BBQ Chicken Sliders Recipe: Tangy Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Today’s BBQ Chicken Sliders recipe is inspired by Rhodes Bake-N-Serv products. All recipes, images, and opinions are my own.

These BBQ Chicken Sliders are an easy weeknight dinner and a crowd-pleasing game day option. Tender shredded chicken is tossed in barbecue sauce, layered with pickled red onions and provolone, baked on soft white dinner rolls, then brushed with garlic butter for a golden finish.

Barbeque Chicken Sliders

These sliders come together quickly and are ideal for busy nights or feeding a group. They hold up well to saucy fillings thanks to soft but sturdy white rolls, and they’re easy to customize with your favorite toppings.

While some recipes use sweet Hawaiian rolls, I prefer soft white dinner rolls for these sliders because they resist sogginess and have a classic flavor. The rolls I use are partially baked and frozen, making them taste fresh and homemade after finishing in the oven.

Equipment

1. 9″ x 13″ pan, rectangular casserole dish, or quarter sheet pan
2. Aluminum foil
3. Pellet-style grill/smoker (Traeger) or a conventional oven
4. Mixing bowl
5. Basting brush or pastry brush

Ingredients

1. 4 cups shredded fully cooked chicken (rotisserie, smoked whole chicken, or slow-cooked shredded chicken)
2. 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving
3. 1 package soft white dinner rolls or slider rolls
4. 1/2 cup pickled red onions, well drained (or 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh red onion)
5. 12 thin slices provolone cheese
6. 1/2 cup minced parsley, divided
7. 4 tablespoons salted butter
8. 1 teaspoon minced garlic

You’ll need about 4 cups of fully cooked, shredded chicken. Use rotisserie or smoked chicken, or cook and shred boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs. If using raw chicken breasts, cook them in a skillet until no longer pink, then shred.

Baking in a Pellet Grill or Oven

A pellet grill or smoker adds a subtle smoky note, but a conventional oven works just as well. The benefit of a pellet grill is precise temperature control, similar to an oven, with extra smoke flavor if desired.

BBQ Chicken Sliders

Preheat the pellet grill or oven to 350°F.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and minced garlic. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and reserve about 2 tablespoons of the garlic butter to grease the bottom of a quarter sheet pan or a 9″ x 13″ pan.

Stir 2 tablespoons of the minced parsley into the remaining melted butter and set aside for brushing later.

In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken with 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.

Slice each roll in half and arrange the bottom halves tightly in the prepared pan. Wedge them together as needed so they fit snugly.

Spread an even layer of the BBQ chicken over the bottom halves of the rolls. Top with pickled or thinly sliced red onions, then sprinkle the remaining parsley over the top. Lay thin slices of provolone across the sandwiches; overlapping is fine.

Place the top halves of the rolls over each sandwich, cover the pan tightly with foil, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, brush the tops with the reserved garlic parsley butter, and bake for 10 more minutes until the buns are golden and the cheese has melted.

Brush with any remaining garlic butter and let the sliders rest for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Serve with extra barbecue sauce on the side for dipping.