Honey Sesame Chicken Panda Express Copycat

If you love Honey Sesame Chicken from Panda Express, then you'll love that you can make it right at home! This easy copycat recipe has the same crispy succulent fried chicken, along with green beans and bell peppers in a sticky honey hot sauce, and of course, sesame seeds.

If you're a fan of Chinese-American cuisine, then you're probably familiar with Panda Express and their delicious Honey Sesame Chicken.

But did you know that you can make a copycat version of this popular dish right in your own kitchen?

With just a few simple ingredients, you can recreate the sweet and savory flavors of Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken in no time!

My family goes crazy for this recipe! And I love that it's cheaper to make it at home.

When we do go to Panda Express, we always get this dish (okay, and the Orange Chicken too!)

Ingredients

• Chicken: You'll need skinless boneless chicken breasts for this recipe.
• Green Beans - Fresh works better than frozen or canned in this recipe. Cut them into 2-inch pieces.
• Yellow Bell Peppers - Or you could swap them for green, orange, or red bell peppers.
• Egg - to bind the wet coating to the chicken.
• Flour - Regular all-purpose flour helps the fried chicken get a crispy coating.
• Cornstarch - A trick to get the chicken even crispier.
• Baking soda - Adding a little to the flour mixture gives the coating a great texture.
• Salt and Pepper - to season the chicken.
• Sesame Seeds - I use white sesame seeds, but black or a mix work great too.
• Oil - use your favorite frying oil.

For the honey hot sauce, you'll need:

• Honey - regular clear, runny honey.
• Hot Sauce - I use Franks, but you could use Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - to balance the flavors in the sauce.
• Lemon juice - for more acidity.
• Cornstarch - to thicken the sauce
• Water - To add bulk to the sauce.

See the recipe card for the full method and quantities.

Instructions

If you're wondering how to make this Honey Sesame Chicken Panda Express recipe, don't worry, it's easy!

Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.

Add the 2 tablespoons of oil, egg, salt, and pepper to a bowl and whisk to combine.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and cornstarch.

Cut the chicken into strips, then dip each strip in the egg mixture to coat, then the flour mixture to coat. Set aside on a plate.

Heat 1-inch of oil in a large deep skillet, over medium/high heat. Add the chicken and fry for approximately 4-7 minutes or until golden, then turn each piece with tongs and cook for a further 4 minutes or until golden and cooked through (depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches, ensure the chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165F with a meat thermometer).

Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Add a little more oil to a skillet then add the strips of bell pepper and the green beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the sauce, add the honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and water to a saucepan over a medium-low heat, whisking, until hot.

Stir the cornstarch into 1 tablespoon of water and whisk it into the sauce, then heat for a further few minutes until thick.

Add the fried chicken, cooked veggies, and sauce to a pan and gently stir to coat it all in the sauce. Heat for a few minutes.

Serve the chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Serving Suggestions

1. Rice: Serve the Honey Sesame Chicken over steamed white or brown rice for a classic Chinese-American meal.
2. Noodles: Try serving the dish over cooked egg noodles or rice noodles for a different texture and flavor.
3. Stir-fry: Add some vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots to the dish to create a delicious and colorful stir-fry.
4. Fried rice: Serve it on a bed of fried rice.

What is Panda Express?

Panda Express is a fast-casual restaurant chain that specializes in Chinese-American cuisine.

The company was founded in 1983 in Glendale, California, by Andrew Cherng and his father, Ming-Tsai Cherng.

Today, Panda Express is one of the largest Chinese-American fast food chains in the United States, with over 2,200 locations across the country and in several other countries.

Some of their most popular dishes include Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, and of course, this Honey Sesame Chicken.

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📖 Recipe

Honey Sesame Chicken Panda Express Copycat

Kate | Wow Easy Recipes

Copycat Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken has crispy fried chicken, green beans, and bell peppers in a honey hot sauce, with sesame seeds.

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 306 kcal

Equipment

• Large skillet
• Saucepan
• Tongs

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 chicken breasts (cut into strips)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
• ⅔ cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• Oil (for frying)
• 1 yellow bell pepper (deseeded and cut into strips)
• ⅔ cup green beans (trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces)
• Sesame seeds (to serve)

For the sauce

• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

 

• Cut the chicken breasts into strips.
• Add the 2 tablespoons of oil, egg, salt, and pepper to a bowl and whisk to combine.
• In another bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch and baking soda.
• Dip each chicken strip in the egg mixture to coat, then the flour mixture to coat. Set aside on a plate.
• Heat 1-inch of oil in a large deep skillet, over medium/high heat. Add the chicken and fry for approximately 4-7 minutes or until golden, then turn each piece with tongs and cook for a further 4 minutes or until golden and cooked through (depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches, ensure the chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165F with a meat thermometer).
• Remove the cooked chicken from the pan with tongs or a slotted spoon, and set it aside on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Add a little more oil to a skillet then add the strips of bell pepper and the green beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• To make the sauce, add the honey, water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice to a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking, until hot.
• Stir the cornstarch into 1 tablespoon of water and whisk it into the sauce, then heat for a further few minutes until thick.
• Add the fried chicken, cooked veggies, and sauce to a pan and gently stir to coat it all in the sauce. Heat for a few minutes.
• Serve the chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 19gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 457mgPotassium: 405mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Keyword honey sesame chicken, Panda Express Copycat

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