If You Haven’t Tried Garlic Butter Honey BBQ Tacos… Well, You’re in for a Ride

So, you know when you stumble into the kitchen, hungry but slightly (or just…regularly) uninspired? That was me until these Garlic Butter Honey BBQ Tacos happened. Turns out, throwing together what looked good in the fridge can weirdly result in what my nephew calls “the reason to invite himself over” every Friday. I first made these after a day that was rough as a badger’s backside—I was out of nearly everything except for taco shells, a little honey, and, embarrassingly, several half-used jars of barbecue sauce (don’t judge, you’ve probably got at least two lurking in the fridge, right?). Anyway, this recipe was born out of equal parts desperation, curiosity, and a stubborn refusal to order takeout again. And hey, if you end up with honey in your hair, you’re doing it right.

Why You’ll Love This (or Maybe Just Like It A Lot)

I make this when the family’s in one of those weird moods where they can’t agree on pizza or burgers—so tacos bridge the gap. My brother basically inhales these, and even my picky cousin, who once declared “garlic’s just spicy onion,” admitted defeat after his third. They’re sweet, saucy, outrageously garlicky, and—let’s be honest—a tiny bit drippy in the best way (grab napkins, trust me). Sometimes I grumble that melting the butter takes too long, but then, the kitchen smells like heaven and all is forgiven. It’s one of those recipes I come back to after I forget why I was mad in the first place, which is either a great culinary endorsement or tells you too much about my memory.

Here’s What You’ll Need (Options Because Who Follows Rules?)

Tortillas: 8 small flour or corn tortillas (I grab whatever’s lurking around—corn if I’m feeling traditional, flour if I’m too hungry to care)
Chicken breast or thighs: 500g/1 lb, diced up. (Rotisserie chicken works, or if the planets align, shredded pork is wild in these.)
Butter: 3 tbsp (salted or unsalted; my grandmother always insisted on Kerrygold but let’s not be precious)
Fresh garlic: 4 cloves, minced—not pre-chopped stuff unless you’re in a rush (we all have those days)
Honey: 2 generous tbsp (If you run out, maple syrup isn’t criminal either.)
BBQ sauce: 1/3 cup (Pick your favorite—no shame if it’s store-bought. Frankly, sometimes I toss in a squirt of Sriracha too.)
Cheese: A handful of shredded cheddar or whatever melty cheese you forgot about in the back of your fridge
Red onion: 1 small, thinly sliced (optional, but I love the bite—skip if onions aren’t your thing)
Fresh coriander/cilantro: For topping (I’ve been told it tastes like soap, but whatever floats your boat)
Lime wedges: Optional but, wow, do they wake things up!

Let’s Get Cooking—The Steps (With a Few Detours)

First up, heat that butter in a large frying pan on medium. You want it bubbly, not brown. Toss in the garlic and swirl it around for about 30 seconds—smell that? Bliss. Don’t burn the garlic…seriously, once I totally blackened it and had to start all over.
Chicken time! Drop the diced chicken in and make sure it gets a little color—about 5-7 minutes. If you’re using leftovers, just warm them through (but don’t be shy with the seasoning—BBQ isn’t subtle, and neither should you be).
Squeeze in the honey (don’t bother measuring exactly; drizzle until it “looks right”) and pour in the BBQ sauce. Let everything get glossy and thick for another 3-4 minutes. This is where I always sneak a taste—sometimes twice, don’t tell.
Warm your tortillas. You can wrap them in foil and chuck in a low oven or microwave with a damp paper towel—personally, I just toast them straight in a dry skillet for a bit, but watch they don’t catch.
Spoon the chicken onto tortillas, heap on cheese, onion, fresh coriander, a big ol’ squeeze of lime, and—here’s the trick—let them sit for like a minute before eating. The flavors get friendly quickly, trust me.
Eat. Drip. Repeat. (Grab napkins—did I mention this yet?)

Stuff I Learned (From Messing It Up)

If you use low-fat cheese, it sometimes gets weirdly stringy—just go for the good stuff. Life’s too short.
Don’t rush melting the butter; I once microwaved it… didn’t love the results. Pan is best, even if it means waiting. Sigh.
Letting the chicken rest a minute makes SUCH a difference; it soaks up that sauce like nobody’s business.

Things I’ve Tried (And a Few Flops)

Once swapped chicken for mushrooms—turned out surprisingly hearty and oddly “meaty”. Good for veg friends.
Beef strips? Eh, I wasn’t mad about it (my brother claimed they were fine, but he’ll eat anything with BBQ on it).
Tried a vegan butter and agave thing instead of honey—wasn’t the same, but still did the job in a pinch.
Beware: adding pineapple sounded fun but ended up tasting like a confused pizza. Wouldn’t repeat.

Stuff You Might Need (But Don’t Stress)

A frying pan—my absolute non-negotiable. But if you’re really in a bind, I once did the chicken on a baking sheet under the grill (broiler?) and it… kind of worked.
Chopping board, sharp knife (but honestly, kitchen scissors are brilliant for snipping chicken straight into the pan if you’re feeling lazy… don’t @ me)
Microwave or oven for the tortillas—really, you can hold them over a flame for a sec if you’re feeling fancy (just mind your fingers!)

How to Store (But Will You Even Need To?)

Leftover filling (what’s that?) goes in a sealed container in the fridge—probably fine for 2-3 days, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! Tortillas get weird if frozen with sauce, so just keep those separate. Actually, I find the filling’s even better the next day, so have at it.

Serving These Up? Here’s How We Do It

Okay, personal favourite: heap ‘em high, then plonk bowls of extra toppings on the side (cheese, jalapeños, corn, even a quick guac if you’ve got ripe avos). For parties, I serve them with roasted sweet potato chunks and a tangy slaw—kind of makes you feel like you’re at a backyard barbecue even if you’re not.

Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Have to Repeat My Fails)

Don’t skip the fresh garlic—it really does give kick. One time I grabbed the pre-chopped stuff and the whole thing tasted flat.
Take your time with the sauce. I once tried rushing and pouring everything in at once—the result was a sad, sticky mess.
If you overload the tortillas, prepare for a saucy disaster (which honestly, isn’t always so bad… but your shirt may disagree).

FAQ—You Ask, I Overshare

“Can I use pre-cooked chicken?” Oh, absolutely! That’s one of my sneaky shortcuts. Just chop it up and let it bathe in the sauce for a bit. Comes out juicy.

“Any way to make it less sweet?” Sure, just ease off on the honey or pick a smoky BBQ sauce. Or, you could go rogue and toss in a splash of apple cider vinegar for tang. I sometimes get carried away with the honey, but really, your tastebuds, your rules.

“Can I make this ahead?” Yup! Actually, it gets even tastier if you let the chicken hang out in the sauce in the fridge for a while—just reheat gently so you don’t dry everything out.

“Help, I have no tortillas!” Ok, now you’re talking my language—I’ve wrapped this filling in lettuce leaves, over rice, even in a (don’t laugh) hot dog bun. On second thought, maybe stick to wraps; but desperate times, eh?

For more BBQ inspiration, I love the r/Baking community here, which actually has some wild taco variations, and Bon Appetit’s guide to BBQ chicken tacos is really handy if you want to nerd out on sauce ratios—though I take some of their recipes with a big ol’ pinch of salt (literally and figuratively).

I could ramble for ages but hey, you’re probably hungry. If you’ve got leftovers… invite me round, will ya?

Garlic Butter Honey BBQ Tacos: The Messy, Magic Dinner You Need