These Chipotle Cheddar BBQ Chicken Sliders are full of saucy BBQ chicken, tangy chipotle mayo, and melty cheddar cheese on sweet toasted Hawaiian buns. They couldn’t be easier to make and they’re perfect for everything from game day spreads to weeknight meals!

Why You’ll Love This BBQ Chicken Sliders Recipe

A great way to repurpose leftovers – if you have a leftover whole roasted chicken or spatchcock chicken from your weekly meal prep, this recipe is the perfect way to ensure none of it goes to waste. This recipe completely repurposes your leftovers to turn them into a brand new dish so you don’t get bored.
Large batch-friendly – one batch makes 12 sliders at once and you can easily double the recipe to feed a crowd.
Customizable and SO delicious – add more meat, swap the cheese, or add more veggies. You can easily make this recipe your own which I love!

Recipe Ingredients

Chicken: to keep things easy, this recipe uses pre-cooked shredded chicken. You could use leftover roasted chicken or grab a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Using leftover slow cooker BBQ chicken or shredded chicken is also a great option!

BBQ Sauce: any barbecue sauce that you love will work for this recipe. You can go extra smokey or use a sweeter honey bbq sauce – either will be great!

Chipotle Mayonnaise: to give the sliders that delicious smoky chipotle flavor, we’re making a homemade chipotle mayo! This adds so much flavor to the sliders and pairs perfectly with the cheddar and barbecue sauce.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls: my personal favorite option for sliders are Hawaiian sweet rolls. They’re soft, fluffy, sweet, and make the perfect base for all of the slider toppings.

Cheese: we’re using sliced cheddar cheese for this recipe! I like to go with sharp cheddar and it pairs really well with the sweetness of the bbq sauce.

Red Onion: thinly sliced, red onions add the perfect bite.

Ways to Customize

Switch up the cheese – not a fan of cheddar? You could swap it for gouda or Pepper jack which would both be great.
Double the recipe – need to make extra BBQ sliders for a crowd? Swap the 12 standard-sized rolls for 24 smaller rolls instead. Or, if you know everyone will be hungry, you can double the batch, using two baking sheets to make a total of 24 large sliders!
Swap the protein – don’t want to use chicken? You can easily make this recipe with shredded turkey or pulled pork instead.
Use gluten free rolls – need to keep these sliders gluten free? Feel free to substitute the Hawaiian rolls with your favorite gluten free sandwich rolls instead!

How to Make Chipotle Cheddar BBQ Chicken Sliders

Step One: Turn your oven to low broil. Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half, and place them on a lined baking sheet. Toast the halves cut side up until they’re golden brown and toasted. Be careful not to let them burn! Then, remove the rolls from the oven, and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Step Two: Add the shredded chicken and barbecue sauce to a mixing bowl, and stir until well combined.

Step Three: Add the mayo, chipotle pepper, paprika, garlic, cilantro, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend until well combined, and transfer the mixture to a small bowl.

Step Four: Brush the chipotle mayo on both sides of the toasted rolls. Then, on the bottom half of the rolls, place 6 slices of cheese, and layer on the BBQ chicken. Top the chicken with the sliced red onion, and add the remaining 6 slices of cheese. Place the top half of the rolls over the meat and cheese.

Step Five: Brush melted butter over the top of the rolls. Then, cover the sheet pan pan with aluminum foil. Bake the rolls, covered, at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Step Six: Remove the foil from the sheet pan, and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and the rolls are golden brown and toasted on top.

Step Seven: Top the rolls with fresh chives and parsley. Then, cut, and enjoy your BBQ chicken sliders while they’re warm!

Tips and Tricks

Watch the rolls carefully while toasting – Hawaiian rolls can burn quickly in the oven. So, keep a very watchful eye on them, and only use low broil instead of high. Pull them out as soon as they’re lightly golden!
Up the protein and cheese – The amount of protein called for in this recipe is really just a suggestion. If you prefer a heartier sandwich feel free to increase the amount of chicken you’re using. The same goes for the cheese if you want an extra cheesy slider.
Line your sheet pan with parchment paper – This helps to make cleanup easy and catch any melty cheese that happens to fall.

Serving Suggestions

These sliders are great on their own but if you want to make them a part of a full meal then you’ve got a lot of different options. Try pairing them with one of these sides:

How to Store and Reheat

I think sliders are best served right away (and they usually go fast!) but if you have leftovers, they’ll still taste great.

Store: Transfer the sliders to an airtight container or sealable bag, and store them in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.

Reheat: If you want to warm the sandwiches up, I recommend wrapping them in foil and doing so in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes. Reheating in the oven is my favorite method! Or, you can reheat them in the microwave at low power for 15 seconds at a time if you need to warm them up quickly.

More Delicious BBQ Chicken Recipes

I hope you give this Chipotle Cheddar BBQ Chicken Sliders Recipe a try! It’s so delicious and easy to make! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

Chipotle Cheddar BBQ Chicken Sliders

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Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 1x
Category: Appetizers
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

Description

Ingredients

Scale

BBQ Chicken

2 cups shredded boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup barbecue sauce

Chipotle Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
pinch of salt

Sliders

12 count Hawaiian sweet rolls
12 slices cheddar cheese (orange)
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon melted butter, plus more for serving
chopped parsley and chives, for serving

Instructions

Prep and Toast the Rolls: Turn the oven to low broil. Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half and place on a lined baking sheet. Toast the halves, cut side up, watching carefully, until golden brown and toasted. Remove from the oven and then lower the oven temp to 350 degrees.
Make the Barbecue Chicken: Add the shredded chicken and barbecue sauce to a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
Make the Chipotle Mayo: Add the mayo, chipotle pepper, paprika, garlic, cilantro, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend until well combined and then transfer to a small bowl.
Assemble the sliders: Brush the chipotle mayo on both sides of the toasted rolls. Then on the bottom half of the rolls, place 6 slices of cheese, then layer on the bbq chicken. Top the bbq chicken with sliced red onion and then top with the remaining 6 slices of cheese. Place the top half of the rolls over the meat and cheese.
Brush melted butter over the top of the rolls and then cover the sheet pan with aluminum foil. Bake the rolls, covered, at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove the foil from the sheet pan and bake for additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the rolls are golden brown and toasted on top.
Top with fresh chives and parsley and then cut and serve.