A Crowd-Pleasing Game Day Snack
For as long as I can remember, game day has always been a pretty big deal at my house. No game day is complete unless there’s a massive spread of game day snacks involved. And when it comes to game day snacks, nothing beats buffalo chicken (as evidenced by so many of my favorite game day recipes, like Buffalo Chicken Crunchwraps and Buffalo Chicken Tacos!)
These buffalo chicken sliders came to be shortly after Chris and I moved in together and began hosting our own game day parties. Craving the classic game day flavors of buffalo chicken but feeling underwhelmed by all the traditional options, buffalo sliders were the perfect solution. They’re easy to make, perfect for feeding a game day crowd, and full of absolutely crave-worthy buffalo flavor.
Rather than going the fried chicken route, these buffalo chicken sliders use my go-to shredded buffalo chicken breast. We season the chicken with a retro-yet-delicious ranch packet and then toss it in the simplest homemade buffalo sauce. The chicken is stuffed with a healthy amount of cheese into super soft and fluffy Hawaiian sweet rolls. The cheese melts to ooey-gooey perfection, while the chicken is tangy and spicy and the rolls are subtly sweet – a trifecta of crave-worthy game day flavor.
To this day, buffalo chicken sliders are one of our all-time favorite snacks. In fact, it was one of the first recipes ever published here on PWWB way back in 2017! It’s one of those recipes we can’t get enough of – it’s seriously the best.
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Frank’s RedHot
While you can use any hot sauce you love to make these buffalo sliders, in my opinion, it’s not buffalo chicken without Frank’s RedHot. A tangy-spicy hot sauce made from aged cayenne peppers, garlic, and vinegar, Frank’s RedHot is the hot sauce used in the original buffalo chicken wings recipe. As legend has it, way back in 1964, the cooks at Anchor Bar and Grill (located in Buffalo, NY) created a wing sauce on the fly by combining melted butter and paprika with Frank’s RedHot. The infamous buffalo sauce was born.
You can find Frank’s RedHot very readily; it’s in the condiments aisle at most conventional grocery stores and it’s also available online. (Note: Frank’s also sells prepared buffalo sauce. For this buffalo chicken sliders recipe, I suggest using the hot sauce labelled ‘Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce’.)
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Prep the shredded chicken. My go-to easy method to cook and shred chicken is to brown it off with a hard sear in a cast-iron skillet and then roast it in the oven for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Once it’s cooked through, simply shred it up. Quick and easy shortcut for shredding chicken! ⇢ My favorite kitchen hack is using a trusty stand mixer to shred chicken. The paddle attachment does all the work, creating the perfectly pulled chicken for these buffalo sliders.
Mix the shredded buffalo chicken. Once the ranch-seasoned chicken is cooked and shredded, it’s time to buffalo-ify it. Add it back to the skillet (we want all of the browned bits in the pan that formed as the chicken cooked – they’re mega flavorful!) and toss it with Frank’s RedHot and a little butter.
Assemble the buffalo chicken sliders. Here’s where the fun begins! Use a large bread knife to slice the dinner rolls or Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally, creating 2 large slabs of roll tops and bottoms. Resist the urge to tear them into individual rolls – these slabs are the secret to pull-apart sliders! Lightly brush the cut sides with melted butter, sprinkle some ranch seasoning over top for extra flavor, then pile on shredded cheese and shredded buffalo chicken. Tip! ⇢ For an extra-flavorful golden finish, brush the tops of the rolls with a little melted butter and sprinkle any remaining ranch seasoning over top – so delicious!
Bake the buffalo chicken sliders. Pop the prepared sliders in the oven and bake until the rolls are toasty, the cheese is melted, and the sliders are warmed through.
Easy Recipe Variations
While my favorite way to prep these buffalo sliders is what’s presented in the Recipe Card, it’s seriously easy to customize them to suit your tastes. Some easy variations to consider:
- Swap the rolls! ⇢ I love making sliders with brioche dinner rolls (pictured, available at ALDI), which have the best light and fluffy texture with incredible rich, buttery flavor. Hawaiian rolls also work beautifully for buffalo chicken sliders since the natural sweetness of the bread plays off the spicy, tangy flavor of the buffalo chicken nicely.
- Swap the cheese! ⇢ Use whatever melty cheese you love or have on hand – colby jack, pepper jack, sharp cheddar, muenster, or havarti are all great options. If you love bleu cheese, feel free to add it! Crumble it and stir it into the shredded buffalo chicken before you assemble the sliders. For an extra-creamy buffalo chicken filling, add a little cream cheese to the mix!
- Other easy add-ins:
- For extra sweetness, layer some thinly sliced roasted red pepper over the pulled buffalo chicken.
- For extra tang, finish the sliders with some bread and butter pickles (add them after the sliders have baked).
- For a little texture, finish the buffalo chicken sliders with coleslaw or broccoli slaw (layer it on after the sliders have baked) or a simple salad made with romaine, celery leaves, shredded carrots and ranch or bleu cheese dressing.
Alternate Cooking Methods
This buffalo chicken recipe is written with my preferred method – a quick stove-to-oven cook is easy and yields perfect shredded chicken. Based on the amount of time you have, you can easily adapt it to use your slow cooker, Crockpot or Instant Pot instead. Full instructions for both can be found in the Recipe Card.
Short on time? ⇢ Leftover shredded chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken are great time-saving swaps!
Serving Suggestions
Once they’re perfectly golden brown with ooey-gooey cheese, the buffalo chicken sliders are ready to serve.
Serving suggestions. ⇢ I suggest carefully transferring the buffalo chicken sliders from the baking sheet to a large serving platter. Do your best to keep them intact so your family and friends can dive right in, pull-apart style. Serve alongside extra Frank’s RedHot and 5-Minute Greek Yogurt Ranch or bleu cheese dressing (whatever you love most!) for dipping.
Inspiration for other sides and snacks. ⇢ If you want to prep a simple side to pair with your sliders, you simply can’t go wrong with carrot sticks or celery sticks. They’re the most obvious choice for any game day spread that centers around buffalo chicken. I also like serving these buffalo chicken sliders with a simple salad or slaw. (If I’m feeling ambitious, I prep my favorite Everyday Slaw recipe, though good ol’ bagged broccoli slaw always does the trick in a pinch!)
I can’t wait for you to try these Buffalo Chicken Sliders! They’re easy, satisfying, and always such a crowd-pleaser. If you do give them a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about and seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
Print
Easy, Cheesy Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 sliders, serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Appetizer Recipes, Snack Recipes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
Spicy, tangy, and perfectly handheld, these Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders are the perfect game day snack! Shredded ranch seasoned chicken is tossed in homemade buffalo sauce, layered on slider rolls with cheese, and baked into gooey-melty-golden browned goodness. Best served with blue cheese or ranch dressing and perfect for feeding a crowd!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see Recipe Notes, below)
- 1 (one) 1-ounce envelope ranch seasoning, divided
- ⅓ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- optional: 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
- 12 dinner rolls (Hawaiian sweet rolls or dinner rolls of choice)
- 8 ounces colby jack or melty cheese of choice (pepper jack, cheddar, havarti, etc.), shredded
- for serving, as desired: ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing, for dipping
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, ensuring a rack is in the center position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up as desired. Gather and prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above.
- Sear the chicken: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. As the butter melts, season the chicken breasts. Measure out 1 heaping tablespoon of the ranch seasoning and set aside to reserve for buffalo slider assembly. Sprinkle the remaining ranch seasoning over the chicken breasts, seasoning generously. Once the butter in the skillet is melted, add the chicken to the skillet. Cook, browning the chicken, 2-3 minutes per side.
- Bake and shred the chicken: Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 12-15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Set aside to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, carefully shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces – you can do so using 2 forks, or my favorite trick: pop the chicken breasts directly into a stand mixer and let the paddle attachment do the work for you (I swear this works!).
- Mix the buffalo chicken: Add the shredded chicken back into the warm skillet with the hot sauce, 2 tablespoons of butter, and blue cheese crumbles (if using). Stir to combine, tossing the chicken to coat it evenly in the sauce and pan drippings. Set aside for slider assembly.
- Buffalo chicken slider assembly: Place the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Microwave 30 seconds to melt. Set aside. Using a large serrated knife, cut the dinner rolls in half horizontally, creating 2 large slabs of roll tops and bottoms. Don’t pull them apart into individual rolls – we want these 2 large slabs of connected tops and bottoms for easy assembly. Lightly brush the cut sides of the slabs with butter, sprinkling some of the reserved ranch seasoning over top. Place the slab of roll bottoms on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the roll bottoms, then pile the shredded buffalo chicken on top. Top with the remaining shredded cheese, then place the slab of roll tops over top. Lightly brush the top of the rolls with butter, sprinkling any remaining ranch seasoning over top.
- Bake the buffalo chicken sliders: Loosely cover the assembled sliders with foil. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is melted. In the last two minutes, remove the foil to allow the tops of the rolls to brown slightly.
- Serve immediately, with ranch or bleu cheese dressing for dipping as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Alternate cooking methods:
- Can I make these buffalo chicken sliders with shredded rotisserie chicken? While cooking the chicken fresh is quick, easy, and creates a ton of flavor, these buffalo chicken sliders are also a great way to use up any leftover chicken that may be hanging out in your refrigerator. Rotisserie chicken is also a great store-bought shortcut. If you’re using already cooked chicken, skip Step 2-3 of Recipe Directions, above.
- Slow Cooker or Crockpot Buffalo Chicken: If your slow cooker has a browning/searing feature, season and sear the chicken in the slow cooker according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. If not, simply add the chicken breasts, ranch seasoning, Frank’s RedHot, and butter to your slow cooker. Slow cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Shred and serve according to Steps 5-6 of Recipe Directions, above.
- Electric Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken: Use the Instant Pot’s browning/searing feature to sear the ranch-seasoned chicken breasts in the Instant Pot according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Once seared, add the butter, Frank’s RedHot and 2/3 cup chicken stock or beer to ensure the Instant Pot seals properly. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring the sure valve is in its sealed position! Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick release any remaining pressure in the pot by flicking the valve to its venting position. Remove the lid. Shred and serve according to Steps 5-6 of Recipe Directions, above.
- Note: This recipe has been updated since its original publish in March 2017. If you are looking for the original recipe, which included feta cheese and roasted red peppers, click here to download a printable version!
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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I’m making this in the crockpot but I have thin cut chicken breasts. I’m wondering what the adjustment to time might be?
Hi Rebecca, cooking time will vary based on thickness of the breasts and your specific slow-cooker, but you can start with cooking for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low and sporadically check the chicken’s internal temperature from there until it reaches doneness. Hope it turns out great for you!
Cooked in the crockpot and it was super tasty. Love that it isn’t too spicy. Used blue cheese which added a lot of extra flavor. Will definitely become a weekend/ game day favorite!
Thank you Hannah! We are SO glad to hear that you found a new game day fave in this recipe & that the crockpot directions worked well!
I tried this tonight for dinner. So, so good! I actually doubled the recipe. I couldn’t find any roasted red peppers, didn’t want to roast them myself, either… but I know they’d have been a fabulous addition. This was really fantastic.
DeeAnn, love that you were able to double the recipe & enjoy with what you had available
Love this appetizer! My go to for parties and friends always rave about it.
I’m so glad it’s always a hit, Mary!! xx
I would recommend baking for 10 minutes instead of 15. Mine came out burnt!
Hi Will! Thanks for your sharing your experience, so sorry to hear that your sliders came out burnt! Ovens can definitely vary so be sure to check for doneness as you go.
Fluffy bread and delicious chicken…:) mmm. This kind of food for me is ” so America”, it mean, exotic and differnet. I have to try 🙂
Thank you for sharing.
http://www.estoniancuisine.com
thank you for stopping by, kr! this is TOTALLY an american recipe. i hope you try it & enjoy!!
We love love love sliders for game day/parties. These sound so good! I’ll have to wait until after I have my baby to enjoy these, because there’s no way I could skip the blue cheese 😉
Omg these look amazing! I love sliders so much! Not going to lie, have no idea what march madness it, just another American thing I need to learn! If involves eating food though then count me in!
haha, yes it’s totally an american thing – basically the big season-end college basketball tournament & it DEFINITELY involves eating good food. =)
ok so I am embarrassed to tell you I’ve never had Hawaiian sweet rolls, which according to Pat is appalling! but these looks heavenly! And I am definitely into March Madness – mostly when MU makes the tourney so cross your fingers this year 🙂
aw, ellie, they are pretty amazing! it’s a soft bread & it’s actually sweetened with pineapple juice! i grew up eating it, especially when we visited my grandpa in honolulu. i’m sure there’s a great gf dinner roll out there that could easily achieve the same end result! (go marquette!)