If you are a fan of Panda Express Sesame Chicken, you’re in luck. You don’t need to leave your own home or wait in those long lines any longer to get your fix. This dish is perfectly balanced in sweetness and savoriness, with a rich nutty flavor from the toasted sesame oil. It’s a great choice to pair with rice or noodles.
We’ve come up with an incredible copycat recipe for their famous sesame chicken that tastes like the original. With just a few quick and easy steps, you’ll feel like you cooked right at one of their own locations.
Sesame chicken is a very popular menu item in Chinese restaurants. This replica is delicious and could become one of your go-to dishes.
If you’re like most of us, the tastiest dishes from Panda Express can easily become your own version of your guilty pleasure. But why not make the indulgence a bit healthier and more wallet-friendly by learning how to recreate this Chinese American classic in your own kitchen?
Panda Express Sesame Chicken Recipe – Make it at Home!
If you’re a fan of Panda Express, you know that their Sesame Chicken is one of their most popular dishes. It’s crispy, sweet, and savory all at the same time. And if you’re anything like us, you’ve probably wondered how they make it.
Well, wonder no more. We’ve got the recipe for Panda Express Sesame Chicken, and it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Here’s what you’ll need:
Prepare the Chicken
Cut the skinless chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Time Saving Tip. While the restaurant version uses only white chicken meat, we have used rotisserie chicken for this recipe, and it works out well. All you do is cut up the chicken, dip in the egg wash and flour mixture. Once the outside is golden and crispy, the chicken is surely done as it was precooked already.
Make the wet batter. Add the eggs to a large bowl and mix with a fork or small whisk to combine. Next, add the chicken pieces and stir to coat each piece of chicken with the egg mixture.
Next mix the dry batter. Using a large bowl or a plastic storage bag, add the Cornstarch, All Purpose Flour, Salt, and Black Pepper. Seal and shake the plastic bag to combine. If using the bowl, stir to combine.
Add the diced chicken with the egg coating on it to the flour mixture in the bowl or plastic bag. Mix to coat all the chicken pieces.
In a deep frying pan, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oil has reached temperature, add the chicken pieces one at a time. Deep Fry in batches for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cook through.
Remove chicken from the oil and allow the excess oil to drain off on a wire rack. If you don’t have a wire rack, place it on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Add the cooked chicken to the honey sesame sauce. Toss to coat with the sauce/glaze. Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds.
Honey Sesame Sauce
Honey sesame sauce is a sweet and savory sauce made with honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and other seasonings. Use this as a sauce over your crispy chicken. This can be used as a dipping sauce for various dishes such as chicken, vegetables, and stir-fries.
Make this sauce before you fry the chicken pieces. Once fried, just toss in the sauce. It is a quick make, just like the restaurant version.
In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the cold water, set aside.
This saucy goodness is so easy to make. Just add the sauce ingredients to a saucepan.
- Honey
- Soy Sauce
- Ketchup or sweet chili sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Rice Vinegar or white vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Pepper Flakes
- Garlic, Minced
Cook over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Once the mixture is boiling, add the cornstarch and water slurry and whisk to combine. Cook a few minutes until the sauce thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make the Vegetables
The vegetables can be steamed in the microwave or stir-fried. To stir-fry the veggies, add sesame oil to a pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the bell peppers and green beans. Cook for 3-5 minutes until crisp tender.
What gives sesame chicken its flavor?
Sesame chicken is a popular dish in Chinese cuisine that is known for its delicious flavor. The unique taste of sesame chicken comes from a combination of ingredients and cooking techniques.
One of the main ingredients that give sesame chicken its flavor is sesame oil. This fragrant oil is made from toasted sesame seeds and has a nutty flavor that adds depth and richness to the dish.
Another key ingredient in sesame chicken is soy sauce. This savory sauce is made from fermented soybeans and adds a salty, umami flavor to the dish. In addition to sesame oil and soy sauce, sesame chicken is often seasoned with a variety of spices, such as garlic, and red pepper flakes, which add a complex and spicy flavor profile.
To make sesame chicken, the chicken is typically coated in a batter made from corn starch and egg whites, which creates a crispy texture when fried. The chicken is then tossed in a sticky sauce made from sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings, which creates a sweet and savory glaze that coats the chicken.
Overall, sesame chicken gets its flavor from a combination of fragrant sesame oil, savory soy sauce, and a blend of spices that create a complex and delicious taste.
What to Serve with Sesame Chicken?
This dish is typically served with steamed white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, noodles, and stir-fried vegetables like green beans and green peppers. However, other steamed vegetables would taste great in this recipe, broccoli, carrots, and snap peas. You could also serve it with a side of egg rolls or potstickers for a complete meal.
If you like Copycat Recipes, here are a few others for you to make at home.
Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccino Recipe
Longhorn Steakhouse Stuffed Mushrooms Copycat
KFC Chicken Ingredients Copycat Recipe
Culver’s Copycat Chili Like George’s
Here are some of our favorite chicken recipes.
How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken in Air Fryer
Easy Chicken Stir Fry Casserole Recipe
Air Fryer Shake and Bake Chicken
Another Chinese food favorite of ours is orange chicken. We need to figure out how to make that at home next!
Storage of Leftovers
For the crispiest chicken, it’s recommended to cook the recipe on the same day and serve it immediately after coating it with the sauce.
To store leftovers, simply place them in an airtight container and refrigerate. They should be consumed within three days.
Panda Express Sesame Chicken Recipe Copycat
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Chicken Boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
Dry Batter
- ¾ Cup Cornstarch
- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Wet Batter
- 2 Eggs Beaten
For the Honey Sesame Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Minced
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Vegetables and Finishing
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper Sliced Thin
- 1 Cup Green Beans cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon White Sesame Seeds toasted
Instructions
- Honey sesame sauce. Make this sauce before you fry the chicken pieces. Once fried, just toss in the sauce. It is a quick make, just like the restaurant version.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the cold water, set aside.
- Add the Honey, Soy Sauce, Ketchup, Sesame Oil, Rice Vinegar, Brown Sugar, Pepper Flakes, and Garlic ingredients to a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
- Once the mixture is boiling, add the cornstarch and water slurry and whisk to combine. Cook a few minutes until the sauce thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Prepare the Chicken. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Make the wet batter. Add the eggs to a large bowl and mix with a fork or small whisk to combine. Next, add the chicken pieces and stir to coat each piece of chicken with the egg mixture.
- Mix the dry batter. Using a large bowl or a plastic storage bag, add the Cornstarch, All Purpose Flour, Salt, and Black Pepper. Seal and shake the plastic bag to combine. If using the bowl, stir to combine.
- Add the diced chicken with the egg coating on it to the flour mixture in the bowl or plastic bag. Mix to coat all the chicken pieces.
- In a deep frying pan, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oil has reached temperature, add the chicken pieces one at a time. Fry in batches for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cook through. Remove chicken from the oil and allow the excess oil to drain off on a wire rack.
- Add the cooked chicken to the honey sesame sauce. Toss to coat with the sauce/glaze. Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds.
- Make the Vegetables. The vegetables can be steamed in the microwave or stir-fried. To stir-fry the veggies, add sesame oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the bell peppers and green beans. Cook for 3-5 minutes until crisp tender.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce/glaze along with the veggies and sesame seeds.
- Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
For the crispiest chicken, it’s recommended to cook the recipe on the same day and serve it immediately after coating it with the sauce.
