Pull-Apart Buffalo Chicken Sliders
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These buffalo chicken sliders have all the flavors of wings but in a handheld package! With Hawaiian rolls, saucy chicken, pepper jack, and blue cheese, they’re full of spicy, savory, melty goodness and come together in under 1 hour. Seriously, all my friends ask me to make these sliders for game days, parties, & potlucks!
The thing about chicken wings is that I love them, but 1. they are a two-handed food. How am I supposed to balance a plate, hold a gin and soda, and eat a wing at the same time?! And 2. I guess now I’m covered in sauce for the rest of the party? Like, I need a shower after every chicken wing.
So here’s where I’m at. We put everything into a slider (hand-held!) and save the wings for a party where there’s a seat for everyone and perhaps a plethora of hand wipes. You in?
Like my slow cooker buffalo chicken dip or these bite-sized buffalo chicken pinwheels, these little sandwiches have everything I love about wings (sauce, ranch, blue cheese!). But, they also have pepper jack cheese for extra meltiness and spice. Of course, you can definitely use rotisserie or canned chicken, but I like to use a quick shredded chicken hack that I learned in culinary school. Everything comes together on the stove and you can add extra seasonings for extra flavor! But more on this later.
The sliders are also made on one pack of Hawaiian rolls for easy slicing and serving. I like to serve them at parties (or for game day!) with other grab-and-go snacks like little smokies in a blanket or crunchy spicy ranch snack mix. But if you wanted to make them for lunch with potato chips or pasta salad, you totally could!
Stovetop shredded chicken
This is an optional step, cause you could totally buy pre-shredded chicken. But typically, I just make my own on the stove cause it only takes an extra 15-20 minutes. Here’s how I learned how to make it in culinary school for tender chicken with crispy, caramelized bits!
- Start by seasoning boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs with lots of salt and pepper. Then, sear the chicken on each side until it has a nice golden-brown crust.
- Add some seasonings (I like ranch seasoning!) and low-sodium chicken broth. Bring it to a simmer and partially cover the the pot. Simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Then, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
You can also cook the chicken in the slow cooker! Add the chicken, ranch seasoning, broth, and water to a slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken and discard any leftover juices.
Canned or rotisserie chicken
If you don’t want to make your own chicken, you can definitely use rotisserie or canned chicken instead! Just make sure to remove any skin and bones if you’re using rotisserie. Other than that, you’ll need buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, brown sugar, savory butter Hawaiian rolls, shredded pepper jack cheese, crumbled blue cheese, salted butter, black pepper, garlic powder, and fresh chives.
Make the sliders in the oven
Try to cut the rolls as evenly as possible but it doesn’t have to be perfect! I like to use a sharp bread knife which makes it so much easier. Keep the knife as parallel to the counter as possible for even slicing.
You want to bake the sliders uncovered until the tops of the rolls are golden-brown. Don’t over-bake or the rolls will dry out and become crusty instead of soft!
How to store & reheat
Any leftover sliders can be stored in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to reheat the sliders, I would definitely recommend using the oven to re-crisp the bread a bit! Just cover the sliders with foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 16-20 minutes, until the centers reach 165°F (74°C).
In a pinch, a microwave will also work! Microwave the sliders for 1-2 minutes, until they’re hot in the centers.
Double the recipe
This recipe makes 12 sliders which is usually enough for 6 people, especially if you’re serving other apps on the side. If you want to double the recipe, you can place two packages of sliders side-by-side in a 9×13 pan. You may just need to add 3-4 minutes to the cook time so they get hot in the centers.
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Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- 525 grams shredded cooked chicken, rotisserie, canned, or recipe below (4 cups)
- 120 grams buffalo sauce like Frank's (1/2 cup)
- 120 grams ranch dressing (1/2 cup)
- 14 grams brown sugar, packed (1 Tablespoon)
- 1 package savory butter Hawaiian rolls (340 grams/12 ounces)
- 200 grams freshly-shredded pepper jack cheese (2 cups)
- 35 grams freshly-crumbled blue cheese (1/3 cup)
- 28 grams salted butter, melted (2 Tablespoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 grams freshly-snipped chives, for serving (1 Tablespoon)
Shredded Chicken
- 680 grams boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (1 1/2 pounds)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 15 milliliters avocado oil (1 Tablespoon)
- 16 grams homemade ranch seasoning or store-bought (2 Tablespoons)
- 180 milliliters low-sodium chicken broth (3/4 cup)
- 180 milliliters water (3/4 cup)
Equipment
- Bread knife
- 9×13 pan or sheet pan
Instructions
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray or neutral oil.
- Then, add the shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Using a bread knife, slice the Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally, leaving the bottom and top halves intact.
- Place the bottom half of the rolls in the prepared 9×13 pan. Evenly spoon the buffalo chicken mixture over the bottom half of the rolls. Then, sprinkle the pepper jack cheese and blue cheese evenly over the chicken. Place the top half of the rolls over the cheese.
- Next, whisk the melted butter with the black pepper and garlic powder. Using a pastry brush, brush the butter mixture over the top half of the rolls.
- Cover the sliders with foil and bake for 16-20 minutes, until the sliders are hot throughout. Uncover and bake for 3-4 more minutes until the tops are golden-brown. Let the sliders rest for about 5 minutes. Then, slice the sliders and garnish with fresh chives. Enjoy!
Shredded Chicken
- If you want to make shredded chicken instead of using store-bought, this is my favorite stovetop method! Start by drying the chicken breasts or thighs with paper towels. Season both sides generously with Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
- Next, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it's very hot and shimmering. Add the chicken to the pan, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the chicken. Add the chicken broth and water to the pan, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Partially cover the pan and simmer the chicken for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the liquid is mostly evaporated.
- Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. Then, use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
