These Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders with Ranch Slaw are a total crowd pleaser! They’re made with a 3-ingredient slow cooker BBQ chicken piled onto sweet Hawaiian rolls, then topped with simple coleslaw flavored with Ranch dressing. This easy dinner takes only 10 minutes of prep and is a crowd pleasing meal!
There’s nothing better than a quick and easy recipe that you can count on everyone loving!
These Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders with Ranch Slaw is one of those recipe. It is seriously so easy to make and is perfect for family dinner, for your next potluck, or for taking to friends! It also makes a great freezer meal for easy meal prep!
This recipe starts with a 3-ingredient BBQ chicken that’s piled onto buttery slider buns, then topped off with cabbage and Ranch dressing to form your simple Ranch coleslaw.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Just a few ingredients – A 3-ingredient BBQ chicken, slider rolls, and Ranch dressing and cabbage for topping!
- Easy prep – Just toss a few ingredients in the crockpot and let it work its magic.
- Makes a ton – The recipe as-is already makes a lot, but you can also easily double the recipe if you’re serving a larger crowd.
- Versatile – Serve the BBQ chicken on slider buns as recommend or load it up in casserole, flautas, enchiladas, you name it.
Recipe Notes
This BBQ chicken sliders recipe is as simple as promised! Just a 5 minutes of prep for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make bbq chicken sliders in the crockpot…and to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken Breast – Chicken breasts are what I tend to use, but chicken thighs will work too
- Dry Ranch Seasoning – You can use 1 packet of store-bought Ranch seasoning or whip up a batch of my homemade Ranch seasoning.
- BBQ Sauce – I use Sweet Baby Ray’s, but feel free to use your favorite. The BBQ sauce drives the flavor for the whole recipe, so use the good stuff!
- For Serving – To serve your slow cooker BBQ chicken sliders, you’ll need Hawaiian rolls, Ranch dressing, and shredded cabbage for topping!
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, enjoy any one of these tasty recipes using the same BBQ chicken!
- BBQ Chicken Casserole– Load your shredded BBQ chicken into a hearty casserole with beans, corn pepper, cheese, and the delicious crunch of French fried onions.
- BBQ Chicken Flautas– Swap the slider buns out for tortillas with this chicken flautas recipe. Just 4 additional ingredients needed for these delicious crispy chicken roll-ups.
- BBQ Chicken Enchiladas– Enjoy a mouthwatering twist on classic enchiladas. These BBQ chicken enchiladas are hearty, savory, cheesy, a little bit spicy, and finished with fresh pico de gallo.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make crockpot BBQ chicken sliders.
- Step 1– Lay the chicken on the bottom of the crockpot, then season it all over with the Ranch seasoning. Pour the BBQ sauce over the top.
- Step 2– Place the lid on the crockpot, then cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or on low for 3.5-4 hours.
- Step 3– Remove the cooked chicken from the crockpot, then use two forks to shred it. Add that back into the sauce, mix thoroughly, then serve on slider buns with cabbage and Ranch dressing.
- Step 4– Split the hawaiian rolls and scoop the BBQ on top. Add a generous amount of slaw and finsh with the roll top.
Recipe Tips
- Season the chicken well – When you add the Ranch seasoning to the chicken, be sure to rub it all over the chicken breast, bottom and top, to get that flavor well-distributed.
- Don’t over-cook – Contrary to popular belief, you can actually over-cook in the crockpot. While your chicken won’t burn if it’s left in the crockpot too long, it can definitely become tough, chewy, and dry. Make sure you stay on top of it so you can turn the crockpot off as soon as the chicken is cooked through. If you need to leave it longer, change the crockpot to the “keep warm” setting!
- Check the temp of the chicken – To check that the chicken is done cooking, I recommend using a meat thermometer. It should be 165ºF. Check at 2.5 hours, then add time as needed for that perfect juicy, tender, and moist texture.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Use frozen chicken – No time to thaw your frozen chicken breasts? They can go straight into the crockpot frozen. Keep in mind that this will affect the cooking time.
- Cook on high – Cooking the chicken on high rather than low cuts the time down by about an hour.
- Prepare as a freezer meal – The BBQ chicken can be prepped as a freezer meal then you can take it out whenever you need something to dump in the crockpot fast.
- Cook the chicken in advance – While this isn’t technically a recipe short cut, it does mean you can get ahead on prep and have the shredded BBQ chicken on hand whenever you’re ready to serve it! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this easy bbq chicken sliders recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Let the cooked chicken cool completely.
- Portion the chicken out into meal-sized portions in resealable freezer bags or freezer-safe containers.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of BBQ sauce, it will pair well with many of your favorite summer BBQ side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob – Keep your side dish extra quick and easy with this 3 minute corn on the cob. It’s juicy, sweet, and smothered in garlic butter.
- Baked Potato Wedges – Nothing is more classic than potato wedges! This recipe requires just 10 minutes of prep and yields deliciously fluffy, crispy, and flavorful wedges.
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese – Enjoy a scoop of rich, cheesy goodness alongside your BBQ sliders with this homemade mac and cheese recipe. Just 7 simple ingredients needed!
Shredded BBQ Chicken Sliders Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! The shredded BBQ chicken saves and reheats beautifully, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to 2-3 months
Recipe FAQ’s
Do I need to brown chicken before it goes in the slow cooker?
Nope, there’s no need! The chicken can be cooked from raw (or even frozen) in the crockpot.
Does chicken need to be covered in liquid in the crockpot?
Yes. The long, slow cooking time means that the chicken will dry out a lot if there isn’t a liquid there to add moisture. In this case, the BBQ sauce is the liquid. It creates the perfect texture and adds tons of flavor.
Should chicken be cooked on high or low in the crockpot?
That’s up to you! In general, cooking meat on low in the crockpot is preferred for a more moist and tender texture. However, cooking it on high in order to cook it faster works just fine too!
How do I keep chicken from drying out in the crockpot?
Don’t over-cook it! While it is difficult to over-cook in the crockpot, it’s definitely possible. I recommend checking the chicken early, then adding time only as needed. Once the internal temperature is 165ºF, then it’s good to go.
More EASY BBQ Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy dinner recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite BBQ recipes below.
Crockpot BBQ Ranch Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
For the Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, or chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning, (1 packet)
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce, (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
For the sliders
- 24 hawaiian rolls
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
Instructions
To make the BBQ pulled chicken
- Lay the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Cover chicken with ranch seasoning on both sides. Pour the BBQ sauce over the top of the chicken to cover.
- Cover crockpot and cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or low for 3.5-4 hours.*Time may vary depending on the size of your slow cooker and the thickness of the chicken breast.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, use forks to shred the chicken, then stir it into the BBQ sauce mixture.
To assemble the sliders
- Toss the cabbage with the ranch dressing.
- Cut the hawaiian rolls horizontally.
- Layer BBQ chicken on the bottom and the ranch slaw on top. Then place the tops of the rolls back on. Pull apart and serve.
Recipe Notes
- in the fridge for 3-4 days
- in the freezer for 2-3 months
Leave a Reply