This Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken is a healthy copycat recipe of a takeout favorite. Make this easy chicken dinner for your next weeknight meal. This chicken recipe is ready in 30 minutes or less!

A bowl of panda express honey sesame chicken with bell peppers.

Who needs takeout when you can make this delicious honey sesame chicken right at home?

Skip the fried food and questionable ingredients for an equally delicious but much healthier dish everyone will love. This is an easy dinner chicken winner!

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Homemade Chinese food is much healthier than fast food takeout. Most fast food is full of sodium and MSG. When you make your own, you control what goes into it.
  • The original Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken uses deep fried chicken. My healthier copycat version skips the frying since fried foods are not healthy. The cooked chicken is so flavorful that hopefully you won’t miss the crispy chicken.
  • This Honey Sesame Chicken is done in just 25 minutes. See all of my healthy 30-minute meals.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for honey sesame chicken

Chicken cutlets are an essential but healthy protein for this recipe. You can use boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs. Or, you can use chicken tenders. You’ll need to cut the chicken into bite sized chicken pieces.

Snap peas or green beans along with bell peppers are used in this copycat recipe.

Soy sauce or tamari give this recipe the flavor you know & love. You can use tamari or coconut aminos to make this dish gluten-free. You can also use sweet chili sauce.

Honey adds a touch of sweetness to the Panda Express honey sesame sauce. You can use brown sugar if you don’t have honey. This sauce recipe is similar to the one in my P.F. Changs Copycat Pepper Steak recipe.

Siracha adds a slightly spicy kick that works well with the sweetness of the honey.

Cooking oil such as sesame oil, olive oil, or avocado oil helps cook the ingredients. Don’t use vegetable oil.

See the recipe card below for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

Pictures showing how to make sesame chicken

Step One

In a nonstick skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium heat.

Step Two

Add the bell pepper and chicken to your medium saucepan or skillet and then cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Remove the lid and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.

Step Four

Serve hot, with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds on top.

I hope you agree that this copycat recipe from the Panda Express menu is tasty and satisfying. It’s much healthier but just as delicious!

A bowl of sesame chicken with bell peppers

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • Store any leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
  • To toast sesame seeds, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Let them toast to a golden brown, keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn.
  • Remember to use gluten-free soy sauce if you want this recipe to be gluten-free.
  • If you want to thicken the sauce even more, you can always add 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch or arrowroot flour while the chicken and veggies are simmering.

Recipe FAQs

What can I serve honey sesame chicken with?

Serve this dish alongside cauliflower rice, cooked chow mein noodles, white rice, brown rice, quinoa, ramen noodles or grilled vegetables.

Can I make prep this meal ahead of time?

Yes you can slice up all the vegetables and cut up the chicken ahead of time so when you’re ready all you have to do is cook it.

More Healthy Chicken Recipes You Might Like

Or, check out all of my clean eating chicken recipes.

Don’t Miss These Delicious Copycat Recipes

Costco Chicken Salad (Copycat Recipe)

Erewhon Kale Salad (Copycat Recipe)

Costco Stuffed Salmon (Copycat Recipe)

Copycat Panera Chicken Noodle Soup (Authentic!)

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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A bowl of honey sesame chicken

Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken (Copycat)

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5 from 1 review

Print Recipe

This Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken is a healthy copycat recipe of a takeout favorite. Make this easy chicken dinner for your next weeknight meal. Serve it with rice or cauliflower rice.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used avocado oil)
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 cup snap peas, stems removed and cut in half
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free diets)
  • 1 tablespoon siracha
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
  • Cooked white rice or sautéed cauliflower rice (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the bell pepper and chicken strips and stir. Cover the skillet and cook the chicken with the pepper for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove the lid and stir in the snap peas, honey, soy sauce or tamari, and siracha. Stir and let the dish cook uncovered for another 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has started to thicken.
  4. Serve hot, with seeds sprinkled on top.

Notes

  1. Store any leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

  2. To toast sesame seeds, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat. Let them toast to a golden brown, keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn.

  3. Remember to use gluten-free soy sauce if you want this recipe to be gluten-free.

  4. If you want to thicken the sauce even more, you can always add 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch or arrowroot flour while the chicken and veggies are simmering.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 280
  • Sugar: 25.6 g
  • Sodium: 973.6 mg
  • Fat: 5.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32 g
  • Fiber: 1.6 g
  • Protein: 25.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 54.9 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is a certified holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.