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Honey Sesame Chicken

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A copy cat version of honey sesame chicken that has less fat and sugar than the original recipe.

A healthier version of honey sesame chicken - baked not fried and way less sugar.

Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe | Healthier Honey Sesame Chicken | Baked Honey Sesame Chicken | Chinese Honey Sesame Chicken | Best Honey Sesame Chicken

This is one of those copycat recipes for honey sesame chicken – you know, the battered crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce that’s found at places like P.F. Changs and Panda Express? I always see the baked versions on Pinterest claiming they’re so much healthier than the original. Then I click on the pin and find out that while the recipe is indeed lower in fat, it’s full of sugar. I’m not opposed to a little sugar here or there, but some of these recipes have an entire cup of sugar or honey in the sauce. Might as well just eat a brownie for dinner. I set out to make a lower sugar version and came up with this healthier honey sesame chicken.

The trick to this recipe is lightly battered chicken which is then sauteed in a much smaller amount of oil than the restaurant version. The sauce is poured over the top and the whole thing is baked in the oven which allows the chicken to cook through and the sauce to thicken.

A healthier version of honey sesame chicken - baked not fried and way less sugar.

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To get the best results with this recipe you need to take the time to really brown the chicken and let it develop a crispy crust. It’s a little more effort than I typically put into a weeknight meal, but it is definitely worth it. Now might be the time to put on your kid’s favorite TV show (my kids are all about My Little Pony right now!) while you tend to your chicken. After the chicken goes into the oven take that down time to put up a pot of rice and steam a vegetable to round out your meal.

A healthier version of honey sesame chicken - baked not fried and way less sugar.

When compared to the restaurant version, my honey sesame chicken recipe has significantly less oil and I reduced the sugar in the sauce by over 50%. This is definitely a  meal you won’t feel guilty about making for your family. Is it the epitome of health food? Probably not, but still a much better choice considering the alternative.

A healthier version of honey sesame chicken - baked not fried and way less sugar.

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

A healthier version of honey sesame chicken - baked not fried and way less sugar.
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Honey Sesame Chicken

A copy cat version of honey sesame chicken that has less fat and sugar than the original recipe. Adapted from therecipecritic.com.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 5 servings
Calories 392 kcal
Author Dinner at the Zoo

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into 1.5 inch pieces
  • kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 2 eggs , beaten
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium if possible)
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, season generously with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup cornstarch to the chicken and toss to coat thoroughly.
  3. Dip each piece of coated chicken into the egg mixture, place onto a plate. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and half of the chicken pieces. Make sure that the chicken pieces are all in a single layer.
  4. Cook the chicken until well browned, about 5 minutes, then flip the pieces and cook on the other side for another 5 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil and other half of chicken.
  5. While the chicken is cooking, combine the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil and tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl.
  6. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the pan. Pour the sauce onto the chicken pieces. Cook for 25 minutes until sauce is thick and bubbly. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Recipe Notes

Make Ahead: All of the sauce ingredients except the cornstarch can be mixed together a day in advance. Add the cornstarch right before use.

Little Helpers: My girls love to help measure and pour the sauce ingredients, I make the sauce in a reusable container, pop the lid on and then let them shake it up to mix everything together.

Nutrition Facts
Honey Sesame Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 392 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 123mg 41%
Sodium 1648mg 69%
Potassium 518mg 15%
Total Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Sugars 26g
Protein 24g 48%
Vitamin A 5.4%
Vitamin C 3.4%
Calcium 6%
Iron 10.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Comments

  13. I have to admit that I really do love the unhealthy take away version of honey sesame chicken but I rarely do order it! You definitely have given me an excuse to make your honey chicken recipe, I just love that it’s a lightened up version.

    Reply

  16. Love this idea! My kids will devour this meal. I laughed about My Little Pony – we went through that phase last year for a bit – not all those ponies are nice, are they??

    Reply

  19. This looks amazing! I am 25 weeks prego right now and all I can think about is chinese food! So thank you SO much for helping me curb my cravings! I made sure to pin this so I can use it over and over! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  22. This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it. We rarely make Chinese at home because I can’t seem to find recipes I love, but this one sounds great!

    Reply

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