BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders (Printer-Friendly)

Tender BBQ chicken on sweet Hawaiian rolls, ideal for gatherings and easy meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Sauce & Seasonings

02 - 1 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for serving
03 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
09 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt

→ Slider Assembly

10 - 12 soft Hawaiian rolls, split
11 - 2 tbsp melted butter, for toasting rolls (optional)
12 - 1 cup coleslaw, store-bought or homemade (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F for toasting the rolls.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken breasts to the skillet along with chicken broth, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour BBQ sauce over the top. Cover and simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and easily shreds.
04 - Remove cooked chicken from the skillet and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the sauce and stir thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - Arrange Hawaiian rolls on a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and toast in the preheated oven for 4-5 minutes until lightly golden.
06 - Spoon pulled chicken onto the bottom half of each roll. Top with coleslaw if desired and cover with the top bun.
07 - Serve warm with extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of sweet rolls and smoky BBQ chicken creates the most incredible sweet and savory flavor profile
  • They come together in under an hour but taste like you spent all day on them
  • Perfect for feeding a crowd without the hassle of individual portions
02 -
  • Rushing the shredding step while the chicken is too hot will burn your fingers, so give it a few minutes to cool down first
  • The rolls can get soggy if you assemble them too far ahead, so wait until about 15 minutes before serving to put everything together
03 -
  • Butter the cut sides of the rolls, not the tops, for the best toasting results
  • Let the chicken sit in the sauce for at least 10 minutes after shredding so it really absorbs the flavors

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