Panda Express Burrito: Price, Calories, Ingredients, Orange Chicken Recipe & Review

When people search for Panda Express Burrito, they are usually expecting to find a regular burrito on the Panda Express menu. And honestly, it makes sense.

Panda Express has rice, Chow Mein, Orange Chicken, Beijing Beef, Kung Pao Chicken and plenty of sauces that could work inside a tortilla.

But there is an important detail that gets missed on many websites: Panda Express does not currently list a standard burrito as part of its nationwide regular menu.

Its current menu is built around Bowls, Plates, Bigger Plates, Panda Cub Meals, Family Meals and other meal formats.

However, the Panda Express Orange Chicken Burrito is a real Panda Express creation. It was developed through the company’s Innovation Kitchen and has been served at select locations and promoted as a Panda Re-Imagined recipe.

So, if you came here searching for the Panda Express burrito, here is the full story, including the price, calories, ingredients, history and how the burrito was actually made.

Does Panda Express Have a Burrito?

Not as a regular nationwide menu item.

The current Panda Express menu does not show a standard burrito category. Instead, customers can choose formats such as a Bowl, Plate or Bigger Plate.

A Bowl currently includes one base and one entrée, while a Plate includes one base and two entrées.

But that doesn’t mean the Panda Express burrito is made up.

Panda Express officially features an Orange Chicken Burrito on its Innovation section.

The company describes its Innovation Kitchen as the place where new flavors, dishes and experimental food ideas are developed and tested.

This is why you’ll see two different answers online. One website may say “Panda Express has burritos,” while another says it doesn’t. Both are talking about slightly different things.

The burrito has existed as a special/Innovation Kitchen creation, but it isn’t the same thing as saying every Panda Express restaurant has a burrito on the menu today.

What Is the Panda Express Orange Chicken Burrito?

The original concept is basically Panda Express food wrapped in a burrito-style format.

The official Panda Express recipe published through Panda Cub Club uses:

• Original Orange Chicken
• Fried Rice or Chow Mein
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Flour tortillas
• Panda Express Chili Sauce
• Canola oil

The recipe is designed to make four burritos. It calls for 2 cups of Original Orange Chicken and 2½ cups of Panda Express Fried Rice or Chow Mein.

That combination sounds a little strange at first — Chinese-American food inside a flour tortilla with cheese — but that’s actually what makes the idea interesting.

It’s not trying to be a traditional Mexican burrito. It’s more of a Chinese-American fusion wrap.

Panda Express Burrito Price

There isn’t a reliable current nationwide Panda Express burrito price, because the burrito isn’t currently listed as a standard nationwide menu item.

There is, however, documented historical pricing.

A 2017 review of the Orange Chicken Burrito from the Panda Express Innovation Kitchen in Pasadena listed the burrito at $7.60.

That particular version contained a scallion pancake wrap, mixed greens, Orange Chicken, crispy wontons, crispy onions and chili sauce. The same review listed the meal at 1,290 calories.

That price should be treated as a historical example, not today’s Panda Express price.

This is important because restaurant prices change, and an Innovation Kitchen item isn’t necessarily priced the same way as a regular Panda Express Bowl or Plate.

So if you see a website claiming that the Panda Express burrito currently costs a specific amount everywhere in the United States, I’d be a little careful with that number.

How Many Calories Are in a Panda Express Burrito?

There is no single official current calorie number for “Panda Express Burrito” because there isn’t one standardized nationwide burrito build.

The calories depend on what’s inside it.

For example, the historical Orange Chicken Burrito reviewed in 2017 was reported at 1,290 calories with the specific combination of scallion pancake wrap, Orange Chicken, greens, crispy wontons, crispy onions and chili sauce.

Panda Express’s official recipe is different. It combines Orange Chicken with Fried Rice or Chow Mein, cheddar cheese and a flour tortilla, so you should not automatically use 1,290 calories as the calorie count for every Panda Express burrito.

For context, Panda Express currently lists its Original Orange Chicken at 510 calories per serving on its nutrition information, while Chow Mein is listed at 600 calories and Fried Rice at 620 calories.

That gives you an idea why a large burrito containing an entrée, rice or noodles, cheese and a wrap can become a pretty substantial meal.

Panda Express Burrito Ingredients

The ingredients depend on the version you’re talking about.

For the official Panda Express Orange Chicken Burrito recipe, the main ingredients are:

Original Orange Chicken: The main protein and the signature Panda Express flavor.

Fried Rice or Chow Mein: The starchy filling that gives the burrito its size and texture.

Cheddar cheese: This is where the fusion element gets even more obvious.

Flour tortilla: Used as the outer wrap.

Chili sauce: Adds heat and extra flavor.

Canola oil: Used while preparing the rice or noodles and heating the tortilla.

The Innovation Kitchen version was more customizable. A 2017 review described a scallion pancake wrap with mixed greens, Orange Chicken, crispy wontons, crispy onions and chili sauce.

So there isn’t really one single “Panda Express Burrito ingredients list.” Different versions have existed.

The Orange Chicken Burrito Story

The history is actually pretty interesting.

Panda Express says its Innovation Kitchen is used to experiment with new food concepts before they potentially reach a wider audience.

The company’s current Innovation page still includes the Original Orange Chicken Burrito among its Panda Re-Imagined creations.

A 2020 U.S. trademark litigation filing from Panda Restaurant Group also stated that Panda originated the Orange Chicken Burrito in 2017.

And the burrito didn’t stay completely under the radar.

In 2022, Food Network reported that Panda Express burritos had gone viral on TikTok. The report said a video from Los Angeles food creator @how.kev.eats had been viewed more than 6.9 million times at the time.

The Westwood location confirmed that it offered burritos and said customers could essentially get food normally served on a plate in burrito form.

That’s a pretty good real-world example of how unusual menu items can suddenly become internet food trends.

What Does the Panda Express Burrito Taste Like?

The flavor depends on the build, but the Orange Chicken version is easy to imagine.

You get the familiar sweet, tangy and savory Orange Chicken first. Then there is the rice or Chow Mein, which makes the filling heavier and more satisfying. Cheese adds creaminess, while chili sauce gives the burrito a little kick.

The texture is probably the most interesting part.

You’ve got crispy chicken, soft rice or noodles, a warm tortilla and potentially crunchy toppings. That’s a lot happening in one bite.

And yes, it can get messy. A burrito packed with Panda Express Orange Chicken and Chow Mein isn’t exactly the neatest lunch you’ve ever had. But thats kind of the fun of it.

Panda Express Burrito vs. Regular Panda Express Bowl

Feature	Panda Express Burrito	Panda Express Bowl
Tortilla	Yes, in burrito versions	No
Rice/Chow Mein	Can be included	Choose as base
Orange Chicken	Common choice	Available
Cheese	Used in official burrito recipe	Not a standard Bowl component
Nationwide standard menu item	No	Yes
Customization	Depends on location/version	Standard menu options
Calories	Depends on ingredients	Depends on chosen base + entrée

A Bowl is the much more standardized option. Panda Express currently defines its Bowl as 1 base + 1 entrée, with published calorie ranges of 360–1,170 calories per serving on its main menu page.

The burrito is more experimental and location-dependent.

Can You Make a Panda Express Burrito at Home?

Yes, and this is one area where we actually have a documented Panda Express recipe rather than guessing.

Panda Express published an Orange Chicken Burrito recipe that makes four servings. The instructions involve reheating the Orange Chicken, preparing Fried Rice or Chow Mein with cheddar cheese, warming the flour tortillas and then assembling the burritos with Panda Express Chili Sauce.

The recipe even gives you a choice between rice and noodles.

If I were making it at home, I’d probably use Chow Mein for the filling because the noodles give the burrito a different texture than standard rice. But that’s personal preference, not an official Panda recommendation.

Why Do People Search for “Panda Express Burrito”?

There are a few reasons this keyword keeps coming up.

First, people have seen photos and videos of the Orange Chicken Burrito online.

Second, Panda Express itself has published the burrito concept on its Innovation pages and has released an official recipe.

Third, the item has appeared at select locations rather than every restaurant, which makes people wonder whether they can still order one.

And finally, the combination is unusual enough to make people curious. Orange Chicken + Chow Mein + tortilla sounds like something somebody invented at 1 a.m. after staring into their fridge. But Panda Express really did develop the concept.

FaQs:-

Final Verdict

The Panda Express Burrito is real, but it needs a little explanation.

It isn’t currently a standard nationwide Panda Express menu category. Instead, it has been an Innovation Kitchen and limited-location concept, with the Orange Chicken Burrito becoming the most recognizable version.

Panda Express officially published a recipe using Orange Chicken, Fried Rice or Chow Mein, cheddar cheese, flour tortillas and chili sauce.

Historically, a Pasadena Innovation Kitchen version was reported at $7.60 and 1,290 calories, but that figure belongs to that particular 2017 build and shouldn’t be treated as a current nationwide price or nutrition number.

The bigger story is how the item became a small piece of Panda Express food culture. It started as an experimental idea, appeared at select restaurants, gained attention online and eventually became part of Panda Express’s own “Panda Re-Imagined” recipe collection.

So, if you’re searching “Panda Express Burrito near me”, don’t assume every Panda Express location will have one. The regular menu today is still centered around Bowls, Plates, Bigger Plates and other standard meal formats. s)

But if you want to try the concept, the official Orange Chicken Burrito recipe gives you a pretty easy way to recreate that Panda-style Chinese-American fusion at home.

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