Go Back

Garlic Butter Honey BBQ Chicken Tacos

Garlic butter honey BBQ chicken tacos with glossy caramelized chicken and a warm honey glaze that clings to tender corn tortillas. Sliced chicken is quickly cooked in garlic butter, then tossed with a BBQ-honey sauce and finished just until slightly caramelized.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, sliced thin
bbq sauce
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
honey
  • 3 tbsp honey
butter
  • 3 tbsp butter
garlic
  • 5 garlic, minced
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
cayenne
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
corn tortillas
  • 8 corn tortillas
fresh cilantro
  • 1 Fresh cilantro, diced
diced onion
  • 1 diced onion
lime
  • 1 lime, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the BBQ-honey sauce
  1. Combine BBQ sauce, honey, smoked paprika, and cayenne in a small bowl. Stir until the mixture looks smooth and evenly colored.
Cook the garlic butter chicken
  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant and lightly sizzling.
  2. Add sliced chicken breast to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10-12 minutes until nearly cooked through and no longer raw in the center.
  3. Pour the BBQ-honey sauce over the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Reduce heat slightly and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce caramelizes and turns glossy.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm corn tortillas on a griddle and keep them wrapped to stay hot. Heat until pliable with light golden spots.
  2. Fill each warm tortilla with glazed chicken and spoon any extra sauce over the top. Finish with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For the glossiest coating, toss the chicken in the sauce and cook just until it looks thick and shiny—avoid overcooking so the chicken stays tender. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best tortilla texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-sugar BBQ sauce and replace honey with a smaller amount of honey or a honey-style syrup to reduce sugar.