Buffalo Chicken Sliders
These sliders are built all at once on a slab of soft rolls, so 12 come out of the oven together. Shredded cooked chicken gets warmed in butter and hot sauce, layered with melting cheese, then baked under a garlic butter glaze until the tops are golden. Add blue cheese if you like the classic wing flavour.
By Priya Raman
Published
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Cook Time
- 20 mins
- Total Time
- 35 mins
- Servings
- 12 sliders
How do you make Buffalo Chicken Sliders?
Warm 450 g shredded cooked chicken in a skillet with 80 ml hot sauce, 2 tbsp butter and garlic powder until steaming. Split a slab of 12 slider rolls, set the bottoms in a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) dish and layer cheese, chicken, more cheese and the tops. Brush with garlic butter and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 10 minutes covered, then 5 minutes uncovered.
- Total time
- 35 mins
- Calories
- 500 per serving
- Protein
- 35 g
- Yield
- 12 sliders
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Buffalo chicken
Sliders
Garlic butter
Equipment
23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish · Large skillet · Serrated bread knife · Small bowl · Pastry brush · Foil
Quick Directions
Heat the buffalo chicken
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and lightly grease the baking dish.
Split the rolls
Keep the rolls joined in one slab and slice through the whole slab horizontally with a serrated knife to separate the tops from the bottoms.
Layer the sliders
Cover the bottom rolls with half the cheese, spread the buffalo chicken evenly over it and scatter over the blue cheese, if using.
Brush with garlic butter
Stir the melted butter with 1/2 tsp garlic powder and the dried parsley, then brush it all over the tops of the rolls.
Bake
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
Cut and serve
Rest for 2-3 minutes, then cut along the lines of the rolls into 12 sliders.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect buffalo chicken sliders.
Heat the buffalo chicken
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and lightly grease the baking dish. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stir in the hot sauce and 1/2 tsp garlic powder, then add the chicken. Toss and heat for 3-4 minutes, until steaming hot, then stir in the green onions.
Split the rolls
Keep the rolls joined in one slab and slice through the whole slab horizontally with a serrated knife to separate the tops from the bottoms. Set the bottom half in the baking dish.
Layer the sliders
Cover the bottom rolls with half the cheese, spread the buffalo chicken evenly over it and scatter over the blue cheese, if using. Add the rest of the cheese and replace the top half of the rolls.
Brush with garlic butter
Stir the melted butter with 1/2 tsp garlic powder and the dried parsley, then brush it all over the tops of the rolls.
Bake
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more, until the cheese has melted, the filling is hot to the centre, 74°C (165°F), and the tops are golden.
Cut and serve
Rest for 2-3 minutes, then cut along the lines of the rolls into 12 sliders. Serve warm with celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Cayenne pepper hot sauce is the classic, vinegary buffalo base. Thicker, hotter chili sauces work too, but start with half the amount and taste.
- Heating the chicken in the sauce first means the oven only needs to melt the cheese and toast the rolls, so the bottoms stay soft rather than soggy.
- No cooked chicken? Poach 600 g boneless chicken breasts in simmering salted water for 15-18 minutes, until 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part, then shred.
- Sliced cheese makes a neater layer than shredded and helps keep the hot sauce from soaking into the bottom rolls.
Variations
- Ranch buffalo sliders: stir 3 tbsp ranch dressing into the hot chicken before layering.
- Milder sliders: use half hot sauce and half barbecue sauce, and leave out the blue cheese.
- Crispy buffalo sliders: use 450 g cooked, chopped breaded chicken pieces instead of shredded chicken, tossed in the sauce just before layering.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 500 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbs | 34 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated fat | 12.5 g |
| Fibre | 1.5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 1050 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate leftover sliders within 2 hours, wrapped or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. The buffalo chicken alone keeps, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze the buffalo chicken filling for up to 3 months. Assembled sliders do not freeze well because the rolls turn soggy.
- Reheat
- Reheat sliders covered with foil in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10-12 minutes, until the filling is hot to the centre, 74°C (165°F).
Buffalo Chicken Sliders FAQs
How long do you bake buffalo chicken sliders?
Bake them at 190°C (375°F) for 10 minutes covered with foil, then 5 minutes uncovered, until the cheese melts and the tops are golden. Heat the chicken in the sauce first so the filling is already hot, and check it reaches 74°C (165°F).
What kind of chicken is best for buffalo chicken sliders?
Shredded cooked chicken works best. Rotisserie or roast chicken gives the most flavour, since it mixes white and dark meat. Poached chicken breasts are leaner and also work well once tossed in the buttery hot sauce.
How do I keep sliders from getting soggy?
Heat the chicken in the sauce until it is hot and slightly reduced rather than wet, put a layer of cheese on the bottom rolls before the chicken, and serve the sliders soon after baking. Assemble them no more than about 30 minutes before they go in the oven.
Can I make buffalo chicken sliders ahead?
Make the buffalo chicken up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it. When you are ready, reheat it in a skillet until steaming hot, then assemble and bake the sliders. Building them hours ahead makes the bottom rolls soft.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
