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These pulled chicken sliders combine juicy, slow cooked chicken, tangy BBQ sauce, and fluffy Hawaiian rolls for a super easy and amazing party snack! All you have to do is pour everything in a crockpot and a few hours later, your appetizer is ready to go. I love serving these sliders with pickles and sliced onions, but they’re also delicious topped with my “famous” apple and kale slaw or these crispy frizzled onions.

BBQ pulled chicken sliders on a white tray next to glasses of beer and white bowls of pickles and onions on a tan tiled counter.

We’re officially in the part of January where I’m simply *over it* because the leaves have fallen and the Christmas tree is down and everything just kind of feels cold and sad. But on the bright side, I can finally start planning my game day snacks for the Super Bowl!

This year, the Super Bowl is the day after Valentine’s Day which honestly feels like dangerous territory. But whatever I guess! I’ll just be eating garlic butter chicken wings and watching Bad Bunny. And trust me when I say, I’ve had way worse Valentine’s Days in my life. 🤪

This year, I will definitely be serving these sliders cause they’re just so good and make lots of servings for a crowd. This recipe is a riff on my Dr. Pepper pulled pork sliders, but I decided to do chicken cause it’s just a little quicker! And since not everyone eats pork, it’s a nice and easy swap.

Plus, the recipe truly couldn’t be easier. It starts with a tangy sauce inspired by the BBQ marinade I used to make in culinary school. Then, you literally just dump everything in a slow cooker and once it’s ready, your guests can assemble their own sliders.

P.S. if you have extra BBQ sauce, you can make my BBQ grape jelly meatballs or these crispy air fryer BBQ wings!

Chicken breasts or thighs

White and brown bowls of chicken, spices, BBQ sauce, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce next to a package of Hawaiian rolls on a tan counter.

I’ve made this recipe with chicken breasts and thighs, both work great! Whatever you use, just make sure it’s boneless and skinless. Chicken thighs are usually more flavorful and juicy, so they’re typically my go-to. But chicken breasts are great if you’re a white meat fan. 🙂

I add a variety of spices to the chicken for flavor. But you can also swap them with my everything BBQ rub for ease!

Make this recipe in a slow cooker

A white bowl of BBQ sauce and spices on a tan table.
Combine the BBQ sauce, spices, vinegar, & Worcestershire sauce.
A white bowl of sauce with a whisk on a tan counter.
Whisk the sauce until it’s smooth. Adjust the seasonings if needed.
A slow cooker with chicken and BBQ sauce on a tan counter.
Toss the chicken and sauce in the bowl of a slow cooker.
A slow cooker with BBQ chicken.
Cook the chicken on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
Hands using forks to shred chicken in a slow cooker.
Then, use two forks to shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.
A white tray of BBQ pulled chicken sliders on a tan background next to glasses of beer, a jar of BBQ sauce, and white bowls of pickles and onions.
Serve the chicken on Hawaiian rolls with your fave toppings!

The key for juicy chicken is to simmer it just until it’s cooked through and easy to shred. If you notice the chicken starting to dry out before it’s ready, add more BBQ sauce or some chicken broth!

Cook time

Everyone’s slow cooker is different, so the cook time may vary depending on the brand. My slow cooker works fast, but others might take an extra hour or so. Just keep an eye on things to make sure the chicken doesn’t dry out or burn!

A white tray of BBQ pulled chicken sliders on Hawaiian rolls next to glasses of beer, a jar of BBQ sauce, and white bowls of pickles and onions on a beige background.

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Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders

Yield: 24 sliders
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
These pulled chicken sliders have tangy BBQ sauce, fluffy Hawaiian rolls, and crunchy pickles for a super easy and crowd-pleasing party appetizer! The chicken takes minutes to prep and comes together in a slow cooker so it's always juicy and tender. And, this recipe makes a lot so it feeds a crowd!
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for serving (260 milliliters)
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30 milliliters)
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed (25 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, more or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, I used Morton
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (900 grams)
  • Neutral oil or cooking spray
  • 24-32 Hawaiian rolls, for serving
  • Pickle chips, sliced onions, etc. for serving

Equipment

  • Slow cooker

Instructions 

  • Whisk the BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and salt together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
  • Grease the bowl of a slow cooker with neutral oil or cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts or thighs in the bowl and pour the BBQ sauce mixture on top. Gently stir to combine.
  • Cover the bowl and set it in the base of the slow cooker. Cook the chicken on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-5 hours. If the chicken starts to dry out, add a little more BBQ sauce (or chicken broth).
  • Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a cutting board. Then, use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces. It should shred super easily. Spoon the chicken back into the slow cooker and toss it with the BBQ sauce. If the sauce is a little watery, cook the chicken uncovered on HIGH for about 15 more minutes until the sauce is thickened.
  • Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half. Sandwich the pulled chicken in-between the rolls and top with pickles, sliced onions, etc. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe will make 24-32 sliders depending on how much meat you add to each roll. Feel free to halve or double the recipe depending on how many servings you need.
You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts in this recipe. I usually like thighs for extra flavor and juiciness, but breasts are great if you like white meat better.
I’ve made this recipe with all kinds of BBQ sauces, and whatever you like will work great! My personal fave is something sticky and sweet, but spicy or savory BBQ sauces are good too. Just adjust the brown sugar as needed.
The key for juicy chicken is to cook it just until it’s cooked through and easy to shred. If you notice the chicken starting to dry out before it’s ready, add more BBQ sauce or some chicken broth!
Everyone’s slow cooker is different, so the cook time may vary depending on the brand of your slow cooker and the amount of meat you’re cooking. My slow cooker works fast, but others might take an extra hour or so. Just keep an eye on things to make sure the chicken doesn’t dry out or burn!
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1slider, Calories: 160kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 34mg, Sodium: 355mg, Potassium: 185mg, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 10mg
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