This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
This Buffalo Chicken Sliders recipe is a quick, easy meal that can be served as a dinner or an appetizer at your next party or potluck! You are going to love the tangy buffalo chicken with those sweet Hawaiian rolls.
Is Buffalo Chicken spicy?
The primary component of Buffalo Chicken is the buffalo sauce. Buffalo sauce is not the same as hot sauce while they do share most ingredients. Buffalo and hot sauce each include the primary ingredients of vinegar and cayenne pepper. Unlike hot sauce, buffalo sauce includes butter which creates a thicker sauce with a much smoother flavor.
Buffalo sauce is spicy given that it still includes cayenne pepper. However, there are many bottled buffalo sauce options from mild to very hot. If needed, you can also adjust the amount of buffalos sauce you add to the recipe to increase/decrease the amount of “heat.”
Can’t get enough buffalo flavor? Try these Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, our Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower, or tasty Buffalo Chicken Bites!
Ingredients
As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. For the complete, printable recipe scroll down.
- Cooked Chicken – Any cooked chicken will work, so feel free to shred up a rotisserie from the grocery store or use any leftovers you have.
- Cream cheese, melted– Used to thicken shredded chicken mix
- Buffalo sauce– There are many brand/level of “heat” varieties at most grocery stores, but we love Frank’s.
- Ranch dressing– Used to add flavor and thicken shredded chicken mix
- Hawaiian Rolls– We used Sara Lee Hawaiian buns and they held up really well. Feel free to use your favorite brand or available option.
- Mozzarella Cheese:- Great flavor combo with the buffalo sauce
- Unsalted butter– Sliders are brushed with melted butter to create perfectly toasted bun.
- Parsley– Garnish for the buns; It makes them beautiful and adds a hint of flavor.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Sliders
In addition to the ingredients listed above, you will also need a 9 x 13 pan, mixing bowls, spatula, and a brush for the butter sauce. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide:
Make the creamy sauce
In a large bowl, mix together the melted cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch dressing until smooth. It is important to make sure there are no lumps of cream cheese. Also, be sure the sauce is completely smooth for the best flavor and texture.
Add the Chicken
Toss the shredded chicken in the buffalo mixture, coating evenly and set aside. Remember, you can use any cooked, shredded chicken. A rotisserie chicken is a great time-saving option or this slower cooker shredded chicken recipe is great for meal prep.
Slice the Rolls
Slice your package of rolls in half horizontally (hamburger style) and set the tops of the buns aside. Separate the bottoms of the buns into 12 equal pieces (this makes it much easier to serve the sliders when they’re done cooking) and set them in the bottom of the baking dish.
Add the Buffalo Chicken and Cheese
Spread the buffalo chicken mixture over the buns evenly. Then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the buffalo mixture, be sure you get the chicken and cheese mixture all the way to the edges so that all the sliders are completely filled. Now, place the 12 roll tops on top.
Brush with Butter
Brush with the melted butter, then sprinkle with the parsley. To make the sliders extra cheesy, you can also lightly sprinkle grated parmesan on top of the rolls.
Bake
After preheating oven at 375 degrees, Cover and bake rolls for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes to brown the tops of the buns.
Serve
These sliders are a great party food and would be perfect on the appetizer table with some Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Twice Baked Potatoes, or Italian Stuffed Mushrooms. To make this a full meal, pair with fries (or these made of carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, or even rutabaga for a low-carb option). These would be great with quick air fryer veggies, too!
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers can be stored for one day in the refrigerator, after that they get pretty soggy. Heat leftovers up in the microwave in 30 second increments until warm.
Tips and Tricks:
- I used Sara Lee Hawaiian buns for this recipe and they hold up really well with all the moisture in the sliders.
- Separating the bottoms of the sliders before adding the chicken mixture is optional, but I highly recommend it. It’s very difficult to serve the sliders neatly if you don’t do this.
- I used rotisserie chicken for this recipe but you can use any chopped or shredded chicken.
- Feel free to use different cheeses, like pepper jack, cheddar, or even crumbled bleu cheese instead of mozzarella cheese.
Buffalo Chicken Sliders FAQ
No, not if prepared exactly as listed in the recipe. However, you can substitute the Hawaiian Rolls with a GF option such as the Schar ciabatta rolls, baguettes, English muffins, or hamburger buns.
They are mildly spicy, but level of “heat” can easily be increased/decreased by choosing a bottle of Buffalo sauce that reflects your preferred level of “heat.”
Yes, a BBQ sauce or pesto sauce would be other flavorful options.
More party appetizer recipes
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 4 oz cream cheese, melted
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- ⅓ cup ranch dressing
- 12 Hawaiian Rolls
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted, melted
- 1 tbsp parsley dry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the melted cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch dressing until smooth.
- Toss the shredded chicken in the buffalo mixture, coating evenly and set aside.
- Slice your package of rolls in half horizontally (hamburger style) and set the tops of the buns aside. Separate the bottoms of the buns into 12 equal pieces (this makes it much easier to serve the sliders when they’re done cooking) and set them in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Spread the buffalo chicken mixture over the buns evenly.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the buffalo mixture, then set the 12 bun tops on top.
- Brush with the melted butter, then sprinkle with the parsley.
- Cover and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the tops of the buns. Slice and serve!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
