Panda Express Calories: How to Build a Plate Under 600 Calories

To build a Panda Express plate under 600 calories, swap the chow mein or fried rice (around 510 to 520 calories for a full side) for Super Greens at about 90 calories, then pick two lean entrees like Broccoli Beef (150) and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (300). That plate lands near 540 calories and still fills the tray. The fastest way to blow past 600 is not the entree, it is the starch underneath it.

Panda Express gets a bad reputation because of one dish: Orange Chicken. It is delicious and it is roughly 490 calories by itself. But the menu is actually loaded with lean, high-protein options once you know where to look. The trick is understanding how a Panda plate is built and which two decisions actually move the calorie needle.

How a Panda Express plate is structured

Every order starts with a format, and the format sets your calorie floor before you even pick a protein:

• Bowl: 1 side + 1 entree
• Plate: 1 side + 2 entrees
• Bigger Plate: 1 side + 3 entrees

Notice that the "side" is a fixed part of every single order. That is the lever most people ignore. If you default to fried rice or chow mein, you are spending 500-plus calories on the part of the meal you will forget about ten minutes later. Spend those calories on protein instead.

Step 1: Fix the side (this is where the calories hide)

Here is the full-size side lineup. Portions at Panda are generous, so a side is a real chunk of food, not a garnish.

The gap between Super Greens and Fried Rice is over 400 calories. That is an entire second entree. If you want to stay under 600 and still eat two proteins, choose Super Greens or go half-and-half (half Super Greens, half rice) to split the difference. A half rice, half greens combo runs roughly 235 calories and gives you both the veggies and a little starch.

Step 2: Pick lean entrees

Panda splits neatly into two buckets: breaded-and-sauced dishes (higher calorie, higher fat) and grilled or stir-fried dishes (leaner, more protein per calorie). Here is the lineup sorted so you can see the spread.

The pattern is obvious: anything breaded and glazed (Orange Chicken, Beijing Beef) costs you nearly a full meal's worth of calories, while the stir-fried and grilled options sit between 150 and 300. You can eat two Broccoli Beefs for fewer calories than one Orange Chicken.

Sample plates under 600 calories

Put the two decisions together and the math is easy. Every plate below is 1 side plus 2 entrees.

The leanest plate: ~430 calories

Super Greens (90) + Broccoli Beef (150) + String Bean Chicken Breast (190). Light, high in volume, and you will walk out feeling fine instead of foggy.

The high-protein plate: ~540 calories

Super Greens (90) + Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (300) + Black Pepper Angus Steak (210). This is the one to build if you lift. You get a big protein hit from two meat-forward entrees without any breading.

The "I want rice" plate: ~590 calories

Half Super Greens / half White Rice (~235) + Mushroom Chicken (220) + Black Pepper Angus Steak (210). Rounds to roughly 665, so tighten it: go full Super Greens here and you drop to ~520. If you truly want rice and still want under 600, pair it with the two leanest entrees (Broccoli Beef and String Bean Chicken) for about 575.

The one-entree bowl: ~580 calories

Super Greens (90) + Orange Chicken (490). Yes, you can still have the Orange Chicken. Just make it a bowl, put it on greens, and accept that it is the whole calorie budget. Logging it honestly in TrackBiteX before you order makes this an easy call instead of a guilt spiral.

The three rules that keep you under 600

1. Never double up on starch. Rice plus chow mein plus a sauced entree is a 1,000-calorie tray before you blink. Pick one starch at most.
2. Breaded means budget. If you want Orange Chicken, Beijing Beef, or Honey Walnut Shrimp, make it your only entree and pair it with greens.
3. Grilled and stir-fried are your friends. Broccoli Beef, String Bean Chicken, and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken give you the most food and protein for the fewest calories.

How Panda stacks up against other fast food

A smartly built Panda plate competes with the leanest options anywhere. A 540-calorie, protein-heavy Panda plate beats plenty of "healthy" picks elsewhere. For reference, a Chipotle chicken bowl can easily clear 700 once you add rice, beans, cheese, and guac, and a Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Club runs 430 calories for the sandwich alone. Even a McDonald's 6-piece McNuggets (270) plus a small fries (230) lands at 500 with far less protein than two Panda entrees. The lesson: it is not the restaurant, it is the build. Compare the full menus across chains on our calorie database and you will see the same pattern everywhere.

Small tweaks that save real calories

• Skip the egg roll and cream cheese rangoon. Each appetizer piece adds 150 to 190 calories, and they vanish in two bites.
• Watch the fountain drink. A large sweet tea or soda can add 200-plus calories. Water or unsweetened iced tea keeps your plate the plate.
• Ask for extra Super Greens if you want more volume. More food, barely any calories.
• Half-and-half the side. If you cannot give up rice entirely, splitting the side with Super Greens keeps the flavor and halves the starch calories.

Build it right and Panda Express is one of the easier fast-food stops to keep under 600 calories while still hitting 35 to 50 grams of protein. Decide on your side before you get to the counter, keep breaded entrees to one per visit, and log the plate so the numbers stay honest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the healthiest thing to order at Panda Express?

A plate of Super Greens with two grilled or stir-fried entrees, such as Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli Beef, is the leanest, highest-protein order. It lands around 540 calories with plenty of vegetables and minimal added sugar, versus 1,000-plus for a fried rice plate with breaded entrees.

How many calories is Panda Express Orange Chicken?

A standard entree serving of Orange Chicken is roughly 490 calories, with a notable amount of fat and sugar from the breading and glaze. If you want it and still want to stay under 600 calories, order it as a bowl over Super Greens instead of over rice or chow mein.

Is the chow mein or fried rice better for calories?

They are nearly identical and both are high: chow mein is about 510 calories and fried rice about 520 for a full side. Neither is a "light" choice. Super Greens at roughly 90 calories or white rice at about 380 are the lower-calorie side options.

Can I eat Panda Express on a diet?

Yes. Choose Super Greens as your side, lean entrees like String Bean Chicken Breast or Black Pepper Angus Steak, and skip the appetizers and sugary drinks. That approach keeps most plates between 430 and 580 calories while delivering 35 grams of protein or more.

Which Panda Express entree has the most protein?

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and Black Pepper Angus Steak are among the most protein-dense entrees, since they are meat-forward and not bulked up with breading or heavy sauce. Pairing the two gives you a serious protein hit for about 510 calories before the side.

Is a bowl or a plate better for staying under 600 calories?

A plate gives you two entrees for more protein and food volume, which is great if you pick lean options and Super Greens. A bowl is the smarter move only when you want a heavier single entree like Orange Chicken, so you can fit the whole thing under 600.