Need a quick and easy bbq chicken sliders recipe for your next party? These barbecue chicken sliders on Hawaiian rolls taste amazing, are easy to make and will feed a crowd. Ideal for when you have friends over to watch the big game.
Love making sliders? Check out these savory, delicious Italian Sliders, which are our top slider recipe.
Are you planning to have friends over for a watch party? Serving these savory and sweet bbq chicken sliders would be the perfect game-watching snack.
Made with just a few simple ingredients, these chicken sliders are baked in the oven and come out warm, melty and completely delicious. Be prepared to double-up this recipe, as your friends will definitely come back for seconds.
What do I need to make barbecue chicken sliders?
Here’s a quick-reference check list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this chicken slider recipe:
- Hawaiian Rolls – I recommend buying the 12-roll pack, or if you know you’ll have a big crowd to feed, they also make a larger party-sized pack of 24 rolls.
- Cooked Chicken – I swear by the Costco Pulled Rotisserie Chicken that they sell in their prepared foods section. I love using it for soups, salads and these chicken sliders. See all my favorite 15 Things I Buy at Costco for Healthy Meals and Snacks. You can use any cooked chicken, including roasting your own chicken.
- Red Onion – red onion is very complimentary in just about any barbecue chicken recipe. It adds a slight tang and a bit of crispness to each bite.
- Barbecue sauce – feel free to use your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce, or you can go a little healthier by using my homemade Honey Barbecue Sauce recipe. I swear by this!
- Sliced cheese – sliced Colby Jack cheese is a great pairing with the chicken and onions. You could also use a sliced cheddar or Provolone as well.
What do I need to make the butter topping for these chicken sliders?
- Butter – this is ideal for creating a golden, delicious bun for your sliders.
- Dried parsley – great for adding a little extra color and flavor to the topping.
- Garlic powder – adds a subtle garlic flavor.
- Onion powder – creates a nice savory flavor to the topping of the bun.
- Grated Parmesan cheese – the perfect topping to compliment the flavors of the sliders.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How do I make a bbq chicken sliders recipe?
To make these chicken sliders, start by combining the chopped, cooked chicken with the barbecue sauce. Stir together in a mixing bowl to coat the chicken with the sauce.
Next, slice a whole loaf of Hawaiian rolls horizontally using a large bread knife. When sliced you will have a top portion and a bottom portion of bread. Set the top portion of the rolls aside.
Place the bottom portion of the rolls on a sheet pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Add the bbq sauce coated chicken to the bottom portion of the sliders.
Top with red onions and sliced Colby jack cheese.
What kind of chicken is best for making sliders?
You’ll need to use pre-cooked chicken when making any type of slider. I love using this pulled rotisserie chicken from Costco, but you can also roast your own chicken or even use frozen chicken strips.
Another option would be to use my Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Chicken. This is a fantastic make-ahead protein that you can use for multiple meals, and would be perfect for these BBQ sliders.
Once you’ve added the chicken, onions and cheese to the bottom portion of the bread, bake to heat up the chicken and melt the cheese.
What is in the topping for Hawaiian roll sliders?
For the topping, you’ll mix together melted butter, parsley, onion powder and garlic powder.
Once the bottom portion of the sliders have baked, place the top portion of the Hawaiian rolls over the top of the chicken and melted cheese.
Brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter mixture. Then sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese. Return back to the oven to heat and toast the top portion of the rolls.
What can I serve with a bbq chicken sliders recipe?
Sliders are always great for a party. So, any easy finger food, appetizer or side dish would be good served with this recipe. Here are some of our other finger foods and side dishes that would be great served alongside these sliders:
- Parmesan Ranch Steak Fries
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
- Calico Baked Beans
- Cream Cheese Corn Dip – another great party food!
- White Queso Dip
- Rotel Cheese Dip
- Ham and Pickle Rolls Ups from It Is A Keeper
Frequently asked questions about making sliders:
The best pan for baking sliders is a shallow sheet pan. This allows for all sides of the bread to warm and lightly toast, while still keeping all of the ingredients in place.
The best temp to bake sliders is 350 – 375 degrees. Any hotter and the bread will over-brown before the ingredients in the center become warmed through. It’s best to heat the bottom portion with the ingredients first, then add the top portion of the bread and topping to heat for a few more minutes.
Both sliced and shredded cheeses can be used when making sliders. Sliced cheese offers a more even coverage but shredded cheese can also be used in its place.
For best results, store any leftover sliders in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days refrigerated.
Reheating sliders is best done in the oven, toaster oven or air fryer. Wrap in foil and heat at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
Are you making these sliders for a party or get together? Check out our post on 25 Halloween Buffet Party Foods for some fantastic tips and recipes that are great for just about any holiday or hosting event.
If you loved this slider recipe, check out some of these other similar party food ideas:
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Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Equipment
- Sauce Brush Ideal for brushing sauce, butter, and more. Great for grilling!
- Parchment Paper Sheets These pre-cut parchment paper sheets are super convenient and the perfect size for lining a loaf pan.
- Sheet Pan These USA stainless steel sheet pans are great for making sliders and one-pan meals!
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ct. pkg.) Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- 16 ounces cooked chicken diced or shredded
- ⅔ cup barbecue sauce plus more for dipping
- ⅓ cup red onion sliced
- 4 slices Colby jack cheese
Butter Herb Topping:
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a sheet pan with non stick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- Using a large bread knife, slice the entire loaf of Hawaiian rolls horizontally so you have one top portion and one bottom portion. Place the bottom portion on your prepared pan. Set the top portion aside for later.
- In a mixing bowl, add the chicken and top with the barbecue sauce. Stir together with a rubber scraper to evenly coat. Add the coated chicken to the bottom portion of the rolls.
- On top of the chicken add the sliced red onions and sliced cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes for the chicken to heat through and the cheese to melt.
For the butter herb topping:
- While the chicken sliders bake, mix together the butter herb topping. In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, parsley, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Once the sliders have baked for 10 minutes, bring back to workspace. Add the top portion of the rolls that you have set aside. To the tops of the rolls, brush on the butter herb topping, generously coating each roll. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top of the rolls.
- Return to the oven for another 10 minutes for the top portion of the bread to warm and lightly toast.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I love this recipe. Cant wait to try this!