This Barbecue Chicken Sliders Recipe features a homemade bbq chicken filling that’s topped with crumbled bacon and pickled jalapenos for kick. They make a scrumptious main dish to serve for family meals, casual entertaining and game day snacking.

Ingredients to Make Barbecue Chicken Sliders Recipe

These sliders are a bbq fan’s dream! They’re packed with flavor, and the prep time is simple enough for a weekday dinner or game day snacking. I add pickled jalapenos and bacon to the ingredients to take the flavor to another level. Ingredients to make simple Barbecue Chicken Sliders: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Rolls: Brioche slider rolls have a sweet flavor that pairs well with the chicken.
Bacon: One half pound cooked crispy bacon adds a smoky flavor.
Barbecue Seasoning: One tablespoon prepared barbecue seasoning.
Pantry Seasonings: One teaspoon lemon pepper and one teaspoon garlic salt.
Cheese: 12 slices sharp cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese.
Barbecue Sauce: One cup barbecue sauce, a thicker works best.
Jalapeno Slices: Pickled jalapeno pepper slices for spice, this is optional.
Butter: Melted salted or unsalted butter to brush the rolls before baking.
Honey: To make the glaze for the rolls.
Worcestershire Sauce: Balances the honey in the gflaze.
Sesame Seeds: To sprinkle the tops of the rolls.
Garnish: Dill pickles and bamboo picks for serving.

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How to Make the BEST Barbecue Chicken Sliders Recipe

Chicken Breasts – Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil. Season on all sides with barbecue seasoning, garlic salt and lemon pepper. Rub seasonings into the chicken.
Roast– Place onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 18-20 minutes or until a thermometer reaches 165°F internal temperature. Set aside to cool slightly then shred using 2 forks.
Prepare Pan – Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan or baking dish, with cooking spray.
Assemble – Arrange the bottom buns in the pan. Top with six 1/2 slices of cheese.
BBQ Chicken – In a medium bowl toss the shredded chicken with the barbecue sauce. Spread barbecue chicken evenly over the cheese.
Bacon – Arrange the crumbled bacon and jalapeno slices over the chicken then top with reserved cheddar cheese slices. Place top half of rolls over the final layer of cheese.
Seasoned Butter – In a small bowl mix together butter, honey, garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce. Brush the butter mixture liberally over rolls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Oven – Lay a piece of foil on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer to brown tops.
Serve – Cut apart and serve immediately garnished with pickles and secure with picks, if desired.

Tips for Making Barbecue Chicken Sliders

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Sheet pan, measuring cups, tablespoons and teaspoons, sharp knife and cutting board, cheese grater, pastry brush and 13×9-inch nonstick baking pan or ceramic baking dish.
Chicken Options: I make the chicken for this recipe. For a timesaver, you may opt to use cooked leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, instead. Toss the chicken with the seasonings and barbecue sauce then follow the recipe as directed.
Use a Flavorful BBQ Seasoning: Barbecue seasonings are abundant on the spice aisle of grocery stores and specialty shops. You can use an applewood flavored seasoning, mesquite seasoning or any bbq seasoning blend that you enjoy. i.e. Applewood Maple, Mesquite, Barbecue Magic or your favorite brand
Adjust the Sodium to Taste: Barbecue seasonings have varying amounts of sodium. Adjust the garlic salt depending on the brand used.
Use a Thick Barbecue Sauce: It’s best to use a thick barbecue sauce for this recipe. You can use something as simple as Sweet Baby Ray’s which comes in a variety of flavors to suit your taste. Use your favorite bbq sauce for this chicken sliders recipe.
What to Serve with Barbecue Chicken Sliders: Serve with a side of macaroni salad, potato salad, french fries and ranch dressing for dipping, coleslaw, potato chips or macaroni and cheese.

Recipe Variations

Spice Variations: You can add extra spice to these chicken sliders with a few dashes of hot sauce, buffalo sauce (wing sauce), or sprinkle with ground cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
Cheese: You could also use slices of pepper jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, swiss cheese or colby jack cheese in place of cheddar cheese.
Onion: You can add thinly sliced red onion over the chicken layer for texture.
Bacon: You may opt to use turkey bacon for this recipe.
Peppers: Jalapenos add a nice kick to the filling. You can opt to omit them or replace them with pickles.
Sesame Seeds: You can omit the sesame seeds and sprinkle the tops of the bbq chicken sliders with grated Parmesan cheese.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers: Store baked Barbecue Chicken Sliders in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat bbq chicken sliders in single servings in the microwave or in a preheated 350°F oven with a piece of foil on top.
Freezer: You can freeze chicken sliders for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat just before serving.

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