Hot Honey Chicken Tacos (Printer-Friendly)

Crispy chicken bites topped with sweet-spicy honey glaze and tangy slaw served in warm tortillas.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crispy Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
09 - Vegetable oil, for frying (about 0.5 inch deep)

→ Hot Honey Sauce

10 - 0.5 cup honey
11 - 2 tablespoons hot sauce (e.g., Frank's RedHot)
12 - 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - Pinch of salt

→ Tangy Slaw

15 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
16 - 0.5 cup shredded carrots
17 - 0.25 cup thinly sliced red onion
18 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
19 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
20 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

21 - 8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
22 - 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
23 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine chicken cubes with buttermilk, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 20 minutes or up to 4 hours for enhanced tenderness.
02 - In a separate bowl, toss shredded cabbage, carrots, and sliced red onion with mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Chill until ready for use.
03 - Gently warm honey, hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt over low heat in a small saucepan, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - Place flour in one shallow bowl and panko breadcrumbs in another. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each piece first in flour, then coat with panko, pressing lightly to adhere.
05 - Heat vegetable oil to a depth of approximately 0.5 inch in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken pieces in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
06 - Distribute crispy chicken pieces evenly among warmed tortillas. Top with tangy slaw, drizzle liberally with hot honey sauce, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve accompanied by lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The textural play between crunchy panko, tender chicken, cool slaw, and silky hot honey hits every craving at once.
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • Hot honey is genuinely addictive—you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything long after taco night ends.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the marinated chicken drain before breading—excess liquid will make the coating soggy instead of crispy.
  • Oil temperature matters more than you'd think; if it's not hot enough, the chicken absorbs oil instead of frying, so test with a tiny piece first.
  • The slaw needs salt and acid (lime juice) to actually taste like something; underseasoned slaw will make the whole taco feel flat.
03 -
  • Warm your tortillas on a dry skillet or over a flame for 10 seconds per side—this makes them pliable and actually flavorful instead of cold and stiff.
  • Assemble tacos right before eating so the slaw stays crisp and the hot honey doesn't make the tortilla soggy.
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