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These easy Hawaiian Chicken Sliders are perfect for game day or any day. Thanks to rotisserie chicken or leftover shredded chicken they come together quickly!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Today’s recipe is perfect for game day but is a crowd pleaser no matter when you serve it. It is the perfect meal to make anytime you have extra chicken leftover. It also makes for yummy party food. Because of its size, it works as an appetizer or as the main meal if you eat more than one.
What is a slider?
- Basically, it is a small hamburger or sandwich, usually about 2 inch across, made with a bun.
Ingredients Needed
- Slider Buns. I like to use the Soft King’s Hawaiian Slider buns but if you can’t find them at your grocery store you can make your own using this recipe.
- Chicken. Use shredded boneless, skinless chicken. (see below for ways to make shredded chicken)
- Pineapple. I like to use the tidbits but you could also use chunks. You will use the juice too, in with the BBQ sauce.
- Red Onion
- Cheese. Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese are our favorites but you could also use Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Colby etc. You will also need Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.
- Olive Oil
- Garlic. Fresh minced garlic.
- BBQ Sauce. Our favorite brand is Sweet Baby Rays.
- Seasoning. Chili Powder, minced onion and poppy seeds.
- Butter
Lime Cilantro Mayo
This is so delicious so don’t skip this part. It adds a lot of flavor to the slider.
- Combine mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro and garlic together and refrigerate until ready to use.
How to make Hawaiian Chicken Sliders
- In a pan over medium heat, combine oil and garlic and cook garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add in BBQ sauce, pineapple juice and chili powder. Cook for 5-7 minutes until it begins to thicken slightly.
- Add in chicken and stir to coat.
- Cut rolls in half and place bottom of rolls in a greased 9 x 13 pan.
- Layer with chicken, red onion, pineapple and slice of cheese.
- Spread mayo mixture on bottom of top of bun and place in pan.
- Pour melted butter over the tops of the buns. Sprinkle with minced onion, poppy seeds and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 -30 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melted.
These are soft and gooey and a little messy to eat but so worth it, just have some extra napkins on hand!
Best Way to Make Shredded Chicken
There are three different ways you can easily make a batch of shredded chicken.
- Microwave. Perfect when you only need to do 2-3 chicken breasts
- Instant Pot. When doing a big batch
- Slow Cooker.
I love to make up a big batch of shredded chicken and then freeze it so I can pull it out whenever a craving for these Hawaiian Chicken Sliders hit. You will need about 3-4 cups of chicken to make 12 sliders
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find them at the store you can make your own using this slider bun recipe.
After assembling the sandwiches in the pan, wrap the pan with plastic wrap or foil and place the refrigerator until the next morning. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months and then bake them.
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Check out more delicious game day food ideas:
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Hawaiian Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
- 12 slider buns
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup pineapple tidbits drained and juice reserved
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
- 12 slices Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 2 Tbsp minced onion
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Lime Cilantro Mayo
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 Tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lime Cilantro Mayo
- Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sliders
- In a pan over medium heat, combine oil and garlic and cook garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add in BBQ sauce, pineapple juice and chili powder.
- Stir and cook over heat until it begins to bubble and thicken slightly, 5-7 minutes.
- Add in shredded or diced chicken and stir to coat.
- Place bottom of rolls in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Layer with chicken, red onion, pineapple and slice of cheese.
- Spread mayo mixture on bottom of top of bun and place in pan.
- Pour melted butter over the tops of the buns. Sprinkle with minced onion, poppy seeds and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil
- Bake in oven for 25 minutes of until warmed through and cheese is melted.
Tips & Notes:
- For 2-3 chicken breasts I prefer to do it in the microwave.
- For a larger batch, 4 or more chicken breasts I use my Instant Pot or my Slow Cooker.
Nutrition Facts:
Paula says
Instead of BBQ could buffalo sauce work as well??
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
Sure you could use any sauce you like.