It's unlikely you'll find anything if you look for "Hart Authentic Orange Chicken" online - at least I didn't find anything when I looked. It seems that this frozen entree is made by Hart Food Products from Lakewood, CA. I bought it at Grocery Outlet, and I imagine they are their only distributor. Actually, given Hart's pathetic website, it's difficult to believe they are any sort of serious company. Which really tells you something about where Grocery Outlet sources its products. And indeed, orange chicken seems to be one of only three or four products Hart offers (at least it looks that way from this picture at their website).
Anyway, I was in Grocery Outlet yesterday and thought I'd take a look at the frozen stuff they had, as I've been feeling less and less like cooking lately. This orange chicken product didn't seem too bad - at least in comparison to the brand-name frozen food products. Yeah, it has a lot of salt, corn syrup and a myriad of preservatives, but so do all the brand name products. At least it had chicken as its main ingredient :-)
It's not obvious from the picture in the package, but this is really popcorn chicken - which is annoying as that means it has much more breading than you would like. It's uncooked so you need to bake it for 20 minutes, pan fry it for 10 to 15 minutes, or deep fry it for 6 minutes. Then you mix it with the orange sauce which comes in 3 packages. You can't microwave it.
As for the taste, it met our very low expectations. Mike found it too bland, while I thought the chicken had a subtle "off" flavor. The sauce was OK, somewhat orangee and not too sweet.
I'm unlikely to buy it again.
Comments (7)
I just made this for dinner-it was a quick meal with a salad and rice.
Split my pack into thirds so I'll get over 6 servings out of a package.
Added diced onion and cilanto to add to the flavor so I would purchase it again at below 3.00 a package at food4less
Posted by Lee | July 15, 2009 6:04 PM
Posted on July 15, 2009 18:04
the product had to much batter and not enough chicken and I cooked it the recommended best method and it came out very hard. The sauce was decent but there wasn't enough to cover all the chicken I will not purchase this product again as well as I bought the teryaki chicken product I am going to return it to the store for something else.
Posted by Melissa Brown | September 13, 2009 8:52 AM
Posted on September 13, 2009 08:52
Hello Marga. I'm the owner of Hart Food Products, a small business. Just me and my wife trying to raise our 4 babies. Yes my web site is pathetic. I'm a startup business and when I created the web site I didn't have enough money to do it right, and now I just don't have the time to fix it. The nuggets I package are small, as is my price. All competing product retail for 25¢ to 35¢ an ounce verses my retails of 10¢ an ounce. That's a huge savings. Kids also prefer the smaller nuggets. If your on a budget, or have to feed a lot of kids, it's a great value. FYI, if you mix in chopped green onions and a dash of red pepper, it really improves the flavor. I always give prompt refunds to customers who are not satisfied and would be happy to refund your 2 bags. Grocery is not my only retailer, although they are my first and most important one. I will always be deeply grateful to them for the opportunity they gave me, and the success they have brought me. Really good people to work with. I have several retail chains covering the western states and I'm planning to expand into the southern states early next year. I'm also coming out with a pineapple flavor next year. My products have been so successful that I have purchased a building in Paramount and will be setting up my own USDA processing facility. We took a second mortgage 3 years ago to buy the packaging equipment and set it up in a friends processing facility. That facility is now to small now for our expanding volume, hence the new building. Setting up a USDA processing facility is no easy thing, and the expense of it all is terrifying. But We're also excited at the new opportunities this building will bring us. Sorry for the length of this post. Email me and I'll send a refund. Thanks Bill Hall
Posted by Bill Hall | September 22, 2009 7:03 AM
Posted on September 22, 2009 07:03
I bought your product thought if was a flook thought I got the bottom of the barrel"crumbles"didn't even attempt to cook /fry it..my pig will eat anything.the picture looks nothing like the product.will not buy again.re the fact "your terrified" if the heat is to hot get out of the kitchen.I am however impressed that you suggest a refund??
Posted by Beverly Glass | March 3, 2010 5:29 PM
Posted on March 3, 2010 17:29
I am so disappointed in the chicken pieces that I feel I wasted my money on this product the sauce was great but the chicken pieces were to small
Posted by Bridget | August 18, 2010 5:52 PM
Posted on August 18, 2010 17:52
I for one purchase the Orange chicken meals often. My husband and I have rough work schedules that sometimes require a quick and easy meal for us. I think the value of the product is awesome, especially with our failing economy. I have purchased competitors brand and get half of the amount of food, for double the price.
Adding an onion, a bell pepper, or even broccoli can add flavor. Even though the chicken pieces are small, there is a lot, which means I usually can take the lunch the next day with me to work too :) The website is humble, but to the point, which I feel is an element that too many companies look past now-a-days. The website structure however does not take away my impression of the food, or the good taste.
My husband is a chef - and believes food is what you put into it! We cook white and/or fried rice with it as well. I will definitely continue to buy this product & even try the new pineapple flavor due to come out this year.
=)
Posted by Lisa Y | August 19, 2010 10:00 PM
Posted on August 19, 2010 22:00
While on a scout to remind myself where I had bought this product,I came across this blog. I find it to be very, very, well, wrong! I have bought the Orange Chicken before and my 5 kids, husband and I love it. I have even made it for a church function and last Monday, many many months later, I got another call from a church friend wanting my recipe. I happily told her it was Hart, as I did with the at least 15 or more people who also loved it.
This is one of the few dinners that I can make and not hear any complaints, and if you have any kids, you know that is a good night! I have added my own twists to the chicken just to change things up a bit. For example, Panda Express sells their sauces now, and they are great on Hart chicken. Or I have made my own sauces.
We also own our own business, so this has been a life saver on the nights we work late!
I wish people who write blogs about things, would first stop to think how it may impact the company. This is a good, hardworking family business and these types of hurtful things can hurt it. There are other things in this bloggers post that bother me. The mention of the "pathetic website" I find has nothing to do with how the food tastes. It just shows the integrity levels of Marga. I find it sufficient, it tells the products it makes and recipes.
I encourage you to buy the product and make your own educated decision, because the one posted definitely conflicted with ours!
Thank you Hart for making my job as a mother a little easier!
Posted by Katie | August 20, 2010 7:07 AM
Posted on August 20, 2010 07:07