BBQ Chicken Sliders

Name: BBQ Chicken Sliders
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 12 slider buns (or dinner rolls); 3 cups rotisserie chicken (shredded, or leftover shredded cooked chicken); 3/4 cup BBQ sauce (homemade or store bought); ½ red onion (thinly sliced); 4-6 slices cheddar cheese (or ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese); 2 tbsp butter; 1 clove garlic (minced); 1 tsp parsley (dried or fresh); 2 cups premixed bagged coleslaw (1/2 of 1 bag); ½ cup ranch dressing

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BBQ Chicken Sliders are the perfect mini sandwiches for weeknight dinners, game days and holiday entertaining! Smokey BBQ chicken paired with cheddar cheese, coleslaw and garlic bread slider buns.

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BBQ Chicken Sliders Recipe

These BBQ chicken sliders are the best way to enjoy the great flavors of summer grilling all year round. I absolutely love BBQ chicken sandwiches but they can get a bit messy and when making them for a crowd it’s a lot of work.

In comes mini BBQ chicken sliders! These mini sandwiches are so easy to prepare and you can make 12 at a time (or even 24 if you double the recipe). They are so easy to make, it just takes some stirring and layering delicious ingredients together. What you are left with are the best pull apart sliders.

What are BBQ Chicken Sliders?

BBQ chicken sliders are a mini version of the classic BBQ chicken sandwich. These sliders are packed with smokey BBQ chicken, red onions, cheddar cheese and coleslaw. For an extra added kick of flavor, the buns are brushed with garlic butter and toasted!

This recipe is perfect for get togethers because instead of having to take the time to individually make 12 sandwiches, you just layer all the ingredients on a slab of slider buns. Then you can slice them apart or pull them apart and serve. Easy-peasy!

What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Sliders

What is in BBQ Chicken Sliders?

bowls with cooked chicken, coleslaw mix, ranch, BBQ sauce, red onion, slider buns, garlic butter, cheddar to make bbq chicken sliders

Chicken – for a quick, low prep recipe I love using store bought rotisserie chicken. It is budget friendly, delicious and so easy to just shred and use in recipes. You can of course make your own chicken at home and shred it, or use any leftover chicken you may have in the fridge.
BBQ Sauce – you can use any BBQ sauce you like. I love a sweet and smokey BBQ sauce that pairs well with the sweet brioche sliders buns.
Slider Buns – if you can find brioche slider buns or King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls I recommend using those. The subtle sweetness of the buns pairs perfectly with the savory filling and garlic butter topping.
Coleslaw Mix – you can use a mix of shredded cabbage, carrots and purple cabbage that you slice at home or you can just buy a bag of coleslaw mix from the store. Depending on how much time I have to make dinner I will often just grab a bag at the grocery store. This recipe uses half of the bag and if you would like to use the second half for another recipe you can use it in my Bang Bang Shrimp Egg Rolls, Fish Tacos, or Sweet Chili Chicken Wonton Tacos!
Ranch Dressing – this has always been one of my favorite dressings and dips. For these sliders I love the combo of BBQ sauce, ranch and cheddar cheese! If you don’t have ranch on hand you can also use coleslaw dressing or blue cheese dressing, or any other creamy dressing you like.
Red Onion – raw red onion is one of my favorite parts of any sandwich! If you are not a fan of raw onion you can soak the sliced onions in a bowl of ice water. This will reduce the raw onion flavor. Or you can even caramelize the onions!
Cheddar Cheese – for me there is no better combo than BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese! So that is the cheese I like to use for these sliders but you can use any cheese you like. If you like spicy you can even use a jalapeno Havarti or spicy Monterrey jack cheese.
Garlic Butter – as if these sliders didn’t have enough flavor from the fillings… the top buns are brushed with garlic butter and toasted for added flavor!

How to Make BBQ Chicken Sliders

Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of Page

mixing bbq chicken and coleslaw in a bowl

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large sheet pan (or 2 half sheet pans) with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up.

2 Cut the slider buns in half. Place the bottoms and the top buns side by side on the sheet pan (or place the bottoms on one prepared pan and place the tops on the second pan).

3 In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken and BBQ sauce until evenly coated. Spread the chicken evenly over the bottoms buns.

4 Scatter the sliced red onions over the BBQ chicken and top with the slices of cheddar cheese.

5 Melt the butter in a small bowl and stir in the garlic and parsley.

6 Brush the garlic butter on the top buns.

7 Place the baking tray(s) in the oven and bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top buns are toasted.

8 In a large bowl combine the coleslaw and ranch dressing. Mix until evenly combined.

9 Remove the trays from the oven. Evenly distribute the coleslaw over the melted cheese. Place the toasted top buns on top.

10 Cut into individual sliders, or pull apart and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best BBQ Chicken Sliders

Chicken – for quicker preparation use leftover rotisserie chicken and your favorite store bought BBQ sauce. You can also use homemade shredded chicken or any leftover chicken you may have in the fridge.
Coleslaw – use store bought pre-shredded mix and your favorite ranch dressing.
Slider Buns – if you can find King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls or brioche style slider buns I recommend using those. The sweetness of the rolls pairs perfectly with the savory filling and garlic butter topping. You can also use dinner rolls or regular slider buns.
Cheese – don’t skimp on the cheese! The order for assembling these sliders are – chicken, onions and cheese. The cheese is the binder… and it is also just so delicious! Who doesn’t love cheese?! A solid layer of cheese is what holds the onions in place and melts over the chicken.

FAQs BBQ Chicken Sliders

How to reheat BBQ Chicken Sliders?

Reheat the sliders in the oven at 350°F on a sheet pan or baking dish covered with foil for about 5-8 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the top buns are toasted.

How to store BBQ Chicken Sliders?

Store the cooled sliders in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days (be sure to check the best before date of your cheese and adjust accordingly). The sliders can be stacked in the container, you can also put a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap between the layers to prevent the bread from sticking together.

Can I make BBQ Chicken Sliders ahead?

Yes! BBQ Chicken sliders are perfect for make ahead. Follow the recipe as per usual to assemble the sliders up to 2 days in advance but do not brush the garlic butter on the buns and do not add the coleslaw. Store covered in the fridge. Just before serving remove the sliders from the fridge, brush with garlic butter. Bake covered with foil at 350°F for 5 – 8 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the top buns are toasted and the meat is warmed through. Then remove the tops and add the coleslaw.

Can I freeze BBQ Chicken Sliders?

I would not recommend freezing. If you have leftovers and would like to freeze them just be sure to remove the coleslaw and then freeze.

Gluten Free BBQ Chicken Sliders

For gluten free sliders use store-bought or homemade gluten free slider buns and follow the recipe as per usual. Be sure to check the label of your bbq sauce to ensure it is gluten free.