4th of July BBQ Chicken Sliders (Printable)

Tender shredded BBQ chicken layered on soft slider buns with a crisp, tangy coleslaw topping.

# What You Need:

→ BBQ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 cup BBQ sauce
03 - 0.5 cup chicken broth
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
08 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Coleslaw

09 - 3 cups shredded green cabbage
10 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
11 - 1 medium carrot, grated
12 - 0.25 cup mayonnaise
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 teaspoon honey
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly

17 - 8 slider buns
18 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken breasts with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and sear 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned.
02 - Add chicken broth and BBQ sauce to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-18 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and tender.
03 - Remove chicken from skillet and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the skillet, toss with sauce, and simmer uncovered for 3-5 minutes until sauce thickens.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - Add shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and grated carrot to the dressing. Toss well to coat all vegetables evenly. Set aside.
06 - Brush slider buns with melted butter. Toast in a skillet or under the broiler until golden brown.
07 - Place a generous scoop of BBQ chicken on each bottom bun. Top with a heap of coleslaw and cover with the top bun. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken becomes impossibly tender and soaks up every drop of BBQ sauce without drying out, which is honestly harder to pull off than it sounds.
  • These sliders come together in under an hour, so you can spend more time with your guests and less time sweating over the stove.
  • The homemade coleslaw has just the right balance of creamy and acidic to cut through the richness of the chicken and bun.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sear—those golden-brown bits on the chicken create a flavor foundation that the sauce builds on, and it's worth those few extra minutes.
  • The coleslaw is best made ahead (up to a day earlier) because the vinegar and salt soften the cabbage and let all the flavors meld into something greater than their individual parts.
03 -
  • Toast your buns in the same skillet you used for the chicken so they pick up a whisper of that seasoned oil and BBQ flavor.
  • Keep your coleslaw in a separate bowl until the very last moment so the buns don't get soggy, then add it generously just before serving.
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