Mandarin Orange Chicken

What is it?

A 22-ounce frozen meal, built around two separate components: breaded dark-meat chicken pieces and a mandarin orange sauce. The split pack means the chicken bakes first, usually at 400°F, so the coating can set before the sauce goes on. Inside the breading, cornstarch and wheat flour work with egg, white pepper, garlic, green onion, and ginger. The sauce is a thick concentrate made from sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, orange peel, mandarin orange peel, and red chili pepper, with modified food starch for body. Trader Joe’s has other frozen chicken meals too, but this one leans on the crisp-then-sauced format. Contains egg, soy, and wheat.