Hot Honey Chicken Tacos (Printable Version)

Golden fried chicken with spicy honey drizzle and fresh tangy slaw nestled 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 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
09 - Vegetable oil, for frying (approx. 1/2 inch depth in skillet)

→ Hot Honey Sauce

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 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

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Combine chicken pieces with buttermilk, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours for enhanced tenderness.
02 - In a bowl, toss shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onion with mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Chill until assembly.
03 - Warm honey, hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and salt over low heat in a small saucepan for 2–3 minutes without boiling. Set aside.
04 - Set up two shallow bowls; place flour in one and panko breadcrumbs in the other. Remove chicken from marinade, shake off excess liquid, dredge each piece in flour, then press into panko breadcrumbs to adhere evenly.
05 - Heat vegetable oil to approximately 175°C (350°F) in a skillet to a depth of about 1.3 cm (1/2 inch). Fry chicken batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
06 - Place several crispy chicken pieces on each warmed tortilla. Top with prepared slaw, drizzle generously with hot honey sauce, garnish with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, thanks to the buttermilk bath that does most of the work for you.
  • Hot honey is deceptively simple to make but tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, and people always ask what your secret is.
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, making weeknight impressive meals actually possible.
02 -
  • The oil temperature is non-negotiable—too cool and your chicken absorbs oil instead of crisping; too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks, which I learned the expensive way.
  • Don't skip letting the excess buttermilk drip off before breading, because wet chicken won't accept the breadcrumbs properly and you'll end up with clumpy, uneven coating.
  • The hot honey needs to stay warm but not hot when you serve it—if it cools too much, it becomes thick and doesn't drizzle, and if it stays actively hot, it can soften the chicken's crust slightly.
03 -
  • Make the slaw and hot honey ahead of time—they actually improve if they sit for a few hours, and it means you're only really frying the chicken when people are about to eat.
  • If your panko isn't sticking well, make sure your chicken pieces are still slightly wet from the buttermilk and press the breadcrumbs on with purpose rather than just tossing them.
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