These BBQ Chicken Sliders are piled with saucy shredded chicken, smoked Gouda, mozzarella, red onion and pickles, then brushed with ranch seasoned butter and baked until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden. Use your favorite BBQ sauce to make them sweet, smoky or a little spicy...whichever way your family likes them!
The ingredients are inspired by my BBQ Chicken Pizza, another easy dinner we love around here. The smoked Gouda is one of my favorite parts of both recipes. It adds smoky flavor and melts into a creamy, smooth layer of cheese. Tucked into soft Hawaiian rolls with BBQ chicken and tangy pickles, it makes a pretty good reason to put sliders on the dinner plan, if you ask me!
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Quick Wins 🙌
- An easy dinner that feeds a crew. Twelve sliders make this a good option for family dinner or feeding a few extra people.
- Plenty of flavor in every layer. BBQ chicken, smoked gouda, mozzarella and ranch seasoned butter give these sliders a little more going on than your usual chicken sandwich.
- Easy to make your own. Use your favorite BBQ sauce and serve the pickles on the side if everyone has a different opinion about them.
Game Plan 📋
- Prep before the evening gets busy. Assemble the sliders earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate, then bake when you're ready for dinner. This is a good one for nights when you've got a little time before practice but very little time afterward.
- Let the mixer handle the shredding. Shred the cooked chicken in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to make prep a little quicker. Two forks work well, too.
- Allow extra time when baking from the fridge. Sliders assembled ahead may need longer under the foil for the filling to heat through. Uncover for the final 5 minutes to crisp the tops.
- Keep the sides simple. Fresh fruit, a simple salad or an easy vegetable side rounds out dinner without much extra work.
Ingredients 🛒
Here are a few notes about the ingredients needed to make this chicken sliders. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and amounts.
- Chicken breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- BBQ sauce: Choose your favorite bottled or homemade sauce. Sweet, smoky, tangy or spicy all work.
- Smoked Gouda: Be sure to grab smoked Gouda rather than regular Gouda. I prefer to buy a block and shred it myself.
- Mozzarella: Low-moisture mozzarella works well here rather than fresh mozzarella packed in water.
- Hawaiian rolls: You'll need one 12-count package.
- Pickles: Choose sandwich-sized pickle chips, or use a couple of smaller slices per slider.
- Ranch seasoning: Use dry ranch seasoning mix, not prepared ranch dressing.
Variations
- Change the cheese. Try smoked cheddar or provolone in place of the Gouda.
- Add some heat. Use a spicy BBQ sauce or add a few pickled jalapeño slices.
- Use different rolls. Soft slider buns or dinner rolls work if you prefer something less sweet.
Equipment Needed 🥄
- Oven-safe skillet: Use a cast iron or other oven-safe skillet to sear the chicken and finish cooking it in the oven.
- Instant-read thermometer: Makes it easy to check the chicken without cutting into it.
- Stand mixer: My favorite way to shred chicken. Use the paddle attachment and mix on low just until shredded. You can also use two forks.
- 9×13-inch baking dish: Holds the sliders together while they bake.
- Serrated knife: Helps slice through the connected rolls without squashing them.
- Pastry brush: For spreading the ranch seasoned butter over the tops.
Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Stir together the onion powder, paprika, chili powder and salt, then sprinkle over both sides of the chicken.
STEP 2: Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for about 2 minutes per side, until browned.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part.
STEP 3: Transfer the chicken to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken and any juices collected on the plate to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed just until shredded. Alternatively, shred the chicken with two forks.
Stir in the BBQ sauce.
STEP 4: Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Combine the shredded Gouda and mozzarella.
STEP 5: Keeping the rolls connected, slice them horizontally into a top and bottom half. Place the bottom half in the prepared dish.
STEP 6: Layer with half of the cheese, the red onion, BBQ chicken, remaining cheese and pickles. Add the top half of the rolls.
STEP 7: Stir together the melted butter and ranch seasoning, then brush over the rolls.
STEP 8: Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, until the filling is hot, the cheese is melted and the tops are golden and crisp. Cut between the rolls and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Shred the chicken while it's still warm. After the 10-minute rest, it will pull apart easily. If using a mixer, stop as soon as it's shredded so the chicken keeps some texture.
- Spread the filling to the edges. Distribute the chicken, cheese and onion evenly so the outside sliders get just as much filling as the ones in the middle.
- Cover loosely with foil. Leave a little space above the buttered rolls so the foil doesn't stick to the tops.
- Save the uncovered baking for the end. Keeping the sliders covered first gives the filling time to heat and the cheese time to melt. The last 5 minutes uncovered crisp up the tops.
FAQ ❓
Yes! Assemble the sliders through adding the top rolls, cover and refrigerate earlier in the day. When you're ready to bake, brush with the ranch butter and cover with foil. Allow extra covered baking time as needed for the chilled filling to heat through, then uncover for the final 5 minutes.
No. I like using my stand mixer because it makes quick work of it, but two forks work well. Pull the chicken apart on a plate or cutting board, then stir it into the BBQ sauce with the reserved juices.
Use one you enjoy! A sweet and smoky sauce works well with the Gouda and pickles, but you can use a tangier or spicier sauce to suit your family.
Absolutely. Leave either one out or serve them on the side so everyone can add what they like.
Storage
These sliders are best fresh from the oven, while the tops are crisp and the cheese is melted. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.
To reheat, place the sliders in a baking dish and cover with foil. Warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, removing the foil toward the end to help crisp the tops. You can also microwave individual sliders for a quick lunch, although the rolls will be softer.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
Looking for other recipes to make? Try these:
Made these BBQ Chicken Sliders? Leave a rating and comment below.
I'd love to hear which BBQ sauce you used!
Recipe
BBQ Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 12-count package Hawaiian sweet rolls
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 12 pickle slices
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning mix
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the onion powder, paprika, chili powder and salt. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of the chicken.1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 pound boneless
- Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or other oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until browned.1 teaspoon olive oil
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour the juices from the skillet over it. Let rest for 10 minutes. Place the chicken and juices in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed just until shredded. Alternatively, shred with two forks. Stir in the BBQ sauce.¾ cup BBQ sauce
- Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the smoked Gouda and mozzarella.1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Keeping the rolls connected, slice the entire slab horizontally into a top and bottom half. Place the bottom half in the prepared dish.1 12-count package Hawaiian sweet rolls
- Layer half of the cheese mixture over the bottom rolls, followed by the red onion, BBQ chicken, remaining cheese and pickle slices. Place the top half of the rolls over the filling.¼ cup finely diced red onion, 12 pickle slices
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and ranch seasoning. Brush evenly over the tops of the rolls.¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning mix
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden and crisp.
- Cut between the rolls and serve warm.
Notes
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite sauce to adjust the sweetness, smokiness or heat.
- Shredding the chicken: Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed just until shredded, or shred with two forks.
- Make ahead: Assemble the sliders without the ranch butter topping, cover and refrigerate earlier in the day. Brush with the ranch butter just before baking. Chilled sliders may need extra time covered for the filling to heat through. Uncover for the final 5 minutes to crisp the tops.
- Reheating: Cover leftover sliders with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through. Uncover toward the end to crisp the tops.
Nutrition Information
Please note that these nutrition facts are approximations and may not be entirely precise.
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