls under 20 grams of net carbs. Just be sure to exclude the teriyaki sauce.

Let’s recap (Do’s and Don’ts):

Do’s

– Only order Super Greens as a side

– Order a “Bowl” sized Meal to stay in ketosis

– Look for the Wok Smart logo:Panda Express denotes these as food items with 300 calories and at least 9 grams of protein

– Chili Sauce and Hot Mustard are OK

Do Not’s

– Orange Chicken, Honey Sesame Chicken, Sweetfire Chicken, Beijjing Beef, and Honey Walnut Shrimp are NOT Keto

– Do Not order any appetizers or desserts. None of those are keto either.

– Do Not order any “Plate” or “Bigger Plate” sized Meals

– If you’re on a strict keto diet, then you might as well turn the other way towards the exit.

– There are no Gluten Free Keto options besides the Super Greens so do not visit if you’re sensitive to gluten

What are the healthiest and keto meals at Panda Express?

Let’s get right into it. Here’s a list ranked from least net carbs to most bowls you can look forward to while getting a Panda Express keto meal.

Bowl Combinations

1. Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

Keto Teriyaki Chicken Bowl with greens on white background

The chicken teriyaki bowl is actually my favorite. This one isn’t too sweet and I really enjoy the chicken flavor on this one. Surprisingly this one had the least amount of net carbs and the highest in protein. Do you see 42 grams of protein in there? I was quite shocked but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. This one’s the value pick for sure. What I like to do is take it home and add some carb free hot sauce over it.

2. Mushroom Chicken Bowl

keto mushroom chicken bowl with super greens on white background

The Mushroom Chicken is actually my second favorite. The seasonings aren’t too strong and the veggies balances the chicken quite nicely. My only complaint is for more chicken!

3. String Bean Chicken Bowl

keto string bean chicken bowl with super greens on white background

This bowl is quite standard. I’m not really a fan of string beans or green beans but will eat it if it’s in front of me. This one is just OK in my book.

4. Broccoli Beef Bowl

keto broccoli beef bowl with super greens on white background

If you love broccoli and beef then this one is for you. Because the broccoli comes with the beef and the super greens already has broccoli in it, I wanted to warn you this bowl is broccoli heavy. In addition, note how low the fat is. The Broccoli Beef has the lowest fat content out of all the keto bowls.

5. Kung Pao Chicken Bowl

keto kung pao chicken bowl with super greens on white background

We’re getting higher in the carb count at 17 grams. Just wanted to point that out. It’s most likely coming from the Bell Peppers in the kung pao chicken. The good news is the high fat content at 22 grams. I’m really OK with this bowl combo. What I do admire is its variety as it packs the most ingredients: Bell Pepper, zuchini, broccoli, chicken, chili pepper, and nuts.

6. Black Pepper Chicken Bowl

keto black pepper chicken bowl with super green on white background

Too bad this one’s the highest in net carbs at 19 grams because it’s my third favorite. I like this one a lot. The celery and onion surprisingly works well together and the chicken meat is so soft and tender. I like the gravy too. A tad sweet which is probably why it’s so high in carbs. The sauce and onion is most likely what drove up the net carb count.

Vegetarian/Vegan Option: Ehhhh

This is not really a great option for vegetarians but they do have Eggplant Tofu which at one serving is already at 20 net carbs. If you want to have one meal a day, then that’s the one to get.

Keto Panda Express Infographic

Top 6 Panda Express Keto bowls infographic

If you want to make your own

If you don’t like any of the combinations I recommended, my feelings won’t get hurt. Here’s a list of everything at Panda Express’s menu under or equal to 20 grams of net carbs. Keep in mind of the serving size and the net carbs. For instance, the Eggplant Tofu dish at a serving size of 6.1 ounces is already at 20 net carbs which may not be worth it if you plan on eating more than one meal that day.

Feel free to mix and match the keto friendly items however you like. If you’re able to find a combo I didn’t think of please share! Let me know and I can update my list as well as credit you.

Other Tips & Tricks to Stay in Keto

  • You didn’t hear this from me but bring your own carb free sauces such as MCT Oil, and Frank’s Hot Sauce.
  • Order food to go. When you get home, you can add your own keto friendly staple items such as shirataki noodles. Imagine taking home a bowl and having it with a side of carb free noodles. Wouldn’t that make a more complete meal? I think so.
  • How about making your own keto Panda Express food? They’re actually not difficult to cook. Check out my recipes for Keto General Tso’s Chicken and Cauliflower Fried Rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some of the most asked questions on the web.

What can I eat at Panda Express on keto?

There’s not many keto friendly options but to keep the answer short and simple: super greens, Black Pepper Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, Mushroom Chicken, String Bean Chicken, and Broccoli Beef are low enough in carbs to order. I advise checking the nutrition table and to check out my recommended Panda Express Keto meals list.

Is Panda Express Good for keto diet?

The answer depends on whether you’re following a strict or dirty keto diet. If you’re trying to be strict, the answer is no Panda Express is not good for the keto diet as conventional meats, gluten heavy dishes, and high sugar count foods make up the bulk of the menu. It’s also difficult to accurately track the macro-nutrients of each dish as it will depend entirely on the server portioning your food.

However, if you’re on following a dirty keto diet and practicing Intermittent Fasting, then Panda Express can be good as there are a few items to keep you under 20 grams of net carbs. Make sure to check the nutrition table to see what items are carb heavy. You can also check out my recommended list.

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Filed Under: Low Carb Keto Guides Tagged With: chicken, chinese food, Keto, low carb, panda express, takeout

How to make the best Keto General Tso chicken ever

October 21, 2019 by Rich

Didn’t know Chinese Takeout could be keto? Well, now you know that my recipe will show you how to make the best Keto General Tso’s Chicken. Here I show you how to make this legendary dish. Easy and in under an hour. I also show you variants of General Tso’s like Orange and Sesame Chicken.

Last updated: March 17, 2020

Keto General Tso's Chicken Featured Image

This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you as it helps support my page which is much appreciated!

Chinese Chicken Recipe Variations

Believe it or not, General Tso’s was the original Chinese chicken recipe. Nobody really knows where it originated as it can be argued for weeks, but there would not be an orange chicken or a sesame one without General Tso’s.

I tip my hat off to the creator of this dish as it spawned what was many of my late night meals during my college years when I recall switching back and forth between General Tso’s, Orange, and Sesame Chicken depending on the day. I understand some times you crave for a something a little sweeter or maybe less spicy so below I’ll show you how to cook each one as well as their subtle differences.

Not sure which ingredients are keto and low carb? Check out my Definitive Keto Shopping List.

What are the differences between General Tso’s (GT), Orange, and Sesame Chicken?

1

Orange Chicken

– A little Sweeter than GT.
– More Orange Flavoring
– Orange Slice Garnish

Follow recipe, except:

– For Ingredients, add Orange to list.

– For the sauce, add 1.5 TSP of Monkfruit Sweetener instead of 1 TSP and use 1.5 TSP of Orange Extract instead of 1 TSP.

– Garnish with orange slices.

2

Sesame Chicken

– Sweeter than GT.
– More Sesame flavorings
– Not spicy.
– No Orange Flavors.

Follow recipe, except:

– For Ingredients, SWAP out the Chili Pepper for Sesame Seeds.

– For the Sauce, do not use the orange extract. Use 2.5 TBSP of sesame oil instead of 2 TBSP.

– Garnish with sesame seeds.

What You’ll Need

Keto General Tso's Chicken Ingredients List
Keto General Tso's Chicken completed
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Keto General Tso’s Chicken

Course dinner
Cuisine Chinese, chinese american, chinese takeout, keto
Keyword chicken, chinese, keto, low carb
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 469kcal

Ingredients

General Tso Batter

  • 2 cups Refined Coconut oil
  • 1 whole Egg
  • 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken thighs
  • ½ tsp Monkfruit sweetener
  • 1 pinch White pepper
  • 1 cup Almond flour You can also use coconut flour in place

General Tso's Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Avocado oil
  • 1 stalk Scallion
  • 1 clove Minced garlic
  • 8 whole Dried chili peppers
  • 1 tsp Orange extract
  • 1 tsp Monkfruit sweetener
  • ¼ tsp Ground ginger
  • 3 tbsp Chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Coconut amino
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil
  • 2 tsp Almond flour

Instructions

Recipe Preparation

  • Gather all your ingredients and cut the chicken into half an inch cubes. Chop scallions, and mince the garlic.
  • Heat about 2 cups of coconut oil to 375° F degrees. Use more if you're using a large pot.
    Pro Tip: Fill the oil to about half of the pot. If you fill up too high, the oil may spill over.

Prepping the Chicken

  • In a large bowl, crack an egg open. Whisk the egg.
  • Place the chicken over the whisked egg. Mix the chicken well with the egg. Using your hands will make for a better dish.
  • Pour 1 cup of almond flour, white pepper, salt, and monkfruit sweetener over the chicken. Mix with hands. Again, mix it well so batter sticks to chicken.

Frying time!

  • The key is frying the chicken twice.
    Throw the battered chicken onto the pot. For the first time, leave it in for about 2 minutes. Once that is up, strain the chicken to a plate with a sheet of towel. Let it rest for about a minute.
    Pro tip: If you want to save the oil, strain the chicken on top of a bowl instead of a paper towel covered plate.
  • Second time frying. and throw it back into the coconut oil. This time fry it for another minute or until the batter has become golden brown. Move the chicken over to new plate with a sheet of towel remove any excess oil. The frying part is now done.

Time to make our Sauce!

  • Medium heat a wok or frying pan. Add about a tablespoon of oil. Throw in the garlic, scallion whites, and dried chili peppers. Let the aromatics infuse with the oil, about 1.5 minutes or when garlic is golden brown.
  • Pour in 3 tablespoons of Chicken Broth. Add in the orange extract, monkfruit sweetener, ground ginger, apple cider vinegar, coconut amino, and sesame oil. Mix together well. Turn the heat up for it to boil.
  • As sauce is boiling, pour in 2 tablespoon of almond flour. This will act as a thickening agent. It should thicken in about a minute. Sauce is ready.
  • Throw the chicken onto the sauce. Switch heat to Med-High. Stir and toss chicken well for about a minute. Your Keto General Tso's Chicken is now ready to eat!
  • Enjoy!
    Optional: Add Steamed broccoli for a more complete meal.
    Keto General Tso's Chicken completed

Notes

Nutrition info is approximate using the sparkpeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count does not count sugar alcohols. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy of all nutritional facts posted here, especially if you have a medical condition, in which case you should consult with your doctor before using any of the recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.3g | Protein: 24.3g | Fat: 37.5g | Saturated Fat: 9.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19.1g | Cholesterol: 136.5mg | Sodium: 252.2mg | Potassium: 274.4mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 5.7g
MADE THIS RECIPE?Let’s see it! Tag @chowyoulater and #chowyoulater
Nutrition Facts
Keto General Tso's Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 469 Calories from Fat 338
% Daily Value*
Fat 37.5g58%
Saturated Fat 9.6g60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 19.1g
Cholesterol 136.5mg46%
Sodium 252.2mg11%
Potassium 274.4mg8%
Carbohydrates 12.3g4%
Fiber 3.9g16%
Sugar 5.7g6%
Protein 24.3g49%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

MADE THIS RECIPE?
Lets see it! Tag @chowyoulater on Instagram or Twitter and hashtag it #chowyoulater

LOOKING FOR UPDATES? Subscribe to my email list and/or follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Filed Under: Keto Recipes Tagged With: almond flour, chinese food, general tso, Keto, low carb, monkfruit sweetener, orange chicken, sesame chicken

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Welcome! Pleasure to meet you

My name is Rich. I'm a restaurant consultant, content creator, and recipe developer. I'm here to help you balance the two worlds of eating out and eating in. I've worked in the food industry for over 10 years and along the way I've learned a thing or two about restaurants and developing my own recipes. Read More…

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