What should I order at Panda Express for high protein?
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken carries the most protein of any regularly orderable entree, 33 g for 275 calories, and it also has the best protein-to-calorie ratio on the whole menu. Nothing else comes close on either count. Figures come from Panda Express's own nutrition information page, current as of August 2026.
Key takeaways
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is both the highest-protein regular entree and the best protein-to-calorie ratio on the menu, 33 g for 275 calories.
- Most entrees here carry less protein than their portion size suggests: several sit at 15 to 17 g even in a full regular-size order.
- A plain 'Teriyaki Chicken' at 41 g of protein does exist on Panda Express's nutrition page, but it's a catering party-tray item sold by the pan, not something you can order at the counter.
- Black Pepper Sirloin Steak is the leanest entree by calories, 180 for 19 g of protein, just under most smaller-appetite calorie targets.
Panda Express's entrees carry less protein than their portion size suggests across most of the menu, with one clear exception. The figures below come from Panda Express's own nutrition information page, current as of August 2026.
The highest protein items
- 33 gGrilled Teriyaki Chickenregular entree, 275 kcal
- 19 gBlack Pepper Sirloin Steakregular entree, 180 kcal
- 17 gHot Orange Chickenregular entree, 550 kcal
- 17 gKung Pao Chickenregular entree, 320 kcal
- 17 gWok-Fired Shrimpregular entree, 190 kcal
- 16 gOrange Chickenregular entree, 510 kcal
High protein, low calorie: better for a smaller appetite
Panda Express genuinely has little in a typical smaller-appetite calorie band that clears 20 g of protein. Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is the one entree that does so comfortably; the rest are the closest real matches.
- 33 gGrilled Teriyaki Chickenregular entree, 275 kcal
- 19 gBlack Pepper Sirloin Steakregular entree, 180 kcal
- 17 gKung Pao Chickenregular entree, 320 kcal
- 16 gHoney Sesame Chicken Breastregular entree, 340 kcal
- 15 gSteamed Ginger Fishregular entree, 200 kcal
- 15 gSweetFire Chicken Breastregular entree, 360 kcal
Ordering it
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken paired with a side of vegetables, rather than rice or noodles, is the most straightforward way to keep this order high in protein and lower in calories.
- Sauced entrees, orange chicken and its variants especially, carry the most calories for the least protein on this menu.
- Steamed Ginger Fish is worth trying if you want the lowest-calorie entree here and don't need a large portion of protein.
If Taco Bell is more often on your route, the Taco Bell high protein menu works the same way.
If you're managing a GLP-1 prescription and unsure how a heavier order fits your plan for the day, that is a question for your prescriber or dietitian rather than a menu page.
More questions about Fast food
What's the highest protein item at Panda Express?
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, at 33 g of protein for 275 calories, for one regular entree portion. It's well ahead of every other entree on the menu, both in absolute protein and in protein per calorie.
What should I order at Panda Express if I'm on a GLP-1 medication?
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is the clear choice: it's the one entree on this menu that clears 20 g of protein comfortably under 300 calories. Black Pepper Sirloin Steak is a close second at 19 g for 180 calories. Check bigger changes to how you eat around your prescription with your prescriber or dietitian.
Why isn't plain Teriyaki Chicken on this list if it has the most protein?
Panda Express's own nutrition page lists a 'Teriyaki Chicken' at 41 g of protein for 340 calories, but it's confirmed to be a catering item sold in roughly 100 ounce trays for groups, not an entree you can order at the counter. It's left off both lists here because it isn't something an individual customer can actually order.
