Originally published June 15, 2025
Baked Panko-Sesame Chicken in Lemon Candy Sauce
Baked Sesame Chicken with Sweet Lemon “Candy” Sauce
Podcast-inspired goodness from the Citrus episode of A Seasoned Friendship.
Why Bake, Not Fry?
This version keeps everything you love about sesame chicken—crunchy bites, glossy sauce—without deep frying. Panko plus sesame seeds bake up shatter-crisp while the chicken stays tender. It’s lighter, tidier, and still totally takeout-level satisfying.
Fresh Citrus Makes the Sauce Sing
Recipe testing for our Citrus episode reminded me: freshly squeezed juice matters. Lemon zest and juice create that nostalgic “lemon candy” vibe—sweet but balanced, tart without the pucker, bright and clean in a way bottled can’t match.
How It Comes Together
- Marinate bite-size chicken in egg, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and a touch of cornstarch.
- Toss in panko + sesame seeds; bake until golden and crisp.
- Stir-fry onions and peppers; whisk in lemon juice & zest, brown sugar, soy, vinegar, water, and cornstarch; simmer to glossy.
- Toss baked chicken in the sauce and serve over steamed rice. Mom-approved. ✅
Text-Only Recipe (Fallback)
Baked Panko-Sesame Chicken in Lemon Candy Sauce — Recipe (Text)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, bite-size pieces
- 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (marinade)
- 2 cups panko crumbs
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing veg)
- 1 cup bell peppers, sliced; 1 cup yellow onion, sliced
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 cup water
- 1¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (sauce)
- (Optional) 3 drops yellow food coloring
Instructions
- Whisk salt, sugar, eggs, sesame oil, and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Marinate chicken 30–60 minutes in the fridge.
- Heat oven to 400°F. Toss chicken in a bag with panko + sesame seeds to coat. Spread on a sheet pan; bake 20 minutes until crisp and cooked through.
- Sauté peppers and onions in oil until crisp-tender.
- Whisk lemon juice, zest, water, brown sugar, soy, vinegar, and 3 tbsp cornstarch. Add to pan; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir until glossy and thick. Color if desired.
- Toss in baked chicken to coat. Serve over rice; sprinkle extra sesame and green onions.
This Is Delicious! What Is It?
Baked Panko-Sesame Chicken in Lemon Candy Sauce
Yield4
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups panko, crumbs
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 drops yellow food coloring
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup bell peppers, sliced or large diced
- 1 cup yellow onions, sliced or large diced
Instructions
- In small mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients.
- Place cut-up chicken in resealable plastic bag, then pour over marinade. Make sure chicken pieces and marinade is mixed well, squeeze out air and seal. Place in refrigerator up to an hour.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a gallon resealable plastic bag, combine panko and sesame seeds.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator, then remove pieces of chicken fron plastic bag and place into bag with panko mixture until all chicken has been transferred.
- Close bag and shake bag vigorously to coat all pieces.
- Place chicken on baking sheet and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
- Take out of oven, let cool and set aside.
- In medium sauce pan, over medium-high heat, saute peppers and onions in vegetable oil until crisp tender.
- Add lemon juice, zest, water, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch and mix thoroughly.
- Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
- Reduce heat and continue to stir until mixture thickens. Taste to adjust flavors: if too sour, add more brown sugar; if it needs more salt, either more salt or soy sauce.
- Add chicken and mix so chicken is completely coated in sauce.
- Serve over rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and fresh minced green onions, if desired.
Calories: 771Fat: 23Saturated fat: 4Carbohydrates: 110Fiber: 4Sugar: 76Protein: 34Sodium: 1828Cholesterol: 166
Recipe and photograph by Robert Meyers-Lussier