Description
These Sticky Lime Honey Chicken Tacos are a vibrant and flavorful dish combining tender, juicy chicken thighs glazed in a sticky, tangy honey-lime sauce with smoky paprika and garlic. Served in warm tortillas and topped with creamy avocado, pickled red onion, fresh cilantro, crumbled feta, and lime wedges, these tacos offer a perfect balance of sweetness, zest, and spice for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken & Marinade
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (up to 800 g/1 lb 12 oz can be used without changing marinade)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (or sweet paprika for a milder flavor)
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Glaze
- ¼ cup (90 g) honey
- Zest and juice of 1 lime (zest optional)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- ½ tsp chili (red pepper) flakes (optional, to taste)
To Serve
- 8 small tortillas, warmed directly over the gas burner or in a pan
- 1–2 avocados, mashed or sliced
- Pickled red onion (optional)
- ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- 50 g (1¾ oz) Greek feta, crumbled
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Season the chicken: In a large bowl, toss the bite-sized chicken pieces with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt flakes, and freshly cracked black pepper until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Make the glaze: Turn the heat off. Immediately add honey, lime zest and juice, soy sauce, butter (or olive oil), grated garlic, and optional chili flakes to the same pan. Stir gently for 1–2 minutes until the glaze bubbles and thickens slightly. Then turn the heat back on.
- Coat the chicken: Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss it in the glaze for 1–2 minutes until the chicken is evenly coated, sticky, and glossy.
- Assemble the tacos: Warm the tortillas by heating them directly over a gas burner flame or in a pan. Fill each tortilla with mashed or sliced avocado, the sticky lime honey chicken, pickled red onion, chopped coriander, and crumbled feta. Serve immediately with lime wedges to squeeze over.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast if preferred, but thighs will be juicier.
- Adjust chili flakes to your preferred spice level or omit for a milder taste.
- Warming tortillas over an open flame gives a slight char and enhances flavor.
- Pickled red onion adds tang but is optional if you prefer a simpler topping.
- Use freshly grated garlic for the best aromatic flavor in the glaze.
