Honey Sesame Chicken

4.67 from 9 votes

You'll love this copycat recipe for a Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken with perfectly crispy chicken in a sweet & savory sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: asian

Keyword: chicken recipe, copycat recipe, stir fry with chicken

Servings:

Calories: 559kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

For the honey sesame sauce:

⅓ cup soy sauce
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
½ tablespoon ginger paste
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil

For the cornstarch slurry:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

For the veggies:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 large yellow bell peppers
1 cup fresh green beans

For the chicken:

1 lb chicken tenderloins
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup tempura batter mix
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pinch red pepper flakes
vegetable oil for frying

For garnishing:

3 tablespoons sesame seeds
½ cup green onions chopped

Instructions

Prepare the sauce. Combine all ingredients except the cornstarch slurry in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, ½ tablespoon ginger paste, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water for a cornstarch slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce and whisk. Place a lid over the saucepan and turn off the heat, but keep the pan on the burner. Sauce will thicken as remaining steps are completed. 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water
Meanwhile, saute the veggies. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and sesame oil and swirl to coat the pan. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Thinly slice the bell pepper, then cut the pepper slices and green beans into 1” pieces. Add peppers and green beans to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes to soften. 2 large yellow bell peppers, 1 cup fresh green beans
Add 2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or a deep skillet. Heat to 350°F. vegetable oil
Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Prepare a dredging station. Combine eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk well. In a separate bowl combine tempura, cornstarch, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.1 lb chicken tenderloins, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 cup tempura batter mix, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, pinch red pepper flakes
Dredge the chicken in the eggs, allow excess to drip off the chicken then add to the tempura. Toss to coat.
Add chicken to the oil and fry for 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Stop to turn the chicken over halfway through. Work in batches and do not overcrowd the oil. The chicken is done when it tests 165ºF inside. Place fried chicken onto a wire rack lined baking sheet as you work. This is our trick for keeping the chicken crispy.
Add chicken and sautéed veggies to a bowl and pour in the sauce. Toss to coat. Season with sesame seeds and garnish with chopped green onions and more red pepper flakes if you'd like. Serve with rice. 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, ½ cup green onions

Notes

I used a tempura batter mix, but if you don't have this on hand, use 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch. That cornstarch keeps the chicken crispy!
Because the rice vinegar can add to the "salty" flavor of the sauce, it's perfectly fine to use a low sodium soy sauce.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being 1/4 of the chicken and veggies. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition