Panda Express is one of Chinatown’s most beloved restaurants, boasting an extensive menu full of delectable dishes. One particularly popular entree is their honey sesame chicken.
This dish features thin crispy chicken strips tossed in a stir-fry of red bell peppers and string beans, finished off with an irresistibly sweet honey sesame sauce.
Ingredients
Panda Express Sesame Chicken features battered, fried chicken pieces coated in a honey sesame sauce. A classic Chinese dish often found at fast food restaurants.
The chicken is then coated in a flour/cornstarch mixture to give it an irresistibly crispy coating and added texture to the dish. Finally, honey sauce adds an irresistibly sweet note with its thick syrupy consistency that perfectly complements the chicken.
Another key ingredient in the recipe is sesame oil, which imparts a distinct flavor that other oils cannot duplicate. Ideally, purchase this oil pre-toasted; alternatively, it can also be found in the spice section of your grocery store.
To make this recipe gluten-free, skip the flour coating and instead stir fry the chicken in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Note that this won’t produce quite the same level of crispiness as frying does, so use high quality vegetable oil for optimal results.
Panda Express typically serves this dish with a side of white rice, but you could also try adding steamed broccoli or another vegetable. For an even healthier meal, serve it alongside some bowl of white coconut rice for extra fiber!
If you would like to reduce the spiciness, reduce the amount of sweet chili sauce used in this recipe. You could also substitute liquid aminos for the sweet chili sauce or increase soy sauce by increasing it slightly.
This recipe’s ingredients are generally accessible and should be found in most grocery stores, with the exception of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
This recipe is an ideal way to enjoy the flavors of a fast food restaurant without having to leave your home. It’s simple to prepare and tastes just as good if not better! Best of all? You can enjoy it at home with family and friends or store any leftovers in the freezer for later. For even more recipes like this, subscribe to my Clean Eating Kitchen newsletter for access to my Clean Eating Quick Start Guide as well as all the newest recipes!
Preparation
Panda Express is a well-known chain restaurant that consistently updates their menu to satisfy their customers. One such dish, honey sesame chicken, made its debut in 2013 and returned permanently since then.
While the original recipe can be quite fiery, there are ways to reduce it for those who don’t enjoy spice. Some people even add liquid aminos into the sauce for a less fiery variation.
Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken starts with the batter, which is basically pancake batter. To make it, whisk together dry ingredients (cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper) with an egg and some oil before dredging your chicken in it.
Once the batter has set, add it to the chicken and fry until golden brown and crispy. Be careful not to overcrowd the frying pan; otherwise you might end up with soggy chicken.
Make the delicious sweet, tangy sauce that ties it all together using honey, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, chili paste, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Additionally you will need cornstarch slurry – simply combine corn starch with water to thicken the sauce.
Finally, you’ll need some veggies to go along with the meat and sauce. Sliced bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots make an excellent accompaniment. Serve this dish over rice or quinoa; alternatively try serving over cauliflower rice for lower carbs.
If you’re a fan of Panda Express honey sesame chicken, don’t miss out on this easy copycat recipe! It takes no time to prepare and tastes just as delicious – making it the perfect meal to serve when friends come over or having a casual dinner at home. Bonus: you can freeze leftovers for later!
Cooking
In October 2020, Panda Express brought back their beloved honey sesame chicken entree. This dish features crispy battered chicken strips, bell peppers and green beans simmered in a sweet and savory sauce with real sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
This entree is offered a la carte, so you can order it with any of their sides like chow mein, white rice or fried rice. As one of the few entrees at this fast food chain that doesn’t contain any heat, it may be ideal for those who avoid spicy dishes.
YouTube food reviewer Fast Food Pit Stops assured fans of the dish’s lack of heat, offering up only flavor. He noted how vegetables remain crisp while chicken remains tender and sweet.
This weeknight meal is ideal: quick to prepare, healthy and delicious! To create the crispy coating on the chicken breasts, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and water.
Next, fry the chicken until it’s golden brown and cooked through. Afterward, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any oil.
You can use any chicken breast you have on hand, but I suggest boneless skinless strips for a smoother texture. For extra kick of spice, add sliced red finger chilies to the stir-fry!
To make the sauce, mix together honey, soy sauce or tamari, garlic, sesame oil and vinegar. You may wish to add a few drops of toasted sesame oil for extra flavor.
This panda express sesame chicken recipe is both easy to make and unbelievably tasty! It has just enough sweetness, savory kick, and toasted sesame flavor for an irresistible dinner dish that pairs perfectly with either steamed rice or cauliflower rice.
This dish is best enjoyed right away to maintain its crispiness, but it can also be reheated. I prefer to reheat mine in my air fryer at 400 degrees for around 5 minutes, but you could also microwave or bake it.
Serving
Panda Express recently added Honey Sesame Chicken to their permanent menu. If you’re unfamiliar with this dish, it consists of thin strips of chicken breast wok-tossed in fresh string beans and yellow bell peppers before being topped off with sweet honey sesame sauce and sesame seeds.
Panda Express first offered this dish as a limited-time offer in 2013, and since then it’s become a staple at participating locations. With such an enthusiastic fanbase, it’s definitely worth giving this dish a try!
Panda Express is celebrating the addition of honey sesame chicken to their permanent menu by giving away a year’s supply in the form of a $365 gift card! All you have to do is enter their sweepstakes before October 25th!
This dish is ideal to include as part of your Chinese dinner menu. It takes only minutes to prepare and pairs perfectly with rice or noodles.
If you’re looking for a healthier version of this dish, swap out the white meat for chicken thighs or shrimp. And for an even lower carb option, serve it over rice or zucchini noodles.
Fast Food Nutrition states that a 5.3-ounce serving of honey sesame chicken contains 490 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 480 milligrams of sodium – or roughly one third the American Heart Association’s daily recommended intake.
Though high in calories and fat, this recipe for a popular Asian dish that features deep-fried ingredients is actually quite healthy. Not only that, but it’s packed full of essential vitamins and minerals like fiber and protein as well.
This dish is mildly spicy, but you can adjust the level of heat according to your preferences. It calls for sweet chili sauce and soy sauce; if you would prefer less heat in each ingredient, simply reduce them accordingly.
Panda Express customers love this dish so much, many customers order it every time they visit the restaurant. In September, the chain even launched a merch line in honor of this popular entree – something rarely done for popular dishes that get their own merchandise. There’s an array of apparel to choose from – whether you need something funny for your next birthday party or an adult onesie featuring pandas and fortune cookies as the image!