Weight Loss
Best Low-Calorie Panda Express Orders in 2026
The best low-calorie Panda Express orders in 2026, from Super Greens bowls under 400 calories to Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, with official nutrition.
The short answer
The best low-calorie order at Panda Express in 2026 is a Bowl with Super Greens and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken: about 460 calories and 46 grams of protein, based on Panda's published nutrition. For under 400 calories, Super Greens with Broccoli Beef comes to about 370 calories and 25 grams of protein. The classic chow mein and Orange Chicken bowl, by comparison, is about 1,080 calories.
The side you pick at Panda Express matters more than the entree. A serving of Super Greens is 180 calories. Chow mein is 520, white rice is 570 and fried rice is 610. That one choice can swing your meal by 400 calories before you even get to the chicken.
Panda Express publishes calories, protein and sodium for every base, entree and appetizer, so you can build a light plate before you reach the counter. Here's what to order, using the per-serving numbers on Panda Express's nutrition page.
What is the lowest calorie side at Panda Express?#
Super Greens is the lowest calorie side at Panda Express, with 180 calories and 8 grams of protein per 10 oz serving. Every other base is at least 340 calories more:
| Base (per serving) | Calories | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Greens (10 oz) | 180 | 8 g | 660 mg |
| Chow Mein (12 oz) | 520 | 14 g | 1,040 mg |
| White Steamed Rice (12 oz) | 570 | 11 g | 0 mg |
| Chow Fun* (12 oz) | 580 | 13 g | 1,570 mg |
| Quinoa Fried Rice* (12 oz) | 600 | 15 g | 740 mg |
| Fried Rice (12 oz) | 610 | 15 g | 810 mg |
*Regional or limited-time item. Nutrition from pandaexpress.com as of October 2026.
Swapping white rice for Super Greens saves 390 calories. White rice is the only base with no sodium, so it's still worth considering if your entree is salty and you have room for the carbs.
What are the lowest calorie entrees at Panda Express?#
The lowest calorie meat entrees at Panda Express are Mushroom Chicken (180 calories), Broccoli Beef (190), Black Pepper Sirloin Steak (200) and String Bean Chicken Breast (210). Grilled Teriyaki Chicken costs a bit more at 280 calories, but it has more than twice the protein of any of them:
| Entree (per serving) | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 cal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Greens (entree size) | 45 | 3 g | 6.7 g |
| Mushroom Chicken | 180 | 13 g | 7.2 g |
| Broccoli Beef | 190 | 17 g | 8.9 g |
| Black Pepper Sirloin Steak | 200 | 17 g | 8.5 g |
| Black Pepper Chicken* | 200 | 15 g | 7.5 g |
| String Bean Chicken Breast | 210 | 15 g | 7.1 g |
| Kung Pao Chicken | 270 | 20 g | 7.4 g |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 280 | 38 g | 13.6 g |
| Eggplant Tofu* | 310 | 8 g | 2.6 g |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp | 340 | 13 g | 3.8 g |
| Honey Sesame Chicken Breast | 420 | 16 g | 3.8 g |
| Beijing Beef | 480 | 14 g | 2.9 g |
| The Original Orange Chicken | 560 | 19 g | 3.4 g |
*Regional or limited-time item. Portions are hand-served, so your plate can vary from the listed serving.
Panda lists Teriyaki Sauce separately, at 70 calories and 14 grams of sugar per serving. If your teriyaki chicken comes with sauce poured on, count it.
What's the best low-calorie meal at Panda Express?#
The best low-calorie meal at Panda Express is a Bowl (one base, one entree) with Super Greens and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken. These orders are added up from Panda's published values:
| Order | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Bowl: Super Greens + Mushroom Chicken | 360 | 21 g |
| Bowl: Super Greens + Broccoli Beef | 370 | 25 g |
| Bowl: Super Greens + Black Pepper Sirloin Steak | 380 | 25 g |
| Bowl: Super Greens + String Bean Chicken Breast | 390 | 23 g |
| Bowl: Super Greens + Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 460 | 46 g |
| Plate: Super Greens + Grilled Teriyaki Chicken + Super Greens entree | 505 | 49 g |
| Plate: Super Greens + Grilled Teriyaki Chicken + Broccoli Beef | 650 | 63 g |
The Super Greens and teriyaki Bowl is the best balance: 46 grams of protein for 460 calories. Panda itself suggests Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Super Greens as one of its Wok Smart meal combinations. If you'd rather have rice, Panda's other suggested pairing, Broccoli Beef with White Steamed Rice, comes to about 760 calories and 28 grams of protein.
Protein is worth prioritizing when you're eating less. Higher-protein diets help preserve lean muscle and improve fullness during weight loss, according to a review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
How many calories are in a Panda Express plate?#
A Panda Express Plate (one base, two entrees) is 430 to 1,640 calories, depending on what you pick, according to Panda's ordering page. The base and the battered entrees make the difference. Here's how the popular orders compare, from Panda's item values:
- Chow mein + The Original Orange Chicken (Bowl): about 1,080 calories and 33 grams of protein.
- Fried rice + The Original Orange Chicken (Bowl): about 1,170 calories and 34 grams.
- Chow mein + Orange Chicken + Beijing Beef (Plate): about 1,560 calories and 47 grams.
- Super Greens + Grilled Teriyaki Chicken + Broccoli Beef (Plate): about 650 calories and 63 grams.
The last Plate has more protein than the classic orange chicken plate for about 900 fewer calories. If you want to build a Bigger Plate for muscle gain instead, see our guide to Panda Express orders to bulk up.
What should you skip at Panda Express when you're trying to lose weight?#
Skip the sweet, battered entrees, the rice and noodle bases, and the fried appetizers. They add the most calories for the least protein:
- The Original Orange Chicken: 560 calories, 19 grams of protein, 24 grams of sugar.
- Beijing Beef: 480 calories, 14 grams of protein, 21 grams of sugar.
- Honey Sesame Chicken Breast: 420 calories, 16 grams of protein.
- Fried Rice: 610 calories per serving, 430 more than Super Greens.
- Vegetable Spring Rolls (2): 240 calories, 4 grams of protein. Cream Cheese Rangoon (3 pieces) are 190 calories with 5 grams.
Drinks count too. A 30 oz Coca-Cola is 360 calories at Panda; Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar are 0.
How do you keep sodium down at Panda Express?#
Pick entrees under 650 mg and watch the base. Many Panda entrees are salty: Kung Pao Chicken has 1,300 mg per serving, Black Pepper Chicken 1,070 mg and Mushroom Chicken 820 mg. Super Greens adds 660 mg, so even a light Bowl can pass 1,200 mg. The FDA recommends less than 2,300 mg a day.
The lower-sodium entrees are Black Pepper Sirloin Steak (560 mg), Broccoli Beef (600 mg), String Bean Chicken Breast (600 mg) and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (610 mg). Go easy on soy sauce, which is 380 mg per packet. Our guide to low-sodium restaurant orders has more ideas.
For local Chinese restaurants that don't publish nutrition, our guide to healthy Chinese and Thai takeout covers which dishes tend to run lighter. Menu Scan AI can also help: snap the menu with your iPhone and it estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat for each dish from the menu descriptions. Treat the results as estimates, not lab values. The app is free to download; its listing says an annual subscription is required for full access, including menu scanning and AI nutrition analysis.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the lowest calorie entree at Panda Express?#
The entree-size Super Greens is the lowest at 45 calories. Among the meat entrees, Mushroom Chicken is the lowest at 180 calories, followed by Broccoli Beef at 190, according to Panda Express.
How many calories are in a Panda Express Bowl with Super Greens?#
A Bowl with Super Greens is about 360 to 460 calories with the lighter entrees: 370 with Broccoli Beef, 390 with String Bean Chicken Breast and 460 with Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, based on Panda's per-serving values.
Is Grilled Teriyaki Chicken healthy at Panda Express?#
It's the best entree for protein: 280 calories and 38 grams of protein per serving. Panda lists Teriyaki Sauce separately at 70 calories and 14 grams of sugar, so add that if your order includes it.
How many calories are in Panda Express Orange Chicken?#
A serving of The Original Orange Chicken has 560 calories, 19 grams of protein and 24 grams of sugar. With a serving of chow mein, the Bowl comes to about 1,080 calories.
Is Super Greens or white rice better for weight loss?#
Super Greens. It's 180 calories per serving versus 570 for White Steamed Rice, a difference of 390 calories, for only 3 fewer grams of protein (8 versus 11). White rice has no sodium, though, while Super Greens has 660 mg.
Sources#
- Panda Express: Nutrition & Allergen Information, calories, protein, sugar and sodium for every base, entree, appetizer, sauce and drink
- Panda Express: Wok Smart menu, Panda's suggested Wok Smart meal combinations
- Leidy et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2015), the role of protein in weight loss and maintenance
- FDA: Sodium in Your Diet, the 2,300 mg daily sodium limit