Name: BBQ Chicken Sliders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
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

This 30-minute BBQ Chicken Sliders recipe is the best way to feed a crowd. A perfect game day recipe the whole family will enjoy.

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Need an easy weeknight dinner? Look no further! Whip these easy BBQ chicken sliders out for game days, kids' sleepovers or busy weeknights. This is a football fan favorite in my house along with my crockpot pulled pork sliders and classic sloppy joe sliders.

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.

These mini sandwiches require minimal preparation and cleanup. Pulled chicken, smothered in your favorite BBQ sauce and topped with melty cheese on top of slider buns, definitely a crowd pleaser!

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Ingredients
Substitutions & Variations
Instructions
Sarah's Top Tips
Serving
Storage & Reheating
More Recipes for Entertaining
Recipe
Comments

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.

Shredded mozzarella on top of bbq chicken.

Step 3: Top the chicken with shredded cheese and then add the top buns.

Melted butter being brushed on slider rolls.

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. 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.

Serving

Serve these sliders with some other game day favorites like homemade bbq chicken nachos, sweet and spicy sesame wings, or some air fryer buffalo chicken wings.

Storage & Reheating

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.