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Close-up of Panda Express honey sesame chicken recipe with crispy chicken and vegetables

Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe (Copycat)

Crispy fried chicken tossed in a sticky honey sesame sauce with green beans and bell peppers just like Panda Express.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 548 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the chicken batter

  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

For the Veggies

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp. grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper cut into strips
  • 2/3 cup string beans cut into 2-inch strips

For the sauce

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp. water

To finissh

  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds or more depending on how much you want on your final dish.
  • 3 tbsp green onions for garnish

Instructions
 

For the chicken

  • In a bowl, mix together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt
  • In another bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Add the chicken pieces to the egg mixture, stirring to coat.
    1 egg, 1/3 cup water
  • Gradually add the cornstarch mixture to the chicken, stirring until everything is evenly coated with the batter.
    1 lb. boneless
  • Heat the vegetable oil for frying in a large wok or cast iron pot over medium-high heat. You want the oil to reach 350F.
    vegetable oil
  • Carefully add the chicken pieces one by one to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 5-6 minutes. Make sure you are flipping the chicken as you go to ensure that the pieces don't get too dark on one side, Remove the chicken from the oil and set it aside on a paper-lined plate to absorb any excess oil.

For the sauce

  • In the large skillet or a clean wok over medium heat, add the garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons of oil and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the string beans, and yellow bell peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the veggies to another plate and set aside.
    2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. grated ginger, 2/3 cup string beans, 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
    1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tbsp. rice vinegar, 2 tbsp. sesame oil
  • Add the soy sauce mixture to the skillet where we cooked our veggies and bring to a simmer. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water, then add that mixture to the skillet and stir until the sauce thickens.
    1 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 tbsp. water
  • Return the chicken, and the veggies to the skillet and toss to coat with the sauce.
  • Sprinkle sesame seeds, and green onions over the top of the chicken. Serve the sesame chicken with rice and steamed vegetables.
    1 tbsp sesame seeds, 3 tbsp green onions

Nutrition

Calories: 548kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 26gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 1144mgPotassium: 587mgFiber: 2gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 268IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 4mg
Keyword panda express copycat, panda express sesame chicken, sesame chicken
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