Keto and Low Carb at Panda Express: What You Can Actually Eat in 2026

The ketogenic diet has become one of the most popular eating approaches in recent years, and for good reason many people find it effective for weight loss, blood sugar management, and sustained energy levels throughout the day. But eating keto at a fast food restaurant is notoriously difficult. Most fast food menus are built around bread, rice, noodles, and starchy sides, all of which are off-limits on a ketogenic diet.

Panda Express is no exception to this challenge. The menu features a lot of rice, noodles, and sauces with significant sugar content. However, with the right knowledge, it is possible to put together a low-carb or even keto compatible meal at Panda Express. This guide gives you exactly what you need to know.

Below you will find the best keto options at Panda Express, a ready-made Panda Express keto order, and the exact net carbs for every item, so you can follow a keto diet at Panda Express without guessing.

Understanding Keto Basics

A standard ketogenic diet typically limits net carbohydrates to between 20 and 50 grams per day. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber from total carbohydrates. Staying within this range puts your body into ketosis, a metabolic state where it burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. So what is keto at Panda Express? It means building your plate from grilled, lower sugar entrées and a vegetable side instead of rice or noodles.

To find your own daily carb limit, use our daily macro calculator.

For reference, a single serving of Panda Express Fried Rice contains 87 grams of carbohydrates. That alone would exceed the daily carb limit for most people on a strict keto diet. Orange Chicken has 53 grams of carbs per serving. Even Chow Mein comes in at 80 grams of carbs.

This means the standard Panda Express ordering approach is completely incompatible with keto. But with smart substitutions, things look much better.

The Best Low Carb Options at Panda Express

Lowest Carb Entrées

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is your best friend on a low carb diet at Panda Express. At 12 grams of total carbs, it is the most keto compatible entrée available. The chicken is grilled rather than breaded, which eliminates the significant carb content that comes from breading and starchy sauces.

Broccoli Beef and String Bean Chicken Breast are also solid options. Both come in around 13 grams of carbs, and both are relatively high in protein and fiber from the vegetables, which means the net carb count is even lower.

The Only Keto-Friendly Side: Super Greens

Super Greens is the only side option at Panda Express that is remotely compatible with a low carb or keto diet. At 11 grams of total carbs with significant fiber content, the net carb count comes out to roughly 6–7 grams. Every other side option has between 80 and 87 grams of carbohydrates, which is more than most keto dieters eat in 3–4 days combined.

What a Keto Compatible Panda Express Meal Looks Like

Option 1: The Basic Keto Bowl

• Super Greens (~16g net carbs)
• Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (~8g net carbs)
• Total net carbs: ~24g

This combination is actually keto compatible for most people. It delivers good protein, vegetables, and keeps net carbs under 20 grams. This is the simplest Panda Express keto order, and the one most people following a keto diet at Panda Express start with.

Option 2: Low Carb Double Protein Plate

• Super Greens (~16g net carbs)
• Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (~8g net carbs)
• Broccoli Beef (~13g net carbs)
• Total net carbs: ~37g

This one pushes slightly above strict keto limits but is very reasonable for a low carb approach. If you are not strictly keto but are simply trying to reduce carbs, this is an excellent balanced meal.

Option 3: String Bean Chicken Focus

• Super Greens (~16g net carbs)
• String Bean Chicken Breast (~13g net carbs)
• Mushroom Chicken (~11g net carbs)
• Total net carbs: ~40g

Another low carb combination with high protein content and a variety of vegetables.

The Sauce Problem on Keto

One of the biggest hidden carb sources at Panda Express is the sauces. Many entrées are cooked with sweet sauces that contain significant sugar content. Here is what to watch:

• Orange Chicken sauce: Very high in sugar this is what gives Orange Chicken its signature sweet flavor, but it also adds significant carbs
• Beijing Beef sauce: Also high in sugar
• Teriyaki sauce: Contains sugar, but in smaller amounts relative to the protein content of the dish

If you are being very strict about carb intake, you can ask for entrées to be prepared with less sauce or sauce on the side. This gives you control over how much sweet sauce you actually consume.

Items to Completely Avoid on Keto

Some menu items are completely off limits for anyone following a ketogenic or strict low carb diet:

• Fried Rice: 82g carbs
• Chow Mein: 65g carbs
• Steamed White Rice: 87g carbs
• Orange Chicken: 45g carbs
• Beijing Beef: 46g carbs
• Honey Walnut Shrimp: 35g carbs
• Veggie Spring Rolls: 27g carbs
• Chicken Egg Rolls: 20g carbs per roll

Panda Express Keto Menu: What Is Keto, Borderline, and What to Skip

Here is the Panda Express keto menu at a glance, so you can see in seconds what fits keto at Panda Express and what does not.

Keto friendly (about 10 to 11g net carbs each):

• Grilled Teriyaki Chicken: 8g total carbs, 8g net
• Broccoli Beef: 13g total carbs, 13g net
• String Bean Chicken Breast: 13g total carbs, 13g net
• Mushroom Chicken: 11g total carbs, 11g net
• Super Greens (the only keto diet side): 16g total carbs, roughly 11 to 16g net

Borderline (low carb, but not strict keto):

• Kung Pao Chicken: 14g total carbs, 14g net.
• With Super Greens it reaches about 21g net carbs, just over a strict 20g limit.
• Black Pepper Chicken: 14g total carbs, 14g net.

On its own it uses almost an entire day of strict keto carbs, so save it for a moderate low carb day.

Skip on a keto diet:

• Fried Rice (82g), Steamed White Rice (86g), Chow Mein (65g)
• Beijing Beef (46g), Orange Chicken (45g),Honey Walnut Shrimp (35g)

Not sure which keto food at Panda Express fits your daily limit? Check any combination in the Panda Express meal builder browse every item on the Panda Express menu nutrition page, or read our full Panda Express keto options guide.

Is Panda Express Really Keto Friendly?

The honest answer is: it can work, but it requires significant customization and menu navigation knowledge. Panda Express was not designed with keto in mind it is a Chinese-American fast food concept where rice and noodles are central to the experience.

That said, if you are following a moderate low carb approach rather than strict keto, Panda Express is actually quite workable. The combination of grilled proteins and vegetable based sides gives you a genuinely nutritious meal that happens to be low in carbohydrates. In short, a Panda Express keto friendly meal is possible, but only if you choose the right entrée and side.

For strict keto followers who want to keep net carbs under 20 grams per day, the options are limited but they do exist. The key is to order Super Greens as your side and choose from the grilled or lightly sauced protein entrées.

Practical Tips for Ordering Keto at Panda Express

1. Always start with Super Greens This is non negotiable on keto. No other side is remotely compatible with a low-carb diet.

2. Choose grilled over breaded Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is significantly lower in carbs than breaded options like Orange Chicken because the breading adds a substantial amount of carbohydrates.

3. Ask about sauce options Asking for less sauce or sauce on the side reduces the sugar content of your meal without sacrificing all the flavor.

4. Skip the appetizers Spring rolls, egg rolls, and cream cheese rangoon are all high in carbs and add unnecessary carb load to your meal.

5. Check the nutrition calculator before ordering Use the nutrition tool on this site to see the exact carb count for any combination before you commit. It is the fastest way to verify that your order fits your daily carb budget.

Final Thoughts

Eating keto or low carb at Panda Express is challenging but absolutely possible if you know what to look for. The key principles are simple: always choose Super Greens as your side, focus on grilled or lightly sauced proteins, and avoid anything breaded, fried, or paired with heavy sweet sauces. Whether you are looking for keto options at Panda Express or a low carb Panda Express order, the principle is the same: grilled protein plus Super Greens.

For best results, use the nutrition calculator on this site to build your low-carb meal before you order. You can see the exact carb count for any combination and confirm that it fits within your daily carb limit.