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Garlic Butter Honey BBQ Chicken Tacos

Garlic butter honey BBQ chicken tacos with glossy caramelized chicken and a honey glaze that clings to warm corn tortillas. Sliced chicken is cooked in a garlic butter skillet, then tossed with a BBQ-honey sauce until slightly caramelized.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast
BBQ honey glaze
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 black pepper to taste
Garlic butter base
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
Tacos
  • 8 corn tortillas warm
  • 1 fresh cilantro diced, for serving
  • 1 diced onion for serving
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet
  • 1 griddle

Method
 

Make the BBQ-honey sauce
  1. Combine BBQ sauce, honey, smoked paprika, and cayenne in a small bowl.
  2. Stir until smooth, then set aside so it’s ready to pour over the chicken.
Cook garlic butter chicken
  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, visible in the sizzling butter.
  3. Add the sliced chicken breast, season with salt and pepper, and cook until nearly cooked through, about 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally as it changes from pink to opaque.
Caramelize and glaze
  1. Pour the BBQ-honey sauce over the chicken and toss to coat evenly, until the surface looks glossy.
  2. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce caramelizes slightly, bubbling and thickening around the chicken.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm corn tortillas on a griddle just until pliable, with light golden spots and steamy edges.
  2. Fill each tortilla with glazed chicken and top with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and lime wedges for serving.

Notes

For the glossiest glaze, toss the chicken immediately after adding the BBQ-honey sauce and let it bubble just until slightly thick (2-3 minutes). Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm in a skillet until hot. Freezing is not recommended for best tortilla texture. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce while keeping the honey for the signature sticky finish.