Last Updated on June 28, 2022 by Karen
Crispy chicken coated with a sweet and sticky sauce, this Panda Express Copycat Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken recipe is an all-time favorite. Even better than takeout!
Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken is one of my all-time favorite dishes from Panda Express. One of my pet peeves about ordering takeout is that by the time the food gets here, it is not as hot as I would like it. Dishes that are supposed to be crispy when fresh — such as Sesame Chicken– usually turn out soggy and no longer crispy after sitting in the sauce for a while.
When you taste how delicious this homemade sesame chicken is, you’ll never want to order take-out again! It’s incredibly easy to make and is ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes. This Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken recipe is a staple around here at our house. It’s kid-approved and even picky eaters love it.
Love easy dinner recipes? Make sure to try my Panda Express Copycat Wok-Fried Shrimp and Black Pepper Angus Steak recipes.
What is Honey Sesame Chicken?
Honey sesame chicken is a dish found in Chinese restaurants in the U.S, such as Panda Express. Although it is not authentically Chinese, it is very popular for good reasons. It is made with chicken fried until crispy, and tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce that is the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this Panda Express Copycat Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken:
Chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for the best flavor, or chicken breasts for a lighter option. Make sure the chicken pieces are about the same size so they cook evenly.
Batter: The combination of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and water is used to create a crispy coating for the chicken. The baking powder as gives the coating a light, airy texture.
Oil: You can use any neutral oil with high smoking point, such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
Honey: Honey gives this dish the sweetness.
Soy sauce: I like to use low-sodium soy sauce
Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar has a mild flavor and is commonly used in Asian dishes. You can also substitute with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you don’t have rice vinegar.
Sesame oil: A drizzle of toasted sesame oil adds some complexity to the dish. It can be found online or in the Asian aisle of your local grocery stores.
Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce and make it sticky
Sesame seeds: I prefer the ones that are toasted which add a nice toasted nuttiness to the dish.
How to Make Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken:
1. Prepare the batter and stir in chicken until it coats evenly in the batter.
2. Fry chicken in a skillet or deep fryer until crispy and golden brown. Make sure the temperature of the oil is at 350F. If the oil is too hot, you’ll end up with chicken that is crispy and golden brown on the outside, but may not be completely cooked through inside. If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will absorb oil during frying and become soggy.
3. Make the honey sesame sauce and simmer until thickened. Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat completely. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired before serving.
Tips for cooking crispy and tender chicken
– To ensure your chicken turns out crispy, keep your oil hot at 350F during frying using a thermometer if necessary. I also like to fry in a cast iron pot or Dutch oven because they are better at retaining heat.
– Cook the chicken in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan when frying.
– If your marinate the chicken, be sure to remove it from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking so it is not cold when frying. This prevents the oil temperature from dropping too much when you add the chicken to the oil.
– For extra crispy chicken that STAYS crispy after coating with the sauce, try the double fry technique. Fry the full batch of chicken to light golden brown and remove from oil. Heat the oil up to 350F again and deep fry for a second time (about 2-3 minutes) until it turns golden brown.
Do you need to marinade the chicken?
No, marinating the chicken is not necessary, especially if you use chicken thigh. However, if you use chicken breast, I recommend marinating the chicken in the batter and stored in fridge for at least 1 hour before cooking so it stays nice and tender after frying.
How do you make this dish spicy?
You can add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon (or to taste) Sriracha or chili garlic sauce to the sauce mixture to make it spicy.
How can you make this dish lighter?
If you’re looking for a lighter, healthier version, you can omit the batter and stir fry the chicken in a skillet in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. This variation won’t produce the same crispy coating as frying does, but it will still be flavorful and delicious!
Can you make this Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken recipe completely gluten-free?
This dish can definitely be made gluten-free! Instead of using all-purpose flour in the batter, just substitute with cornstarch. Instead of soy sauce, you can substitute with low-sodium tamari soy sauce which is gluten-free.
How do I store and reheat this dish?
You can store this dish for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-high heat until the chicken is warmed through. Note that the chicken will lose its crispiness when reheated.
Can this dish be made ahead for meal prep?
Absolutely! I actually like to make a double (even triple) batch whenever I make this recipe, to enjoy immediately and for freezer meals later. If you’re making it for meal prep, the trick is to fry the chicken until it is fully cooked inside but just lightly golden brown on the outside. Freeze the fried chicken pieces on a sheet pan and then transfer it to an airtight ziplock bag. When you’re ready to serve, heat oven to 350F and cook chicken until it is crispy and golden brown (about 12 minutes in my convection oven) or you can also reheat in an air fryer. Toss with the sauce (thawed and reheated in a skillet) until evenly coated and serve!
What to serve with this Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken dish?
I like to serve this Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken dish with steamed white or brown rice and some steamed or sauteed veggies (such as garlic broccoli or sugar snap peas) to round out the meal. You can also serve it with lo mein noodles, fried rice, or cauliflower rice.
Panda Express Copycat Crispy Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup water
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
For the sauce:
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsps water
- Toasted sesame seeds to garnish
- Scallions to garnish (optional)
Instructions
For the chicken:
- In a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil to 350F over medium high heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and water until well blended.
- Dip chicken pieces into the flour mixture, toss to coat, and fry in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
For the sauce:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and garlic, and bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water until well blended. Once the sauce is boiling, lower the heat and slowly add in the cornstarch mixture, whisking continuously, until the sauce has thickened.
To assemble:
- Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and toss to coat well.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and scallions if using, and serve immediately.
Notes
If you like this recipe, try my other Chinese restaurant favorites:
Quick and Easy Chicken Fried Rice
Chinese Barbecued Pork (Char Siu)
Flaky Chinese Scallion Pancakes
Sesame chicken is my favorite but I haven’t been able to find a good one around here. I’m super excited to try your recipe!
Hope you like it! :)
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’ve seen a lot of crockpot or baked sesame chicken recipes online but there’s nothing I love more than crispy pieces of chicken coated with the sticky sauce. Unfortunately the takeout joint near me is a 15 min drive so by the time I get home, the chicken piece are no longer crispy. Gotta give this one a try. Thanks!
I like it crispy too. If you want it even crispier, you can try frying it twice: first time until pale golden (not completely cooked through), drain and wait until it cools to room temperature, and second time until golden brown.
Oh man…this looks delicious. I’m getting late-night snack cravings for sesame chicken…is that weird?
I get late-night cravings for buffalo wings :-p
I made this last night and everyone in my family LOVED it! They say it’s better than the ones from takeout and actually tastes less greasy.
Great to hear that! Yes, there’s only a touch of sesame oil in the sauce. If you drain the chicken really well, the dish isn’t greasy at all.
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Definitely worth trying and affordable too.
this was delicious!!!! I used a 1/4 cup honey because that is all I had and it was still very tasty.
Awesome! Glad you liked it!
I make this recipe on repeat for my family, they LOVE it and request it all the time!