Panda Express publishes its full nutrition data, and the numbers are kinder than the menu’s reputation suggests — if you pick the right side. A Bowl runs 280 to 1,130 calories, a Plate 430 to 1,640 and a Bigger Plate 580 to 2,150, and most of that range comes from the side: Super Greens is 130 calories, Fried Rice is 620. This guide covers every entrée, side, appetizer and drink with calories, protein and sodium from Panda Express’s own published data.
About the numbers: Figures are per standard serving from Panda Express’s own nutrition disclosures, checked against multiple trackers in November 2026. Sodium is shown only where the chain publishes it — a “–” means it is not consistently published, not zero. Sugar and fiber are omitted where no consistent current source exists. Where trackers disagree with the chain’s current data, the conflict is stated in the text, not smoothed. The full menu with prices is in the Panda Express menu guide.
Chicken Entrées
Chicken entrées run 210 to 510 calories. Grilled Teriyaki Chicken leads on protein at 33 grams for 275 calories; Orange Chicken is the heaviest at 510 calories with 850 mg of sodium. Black Pepper Chicken carries the most sodium of any chicken entrée at 1,140 mg.
| Entrée | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Chicken | 510 | 16g | 53g | 24g | 850mg |
| Kung Pao Chicken | 320 | 17g | 16g | 21g | – |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 275 | 33g | 14g | 10g | – |
| Mushroom Chicken | 220 | 13g | 11g | 13g | – |
| String Bean Chicken Breast | 210 | 12g | 13g | 10g | – |
| Honey Sesame Chicken Breast | 340 | 16g | 40g | 14g | – |
| Black Pepper Chicken | 280 | 13g | 12g | 16g | 1,140mg |
| SweetFire Chicken Breast | 380 | 13g | 41g | 16g | – |
Conflict, stated plainly: Orange Chicken’s protein reads 16 grams in the chain’s current data, but 25–26 grams in many tracking apps and older listings — including one widely used menu tracker that still lists 26 grams alongside the current 510-calorie figure. The current official figures are 510 calories, 16 grams of protein and 850 mg of sodium; older listings show 490 calories and 820 mg. Grilled Teriyaki Chicken has the same problem: current data is 275 calories and 33 grams of protein, while older listings show 300 calories and 36 grams.
Beef & Shrimp Entrées
The lightest beef entrée is Broccoli Beef at 150 calories; the heaviest is Beijing Beef at 470. Cantonese BBQ Brisket is the protein king of the whole menu at 44 grams. Sweet & Sour Chicken Breast has the lowest sodium of any entrée at 260 mg.
| Entrée | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing Beef | 470 | 14g | 46g | 27g | 600mg |
| Broccoli Beef | 150 | 9–15g | 12g | 7g | – |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp | 430 | 13g | 35g | 27g | – |
| Black Pepper Sirloin Steak | 180 | 19g | 9g | 8g | – |
| Cantonese BBQ Brisket | 410 | 44g | 19g | 18g | – |
| Sweet & Sour Chicken Breast | 300 | 10g | 38g | 11g | 260mg |
Conflicts: Beijing Beef reads 470 calories and 600 mg of sodium in current data against 480 calories and 660 mg in older listings. Broccoli Beef’s protein is the messiest figure on the menu — one tracker lists 9 grams, another lists 15 grams as the current official figure — so we show the range 9–15 grams rather than picking one. Hot Orange Chicken (550 calories, 17 grams of protein, 950 mg of sodium) is listed here for reference only: it ended September 30, 2026.
Sides & Appetizers
Sides are where a Panda meal gains or loses the most calories. Super Greens is 130 calories; Fried Rice is 620 and Chow Mein is 600 — more than Orange Chicken itself. A side serving weighs about 9 ounces, against 4 to 6 ounces for an entrée, which is why the numbers run so high.
| Item | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chow Mein | 600 | 15g | 67g | 29g | – |
| Fried Rice | 620 | 13g | 85g | 24g | – |
| White Steamed Rice | 520 | 10g | 112g | 1g | – |
| Brown Steamed Rice | 420 | 9g | 86g | 4g | – |
| Super Greens | 130 | 9g | 14g | 7g | – |
| Veggie Spring Roll (2 pcs) | 240 | 4g | 35g | 9g | – |
| Cream Cheese Rangoon (3 pcs) | 190 | 5g | 18g | 11g | – |
| Chicken Potsticker (3 pcs) | 160 | 6g | 18g | 7g | – |
Drinks & Desserts
A medium fountain soda adds 340 to 390 calories; Diet Coke adds none. Crafted Refreshers run 195 to 240 calories for a large 24-ounce cup. The Apple Pie Roll is about 150 calories and the free fortune cookie is about 20.
| Item | Calories | Protein | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crafted Refresher (Large, 24 oz) | 195–240 | 0g | – |
| Fountain Soda (Medium, 30 oz) | 340–390 | 0g | – |
| Diet Coke (Medium, 30 oz) | 0 | 0g | 0g |
| Dasani Water (16 oz) | 0 | 0g | 0g |
| Apple Pie Roll | ~150 | – | – |
| Fortune Cookie | ~20 | 0g | – |
Highest Protein, Lowest Calorie, Highest Sodium
Highest protein: Cantonese BBQ Brisket at 44 grams, ahead of Grilled Teriyaki Chicken at 33. Lowest calorie entrée: Broccoli Beef at 150, then Black Pepper Sirloin Steak at 180. Highest sodium published: Black Pepper Chicken at 1,140 mg per serving, then Orange Chicken at 850 mg. A Plate with Kung Pao Chicken, Orange Chicken and Chow Mein can pass 2,650 mg of sodium in one meal — over the 2,300 mg daily recommended limit. The lightest full meal is a Bowl of Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Super Greens: about 405 calories.
Allergens
Orange Chicken contains wheat, soy and egg; Beijing Beef contains wheat, soy and egg; Honey Walnut Shrimp contains shellfish, wheat and tree nut (walnut); Cantonese BBQ Brisket contains sesame, soybean and wheat; SweetFire Chicken Breast contains wheat. Vegetarian items share a kitchen and woks with meat dishes. Ask in the restaurant for the current allergen guide — it is the authoritative source and recipes change.
How to Eat Lighter at Panda Express
Pick Super Greens as the side (130 cal instead of 600–620 for Chow Mein or Fried Rice), pick Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (275 cal, 33g protein) or Broccoli Beef (150 cal) as the entrée, and skip the fountain soda for water or Diet Coke. That Bowl lands around 405 calories. Avoid stacking two high-sodium entrées, and remember the sauce packets: one soy sauce packet is 375 mg of sodium on its own.
Reviews
There is no single national rating for Panda Express: sampled Yelp location pages range from 1.9 stars (Phoenix, 198 reviews) to 4.0 stars (Kailua, 69 reviews). The pattern is consistent — Orange Chicken is the dish reviewers praise, and the complaints are about consistency: portions that vary by visit and items out of stock. Blaze T., reviewing the Kailua location on Yelp, wrote: “Breaks my heart, Panda Express has been my spot; but today my orange chicken was more raw and riggly than shmeagles cave fish.” The nutrition story matches the reviews: the items people love most (Orange Chicken at 510 cal, Honey Walnut Shrimp at 430) are also the heaviest, while the items reviewers rarely mention (Grilled Teriyaki, Broccoli Beef) are the lightest on the board.
Panda Express Nutrition FAQs
How many calories are in Panda Express Orange Chicken?
510 calories per standard serving, with 16 grams of protein, 53 grams of carbs, 24 grams of fat and 850 mg of sodium. Older listings show 490 calories and 25–26 grams of protein.
What is the healthiest thing at Panda Express?
Broccoli Beef at 150 calories, or a Bowl of Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Super Greens at about 405 calories total. Both are Wok Smart: 300 calories or less and at least 8 grams of protein.
How much sodium is in Panda Express food?
A lot. Black Pepper Chicken is 1,140 mg per serving, Orange Chicken is 850 mg, and a full Plate with Chow Mein can pass 2,650 mg — over the 2,300 mg daily recommended limit. Super Greens and White Steamed Rice are the low-sodium sides.
Is Panda Express Orange Chicken gluten-free?
No. It contains wheat, soy and egg.
How many calories are in a Panda Express Bowl?
280 to 1,130 calories, depending on the side and the entrée. A Plate runs 430 to 1,640 and a Bigger Plate 580 to 2,150.
Conclusion
The Panda Express nutrition story is a story of sides and sauces. The entrées are mostly reasonable — Grilled Teriyaki Chicken at 275 calories and 33 grams of protein, Broccoli Beef at 150 — but Fried Rice at 620 calories and a soy sauce packet at 375 mg of sodium can quietly double a meal. Orange Chicken at 510 calories and 16 grams of protein is the dish to order, and the current official protein figure is 16 grams, not the 25–26 grams still shown in many apps. For the prices behind these numbers, see the Panda Express menu; for the builds and the deals, the Panda Express secret menu and the Panda Express coupons guide. To compare protein per dollar, the Chipotle menu is the closest rival board, and the Chick-fil-A menu has the lighter grilled chicken options.
Nutrition figures are per standard serving from Panda Express’s own published data, checked November 2026. Sodium is shown only where the chain publishes it.
