Not Orange Chicken: Trader Joe's Stocks Another Beloved Panda Express Dupe

If you can name a Trader Joe's dish more iconic than the Mandarin Orange Chicken, we applaud you. The fan-favorite ready-to-cook meal has been a staple of freezer aisles since it was introduced to the store in 2004, and it's long been compared to the signature Panda Express dish. If you're a repeat customer, then there's another Panda Express dupe at Trader Joe's that you should try: Honey Walnut Shrimp.

In the product description, the retailer says that the frozen dish was inspired by the numerous restaurant versions already out there. But we all know which honey walnut shrimp reigns king in the world of fast food. The Panda Express iteration features large tempura-battered shrimp that have been tossed in a wok with a sweet sauce and topped with crunchy glazed walnuts. Trader Joe's changes things up slightly with a lighter batter and a pineapple-hinted sauce.

The package contains a creamy sauce and walnuts, too, all of which are packaged separately. To assemble it, you simply saute or bake the shrimp, toss them with the sauce and nuts, and serve with rice or noodles. A store-bought version will probably never live up to a homemade honey walnut shrimp, but this is a cheap, easy option that's handy to have stocked in the freezer.

Some people have good things to say about the Honey Walnut Shrimp online. One blogger wrote, "The shrimp can bake up nicely, golden, crunchy, and satisfyingly crispy, especially if you throw them in the air fryer. That crunch is pretty irresistible, and the sauce is sweet and creamy." A YouTube user said in a video, "If you like the sweetness of Panda Express ... you'll like this". On Instagram, someone wrote, "I made this Honey Walnut Shrimp last night and I have to say – I LOVED it! It's not overly sweet like I thought it would be."

That being said, the dish can be controversial. There are a lot of customers who don't enjoy the sauce, especially if they aren't pineapple fans. One Reddit user called it "excruciatingly sweet," and another said it was "grainy and overly sweet." Some people simply use less sauce to solve the problem, about half the packet provided, but you can add in a dollop of mayo to tame it, too.

You could also try incorporating other sauces, like a honey chili garlic sauce or sriracha, to change up the flavor, or just make your own four-ingredient honey walnut sauce. Either way, airfrying the shrimp seems to be the way to go, but it may take longer than the instructions recommend. If you want to make a healthier, less indulgent version, here's an easy grilled honey walnut shrimp – but when you're in a pinch, Trader Joe's can be a great option.