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No matter how you feel about it, there\u2019s no denying that the most popular item<\/a> sold at Trader Joe\u2019s is its Mandarin Orange Chicken. I used to work for Trader Joe\u2019s, so I know firsthand how wild the frenzy can get about this frozen delight. In the South, where my particular store is, some folks would travel up to 200 miles just to stock up for the month on all of their frozen standbys (cooler bags and ice packs in tow!), which often meant bags upon bags of Mandarin Orange Chicken.<\/p>\n As for me, there are certain Trader Joe\u2019s items<\/a> that hold such specific taste memories for me \u2014 and Mandarin Orange Chicken is one of the most vivid. It was my college standby meal, for when the devil on my shoulder said, \u201cWe could just get Panda Express, couldn\u2019t we?\u201d and the angel on my shoulder said, \u201cSaving money is also really cool, you know.\u201d In this case, the Mandarin Orange Chicken was the perfect compromise, although I think my post-grad spin on this frozen item just might be even better.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Much like the Chinese American takeout classic it emulates, the Trader Joe\u2019s Mandarin Orange Chicken has breaded nuggets of dark meat chicken that crisp up to a golden-brown in the oven (or, better yet, air fryer<\/a>) for eight to 10 minutes. When tossed with the accompanying sweet-spicy-sticky orange sauce, it\u2019s a great break-in-case-of-emergency meal to keep on hand when your DoorDash\/Uber Eats\/Postmates apps start sending you the siren song of coupons and alerts. Served with fluffy rice, roasted broccoli<\/a> (which you can even roast alongside your chicken), and a sprinkling of green onions and chili crunch for a meal that\u2019ll have you go, \u201cTakeout, who?\u201d<\/p>\n Full disclaimer: Trader Joe\u2019s serving sizes are sort of a punchline all their own. This bag says it serves five, but for me it solidly serves my hunger levels at a solid 2.5 servings (two entr\u00e9es plus a little cheeky bowl for when midnight snack time comes around), so proceed with those portions in mind if you\u2019re looking to serve the whole fam.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n On their own, the nuggets are flavored pretty neutrally, so they are a great open-access protein for all kinds of riffing, which I love doing when I want a sauce that\u2019s less on the sweet side (and it is pretty sweet!). I often use it as a shortcut for fried and breaded chicken dishes, like brushing it with a Nashville chicken-style spicy oil<\/a> for mini sliders and mimicking other takeout favorites by mixing up a Korean-inspired gochujang BBQ sauce<\/a> to coat it and serve alongside plenty of banchan<\/a>.<\/p>\n If I really want to put dinner on easy mode, I\u2019ll toss it with another sauce like Buffalo, honey mustard, or a sticky BBQ<\/a> (like Sweet Baby Ray\u2019s) for throwing into a wrap or topping an easy workday-friendly lunch salad that my college self would be very<\/em> impressed by.\u00a0<\/p>\n Find it in stores<\/strong>: Trader Joe\u2019s Mandarin Orange Chicken<\/a>, $4.99 for 22 ounces<\/p>\n Have you tried Trader Joe\u2019s iconic Mandarin Orange Chicken? Tell us about it in the comments below.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat\u2019s So Great About Trader Joe\u2019s Mandarin Orange Chicken?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
What\u2019s the Best Way to Use Trader Joe\u2019s Mandarin Orange Chicken?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n