Whether you serve them up as a game day appetizer or as a filling family dinner, these Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders are a guaranteed winner! Sweet, smoky shredded BBQ chicken is topped with melty cheddar, thinly sliced onions, and then baked to toasty perfection on garlic butter Hawaiian rolls. These sliders have ALL the flavor and then some!
Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders – The EASY Way!
Let’s face it: any recipe with barbecue sauce is going to be a hit. That sweet, tangy, smoky flavor is absolutely irresistible, whether it’s our Crockpot BBQ Chicken, or in Barbecue Chicken Pizza, BBQ Chicken Flautas, or BBQ Brisket Tacos. And this recipe for Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders is no exception!
Their small size makes BBQ chicken sliders great for potlucks and parties—is there a game day snack better than a plate full of sliders?!—but your kids will cheer when you make them for dinner, too. Sliders are easier for small kids to handle, and this recipe is effortless enough for the busiest school nights.
Serve your Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders with a simple side dish and you’ll have dinner on the table lickety-split!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Weeknight Winner – With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep work, these Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders are quick and easy.
- Fun for Parties – No one can resist sliders at a party! With smoky BBQ sauce, cheddar, and sweet Hawaiian rolls, these sliders will disappear fast. (You might even want to make extra!)
- Customizable – There are so many ways you can make this recipe your own. I share some of my favorite ideas below, but don’t be afraid to put your own spin on it either!
- Family-Friendly – Kids and adults love barbecue chicken—and it’s even better when it’s tucked into toasty Hawaiian rolls baked with a garlic butter glaze!
What to Serve with Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders
Since this dish has the classic flavors of barbecue, it will pair well with many of your favorite All-American side dishes. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese – For a hearty dinner, pair your sliders with a classic mac and cheese recipe.
- Incredible Baked Potato Wedges – Sliders and fries are a perfect match!
- Summer Fruit Salad – Keep things light by serving Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders with fresh fruit.
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad – Another lighter option for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Southwest Corn Dip – If I’m making a hot appetizer like sliders for a party, I’ll also serve a cold dip that I can make ahead.
You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well rounded dinner.
Recipe Notes
This Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders recipe is as simple as promised! Just a few minutes 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 with the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Hawaiian rolls – The best! Any variety of dinner roll works here, but Hawaiian rolls pair well with the flavors in this recipe.
- Shredded chicken – Use rotisserie chicken, shred up our Baked Chicken Breast, or use leftovers from our easy Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Barbecue sauce – Store-bought or Homemade BBQ Sauce.
- Red onion
- Cheddar cheese – I prefer sharp.
For the glaze
- Butter
- Garlic salt – If you use salted butter, you can use garlic powder instead.
Garnish (optional)
- Cilantro
Recipe Tips
- Use a barbecue sauce you love – It’s the main flavor in these Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders, so you want to choose a good one! This isn’t the best time to try out a new-to-you brand or variety.
- Slice the onion super thin – You can use a mandoline slicer to shave the red onion into very thin slices, which adds flavor without overpowering the sliders or adding too much crunch.
- Or soak the onion – If you’re really not an onion fan, you can cut some of the bite by soaking the onion slices in ice cold water for 30 minutes. Dry them well before adding them to the sliders.
- Keep the rolls together for assembling, but cut them before baking – It’s easier to assemble sliders with the whole “sheet” of rolls still together, but then by separating them before you bake them, you allow all that delicious garlic butter glaze to drip down the sides and infuse the entire slider with flavor. (Plus, you don’t have to pull them apart before serving and make a mess!)
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 leftover barbecue chicken – Make barbecue chicken for dinner the night before and use the leftovers to make Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders. Two dinners in one!
- Buy pre-sliced onion – Your grocery store’s salad bar is likely to have pre-sliced onion, streamlining your prep work.
- Use shredded chicken – Some grocery stores sell already shredded rotisserie chicken; you may also find packages of BBQ pulled chicken in the refrigerated section, eliminating the need to add barbecue sauce.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Sliders – Add pineapple rings to the sliders before adding the sliced cheese.
- BBQ Pork Sliders – Swap the shredded chicken for Zesty Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Pork.
- BBQ Beef Sliders – Brown ground beef in a skillet, then stir in the BBQ sauce. Use this in place of the chicken.
- BBQ Meatball Sliders – Make a batch of Honey BBQ Meatballs and use them as the meat in your sliders.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Pulled 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.
- Assemble the sliders as directed.
- Wrap them tightly in a baking dish and freeze.
- Let them thaw in the refrigerator, then bake according to the recipe instructions.
Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, 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 a month
More Chicken 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 chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Hot Honey Chicken Breast
- Marry Me Chicken
- Salsa Fresca Chicken
- Caprese Chicken
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
- Creamy Chicken Piccata
BBQ Chicken Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- 12 Hawaiian rolls
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, sliced
For the glaze
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Garnish (optional)
- freshly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Prepare ingredients by mixing together the shredded chicken and barbecue sauce. Set aside.Then mix together the melted butter and garlic salt. Set aside.
- Cut the rolls in half horizontally and lay the bottoms in a baking dish. Spread the BBQ chicken evenly over the rolls. Place the sliced onion over the chicken and cheese slices evenly on top. Fit the tops of the rolls back on.
- Cut between the sandwiches with a sharp knife. Then brush the tops of the rolls with the garlic butter mixture letting it run between the rolls.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve warm.
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