Best Ever Chicken Sliders (BBQ Chicken Thigh Recipe)
These best ever chicken sliders using chicken thighs with my tangy BBQ sauce, melty Colby jack cheese, and creamy buttermilk coleslaw is a perfect way to make use of chicken thighs. They are perfect for dinner, tailgating, appetizers, couchgating . These crowd pleasers are easy to prepare and ready in 20 mins or less!
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A FUN & TASTY WAY TO USE UP CHICKEN THIGHS.
I love chicken sliders, chicken thighs and I love BBQ chicken. I really do but sometimes I run out of chicken thigh ideas. When I’m out of recipe ideas, I always ask a friend or my family for ideas. This chicken thigh slider idea actually came from a woman on Facebook. She suggested chicken sandwiches. The first thing that came to my mind was BBQ chicken sliders. I love how fun and cute they are. Technically sliders are still sandwiches, right? Just smaller.
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When I think about these sliders I think of fun times at parties or BBQ, or cookouts.
This chicken slider recipe has been on my mind for months now. I wish I had made them sooner because these BBQ they’re so darn good! I’m a bit embarrassed to tell the world but I ate 4 of them while sipping on a tequila sunrise mocktail. I love a good satisfying meal. My homemade buttermilk coleslaw recipe will be on the blog this week too so look out for it.
These BBQ sliders are so tender, juicy and crave-worthy. A quick brine is all you need to make the chicken thighs nice and flavorful. Brine the chicken for 25-30 minutes.
HOW TO MAKE BBQ CHICKEN SLIDERS?
1. Brining is optional but I strongly suggest you try it. Cut the chicken thighs to fit the buns. It doesn’t have to be a perfect cut just eyeball it. Add the chicken thighs to a Ziploc bag or bowl. Add water, salt, and sugar. Brine for about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the Ziploc bag. Pat the chicken completely dry. Over medium-high heat, cook the chicken thighs for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Add the BBQ sauce. By the way, I’ll have my quick and easy homemade BBQ sauce posted tomorrow. Cook until the sauce has thickened about 5 minutes. Spoon the thickened sauce over the chicken thighs.
2. Reduce the temperature to low. Add a slice of cheese on top of each chicken thigh. I love using Colby jack cheese.
4. Place brioche buns on the oven rack and toast for a couple of minutes. As the cheese is melting, spread a bit of the BBQ sauce on the bottom and top of each bun if you like. Add the chicken slider to the bottom bun.
5. Top with the coleslaw. Okay, I can’t even describe how good these are! Little warning, you will eat many if you’re not careful 🙂 ! Don’t they look so juicylicious! I love to use chicken thighs because they are packed with so much flavor!
6. Add the top bun and serve immediately. Need sides and drinks? See below for some suggestions.
WHAT GOES WELL WITH BBQ CHICKEN SLIDERS?
When I make BBQ meals like these this, I also make a nice crunchy side like creamy buttermilk coleslaw, or corn on the cob. I also love a good pasta salad or Macaroni Salad. For a classic side dish, you can make Green Beans. For drinks, Tequila Sunrise Mocktail, or Red Wine Lemonade with Berries .
TIPS FOR BBQ CHICKEN SLIDERS (CHICKEN THIGH RECIPE).
Chicken: As I mentioned earlier if you only have bone in and skin on chicken thighs, just remove the bones and the skin. If you don’t like chicken thighs, feel free to use chicken breast. Make sure to flatten the chicken breasts before you brine or cook it.
Brine: Brine the chicken for 25-30 minutes. If you brine the chicken for too long it may turn out too salty.
Leftovers: Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit. Wrap the chicken in aluminum foil. Place wrapped chicken on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet with the chicken thighs in the oven until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
These BBQ Chicken Sliders are a new family favorite meal. My family kept going back for seconds and thirds. My husband doesn’t like coleslaw or mayonnaise but he couldn’t get enough of it with these sliders. It’s a super easy recipe that doesn’t require you to spend time shredding the chicken. It will take about 5-8 minutes to cut the chicken to fit the rolls. Not bad right? After you cut the chicken thighs to fit the dinner rolls everything else is a breeze. You can ditch cutting the chicken thighs and make full-sized bbq chicken sandwiches, just buy regular sized rolls I hope you can try them!
Save these BBQ Chicken sliders to your Pinterest Board and let’s be friends on Pinterest I’m always sharing mouth-watering recipes. You can also share to your Facebook to save this recipe!
BBQ Chicken Sliders (Chicken Thigh Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb skinless chicken thighs cut to fit the dinner rolls
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 cup BBQ sauce of your choice Link to BBQ sauce is in the instructions
- coleslaw
- brioche dinner rolls or your choice of rolls
- colby jack cheese slices
Instructions
- To a Ziploc bag add the water, sugar, salt then add the chicken thighs. Refrigerate for 25-30 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs and pat to dry.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. Add the dry chicken thighs to the skillet and cook each side until golden brown about 3-4 minutes. Do not move the chicken thighs around as they are cooking. Add the BBQ sauce to the skillet. One the sauce has thickened toss chicken to coat.
- This step is optional. While the chicken is cooking prepare the cheese slices. Half each slice of cheese. You can add a whole slice of cheese to each slider if you prefer. I prefer to use smaller slices since these are sliders and not burgers.
- Top each chicken thigh with the cheese. You can cover the skillet if you like to melt the cheese faster but it's not necessary.
- Place brioche buns directly on oven rack and toast until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. As the cheese is melting, spread a bit of the BBQ sauce on the bottom and top of each bun if you like. Add the chicken slider to the bottom bun. Top with the coleslaw and top bun and serve.
Only used 1/2 T salt but otherwise followed—delicious!!!
You just made my day! I appreciate your comment Erin. Thank you so much!
I absolutely love the fact that you use chicken thighs. It’s the best part of the chicken. This recipe is a keeper.
Oh my!! These look absolutely amazing – I need to add these to our Memorial Day Menu!
I hope you do! I’d love to know what you think of them. Thank you Stephanie!
That barbecue glaze looks absolutely delicious. I love cooking with chicken thighs, too! They are my favorite cut of chicken as they are always so moist and tender.
It is delicious! Thanks so much Heather!
You just gave me the perfect way to use up my chicken thighs!!! Definitely a crowd pleaser!!!
Thank you so much Mirlene! Glad to help!
I think this is one of the best sandwiches to serve during bbqs with friends or families. They’re going to love it for sure and it’s not difficult to make at all. It looks so good! The pictures made me want to make a batch of these sliders right now!
They are small but have huge flavor. I love them. Thank you so much Alison!
A delight for chicken lovers. Love the colorful slaw.
Thank you Mayuri.
What a great idea using chicken thighs. They fit perfect on those little slider buns
Thank you so much Alisa!
These just look perfect to me. Coleslaw and the BBQ sauce just make the whole dish so tasty.
Coleslaw and bbq sauce go so well together. Thank you Vladka!
These sound so good! I might have to make them soon!
Thank you lisa!
These look good and they are great for summer!
Thank you Ashley!
These slides look absolutely delicious. What is your go to BBQ sauce, because whatever you used looks delicious? Love the addition of slaw, it goes perfectly with BBQ flavors.
Thank you Casey! I will have the recipe for my BBQ sauce this weekend. Stay tuned 🙂