Honey Sesame Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)

We love Chinese food, but takeout for the whole family can be expensive. This flavorful Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken recipe is so easy to make at home you can skip the restaurant and save money.

Honey Sesame Chicken is a delicious and satisfying meal that always hits the right spot. It is the perfect combination of savory and sweet and always makes me feel full and satisfied.

Nothing beats homemade honey sesame chicken. It’s seriously one of my favorite meals! This simple recipe for chicken breast with honey sesame takes just over 30 minutes to make and is affordable. Plus, like my easy chicken meatballs, it freezes and reheats well.

Why make this recipe

• Better than takeout – Crispy chicken with honey sesame is a favorite take-away option. This homemade version is easy to make and tastes delicious.
• It’s fast – I can make this at home faster than I can get it delivered from my favorite Chinese restaurant.
• Crowd pleaser – Crispy chicken and vegetables bathed in a sweet and sour sauce. What’s not to love?

Ingredient notes

• Chicken – Cut the boneless chicken fillet into equal strips. You can also make honey sesame chicken thighs.
• Bell pepper – Roughly chop a yellow pepper. You can use any color of sweet pepper.
• Green beans – Cut fresh green beans into 1-2 inch pieces.
• Vegetable oil – Select your favorite oil for frying.
• Dredging – a combination of all-purpose flour, cornstarch and baking soda creates a crispy coating.
• Spices – Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Egg – Beat a room temperature egg to coat the chicken.
• Olive oil – Or use your favorite light oil with a neutral taste. Sesame oil can also be substituted and gives the dish a nutty flavor.
• Garnish – Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion.
• HAn – Honey makes a thick sweet sauce.
• Hot sauce – Add your favorite hot sauce for some spice. Omit if desired.
• Pickles – A combination of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice gives the sticky honey-sesame sauce a hint of sourness. You can also use rice vinegar (rice wine vinegar) instead of ACV.
• Water And Corn starch – To thicken the sauce.

Ready to make this delicious Honey Sesame Chicken? Gather your ingredients and I’ll show you…

How do you make Panda Express honey sesame chicken?

See the full ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Fill a cast iron skillet with 1 to 1½ inches of oil and heat to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
2. While the oil heats, cut the chicken fillets into strips and pat dry with paper towels.
3. In a shallow bowl, beat an egg and add salt, pepper and a tablespoon of olive oil.
4. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda and cornstarch.
5. Dip the chicken strips in the egg mixture and then roll them in the flour mixture until coated.
6. Fry the chicken strips in hot oil for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown. Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F/74 degrees C. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil.
7. In a separate pan, fry the pepper strips and green beans in olive oil for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
8. Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring with a spatula or a whisk, until smooth and thick.
9. Mix the roast chicken with the vegetables and the sweet honey sauce and heat everything together for 2-3 minutes.
10. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Note: Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165 degrees F/74 degrees C when placed in the thickest part of the chicken.

Expert tips

• Dry your chicken with paper towels Before coating it in the dredging mixtures, it will adhere better and the chicken will bake crispier.
• you you don’t need a fancy deep fryer or wok to cook this recipe. Two inches of hot oil in a cast iron skillet or pan will cook the chicken perfectly.
• Make sure the pan is not too full while frying. Cook the chicken in batches, making sure to keep the oil temperature around 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
• Usage high-quality honey because it is a central part of the dish.
• Let the sauce thicken properly before adding the chicken and vegetables. This will help prevent the chicken from getting soggy.

Delicious variations

• Add soy sauce – Add soy sauce or tamari to the honey sauce for more umami flavor.
• Add more vegetables – Add your favorite vegetables, such as onions, broccoli, snow peas and fresh garlic.
• Chop the chicken finely – You can cut the chicken into smaller pieces instead of strips.
• Swap the egg whites – Prepared with your favorite protein such as shrimp or beef.
• Adjust the heat – Increase or decrease the amount of hot sauce to make this dish more or less spicy.
• Use other pieces of chicken– This recipe works well with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Preparation and storage

• To prepare – If using frozen chicken, allow it to thaw completely.
• Store – Leftover honey sesame chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To freeze – Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Heat up – Heat in a frying pan over medium heat until the chicken is warm and crispy. When reheated, the chicken will not be as crispy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Similar recipes

Serve with

• An awesome skillet for easy and even cooking.
• Sharp knives so that the preparatory work becomes a piece of cake.
• This digital flesh thermometer ensures your chicken is done.
• For the best tools to make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.

Weight Watchers points

There are 9 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one portion of this.

Thanks for reading my Panda Express Copycat Chicken recipe post. And please stop by again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot recipes, Southern recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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