Description
A healthier, gluten-free and dairy-free copycat version of Panda Express’s honey sesame chicken—crispy chicken strips tossed in a sweet and tangy honey sesame sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅔ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 chicken fillets (about 10–12 oz), cut into strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- ⅔ cup green beans, cut into 1–2 in pieces
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup gluten-free hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup filtered water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (for sauce)
Instructions
- Beat egg, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a bowl until well combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and baking soda.
- Dip chicken strips in the egg mixture.
- Coat chicken strips in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to about 350 °F. Fry chicken strips until golden, about 6–7 minutes, flipping halfway; drain on paper towels.
- In a pan, sauté yellow bell pepper and green beans in oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
- In a saucepan, combine honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch; bring to a gentle boil until thickened.
- Combine fried chicken and vegetables in the sauce, stirring to coat evenly; warm together for 2–3 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.
Notes
- Egg helps the coating stick—use aquafaba or egg replacer if egg-free.
- Any fine salt works (table, sea, Himalayan).
- Olive or other vegetable oils may be substituted.
- If not gluten-intolerant, regular flour is fine.
- Cornstarch adds extra crispiness—potato or tapioca starch can be used if needed.
- Ensure hot sauce and baking soda are gluten-free.
- Bell pepper color can be varied according to preference.
- Leftovers store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in microwave or skillet.
