This 30-minute BBQ Chicken Sliders recipe is the best way to feed a crowd. Shredded chicken, barbecue sauce, and melty cheese come together on slider rolls for a perfect game day recipe the whole family will enjoy.
The Secret to Sliders That Actually Hold Together
If you can't tell, sliders are some of my favorite ways to feed a crowd. This BBQ chicken slider recipe is by far the easiest because we're taking it a step further and using cooked, shredded chicken, which in my opinion, is the best part. I've made these with rotisserie chicken, Instant Pot chicken, even leftover Thanksgiving turkey (a reader tip I've since stolen for myself), and every single time they come out of the oven the same way: cheese bubbling at the edges, buns golden, gone in about ten minutes flat.
What makes this version different from other BBQ chicken slider recipes is the shredded, sauced filling. A lot of recipes have you build sliders with sliced chicken breast, which dries out under the broiler and slides right off the bun. Shredding the chicken first means it soaks up the barbecue sauce and holds together in every bite. If you've made my crockpot pulled pork sliders or sloppy joe sliders, you already know the drill: minimal prep, one dish, a tray of hot sandwiches in 30 minutes. This one's the fastest of the three because the chicken is already cooked before it hits the oven.
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Ingredients
- Cooked chicken. I like to use leftover chicken or grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
- Spices. Bring flavor into the chicken to add dimension to the sliders. If you're cooking your own chicken, be sure to season it while cooking.
- Barbecue sauce. Use your favorite barbecue sauce. I like the classic Sweet Baby Ray's. Any leftovers can be used to make BBQ chicken wings.
- Slider rolls. I usually go for a potato bun, but brioche or sweet Hawaiian rolls are delicious.
- Shredded cheese. Shredded mozzarella, Colby jack cheese, or cheddar cheese.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add a bunch of different toppings. If you like some crunch, add some red onion or pickles. The combinations are endless, and this recipe can be totally customizable.
- Add some heat. Try making some of the sliders with buffalo sauce or adding a spicy BBQ sauce instead.
Instructions
Step 1: Set the oven to 375 degrees F. Add the shredded chicken to a small bowl with barbecue sauce and spices.
Step 2: On a large baking dish or sheet pan, add the bottoms of the rolls and top with the chicken mixture.
Step 3: Top the chicken with shredded cheese and then add the top buns.
Step 4: Brush the buns with melted butter and bake for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the cheese is melted and the buns are golden brown. Let them cool for a few minutes, serve and enjoy!
Sarah's Top Tips
- Use pre-cooked chicken. This is designed to be one of the easiest recipes you could make. Grab a rotisserie chicken or use leftovers, and you'll have dinner on the table in 30 minutes with almost no active cooking time.
- Mix the sauce and spices into the chicken, not just on top. I tested a batch where I layered plain shredded chicken and drizzled sauce over the assembled sliders instead, and the flavor was noticeably flatter. Stirring everything together first means every bite gets seasoned, not just the top layer.
- Prep the chicken in the Instant Pot if you're starting from raw. Add chicken breasts or thighs with spices and a little chicken broth, cook on high pressure for about 12 minutes, then shred. It's faster and juicier than boiling or baking a batch from scratch.
- Assemble and bake right before serving. Sliders that sit too long after baking get soggy as the sauce soaks into the bread, so build and bake them as close to serving time as possible.
Serving
The classic way to serve these is straight out of the baking dish, still warm, with napkins on standby. This is a hands-on, eat-with-your-fingers recipe, so set the whole tray on the table and let people build their plates. For a proper game day or backyard cookout spread, pair them with sweet and spicy sesame wings or air fryer buffalo chicken wings, both of which hold up well sitting out and give you a spicier contrast to the sweet barbecue sauce in the sliders. If you want to go bigger, add a platter of air fryer BBQ chicken thighs to the table. They share the same smoky-sweet flavor profile, so the whole spread feels cohesive instead of a random mix of sides.
Round it out with something cool and crisp, like grilled corn salad or potato salad without mayo, both of which cut through the richness of the melted cheese and butter-brushed buns. If you're feeding a crowd on a weeknight rather than for a game or cookout, skip the extra mains and keep it simple with just a side salad or coleslaw. For dietary swaps, use gluten-free slider rolls to make this GF, or swap in a dairy-free shredded cheese if you're serving anyone who avoids dairy. Both swaps hold up fine in the oven.
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Let the baked sliders cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Press out as much air as you can before sealing so the buns don't dry out or pick up freezer odors.
Reheating: Wrap sliders in foil and bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes (15-20 minutes from frozen), brushing on a fresh layer of melted butter first. You can reheat in the microwave in a pinch, but the buns turn soft and slightly soggy since they don't get the chance to re-crisp in the oven.
Make Ahead: Assemble the sliders up to a day ahead in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate unbaked. Brush with butter and bake straight from the fridge, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time since they'll start cold.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
BBQ Chicken Sliders
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Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- Slider rolls
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix chicken in a large bowl with the spices and barbecue sauce.
- In a large baking dish or sheet pan, add the bottoms of the slider rolls. Top each roll with some of the chicken.
- Next, add the mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken.
- Add the top buns and brush them with melted butter. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the rolls are golden. Let cool for a few minutes, serve and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- Use pre-cooked chicken. This is designed to be one of the easiest recipes you could make. Make your life even easier by using leftover chicken or store-bought cooked chicken. You could even make the chicken ahead of time to save yourself time the day of.
- My favorite way to prep chicken quickly is by adding chicken breasts or thighs to the Instant Pot with spices and a little chicken broth. Cook on high pressure for about 12 minutes and then shred the chicken.
- Adjust the spice levels to your preference. Add some hot sauce or cayenne pepper to the barbecue sauce or if you're feeding a crowd add some hot sauce on the side.
- I recommend assembling and cooking right before serving so the sliders aren't soggy.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap the sliders in aluminum foil and bake for 5-10 minutes. You can reheat in the microwave but the buns will become soggy.
- You can freeze the cooked sliders. Allow them to cool completely before placing them in freezer-safe bags for up to 1 month. Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes with a fresh layer of melted butter.
Tools I Use for This Recipe
- 1 Mixing Bowl
Emma Perrotti says
This turned out perfectly –thank you! I used shredded turkey from Thanksgiving and it was fantastic!
Sarah Hill says
ooh this is a great way to use leftover turkey!