4th of July BBQ Chicken Sliders (Printable)

Tender shredded BBQ chicken stacked on slider buns with a fresh, crunchy coleslaw topping for summer meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the BBQ Chicken

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

→ For the 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 tbsp apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1 tsp honey
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For Assembly

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

# Steps:

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 until chicken is cooked through and tender.
03 - Remove chicken from skillet and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the skillet and toss with sauce. 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 combined.
05 - Add shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and grated carrot to the dressing. Toss well to coat evenly and 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 stays incredibly moist and pulls apart like magic when you use this simple braise and shred method.
  • Coleslaw made fresh tastes infinitely better than anything from a jar, and it balances the richness of the BBQ sauce perfectly.
  • You can have everything ready to assemble in under an hour, which means less stress and more time actually enjoying your guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry before seasoning; moisture is the enemy of browning, and that sear creates flavor you can't get any other way.
  • If your coleslaw tastes too heavy after mixing, you didn't use enough vinegar—this learned lesson means I always taste and adjust the dressing before adding cabbage.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to cut your cooking time in half—shred it, warm it in the BBQ sauce for 5 minutes, and you're essentially done.
  • Make double the coleslaw and serve the extras on the side because people always want more of this slaw once they taste how bright and balanced it is.
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