These BBQ Chicken Sliders combine juicy BBQ chicken, melty Gouda cheese, and sweet Hawaiian rolls, all jazzed up with a pop of onion and cilantro. The rolls are brushed with garlic-herb butter to give these sliders a beautifully crispy and golden exterior.
PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch pan. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the Hawaiian rolls in half, ensuring they stay together as one top and one bottom slab. Place the bottom slab of rolls in the prepared pan.
BBQ CHICKEN: Add shredded/chopped chicken and BBQ sauce to a medium-sized bowl. Stir until chicken is saucy.
ASSEMBLE: Layer half of the cheese onto the bottom slab of rolls, followed by the BBQ chicken. If desired, add the finely diced red onion and chopped cilantro. Add the remaining cheese on top, followed by the top slab of rolls.
BAKE: Melt the garlic-herb butter in the microwave, then slowly pour it over the rolls. Use a pastry brush or spatula to evenly spread the melted butter across the tops and sides of the rolls, allowing some to pool at the bottom of the rolls, which you want-- it makes the bottoms crispy! If using, sprinkle Parmesan evenly on top. Cover the sliders with foil and bake for 20 minutes. After this, remove the foil and bake for an additional 3-6 minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted and the rolls are golden brown on top.
ENJOY: Remove the sliders from the oven and serve immediately. These sliders are best enjoyed right out of the oven as they tend to become soggy if left for any length of time.
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Notes
Note 1: Rotisserie chicken: Many grocery and warehouse stores offer hot-and-ready rotisserie chicken! However, for the quickest prep time, I suggest buying rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded. You can usually find this in the deli section of most grocery stores.
OR: Leftover cooked or grilled chicken: If you have some on hand, leftover baked chicken or grilled chicken with a basic salt and pepper seasoning can also work well for this recipe.
Note 2: BBQ sauce: Go for a quality brand that you enjoy. My personal favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ® (original) sauce or Stubb’s Original BBQ® sauce.Note 3: Butter: Nothing beats this amazing Kerrygold® garlic butter (so delicious and helps cut down on ingredients needed!). However, a homemade blend of 4 tablespoons of butter mixed with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and ½ to 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning will do the trick just as well.