Hot Honey Chicken Tacos (Print Version)

Crispy chicken paired with sweet-spicy honey and tangy slaw inside warm tortillas for a bold dinner option.

# What You 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 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
09 - Vegetable oil, for frying (about 1/2 inch depth)

→ Hot Honey Drizzle

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

→ Tangy Slaw

15 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
16 - 1/2 cup shredded carrots
17 - 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
18 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
19 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
20 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

21 - 8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
22 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
23 - Lime wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Combine chicken cubes, buttermilk, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss cabbage, carrots, and red onion with mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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 for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - Place flour in one shallow bowl and panko breadcrumbs in another. Drain excess marinade from chicken pieces, then dredge each in flour followed by panko, pressing lightly to adhere coating.
05 - Heat vegetable oil to approximately 180°C (350°F) to a depth of 1/2 inch in a skillet. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
06 - Distribute crispy chicken evenly among warmed tortillas. Top each with tangy slaw, drizzle with hot honey, garnish with cilantro, and serve alongside lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, thanks to that buttermilk soak.
  • Hot honey is genuinely addictive—it's sweet, spicy, and tangy all at once, and it transforms simple fried chicken into something that feels restaurant-quality.
  • The whole meal comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or when friends call asking what you're making.
02 -
  • If the oil isn't hot enough, your chicken will absorb oil instead of frying, turning greasy instead of crispy—this is the most common mistake, and it matters more than you'd think.
  • Don't skip the paper towel step after frying; those first few seconds of draining make the difference between crispy and soggy chicken.
  • The hot honey can be made a day ahead and reheated gently just before serving, which saves time when you're assembling everything.
03 -
  • Make the hot honey a day ahead so the flavors meld, then just reheat it gently before serving—it keeps in a jar at room temperature and honestly tastes even better the next day.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, you can bread all the chicken ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few hours; just make sure it's at room temperature before frying so the inside cooks through.
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