Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Buffalo chicken sliders are easy to make and easy to get wrong. The filling is too thin, so the rolls turn to mush. The heat is a guess, so half the table can’t eat them. And the make-ahead advice online contradicts itself, so you don’t know what’s safe to prep.

These Buffalo chicken sliders fix all three. You get a thick, creamy filling that stays on the roll, a heat dial from mild to hot, and clear rules for making ahead, freezing and reheating. Everything bakes on one pan in about 40 minutes, and it feeds a crowd.

There’s no bacon in them. The cream cheese, ranch and Buffalo sauce carry the flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The filling is thick and scoopable, like Buffalo chicken dip, so it sits on top of the roll instead of soaking into it.

You choose the heat. A little more or less Buffalo sauce changes the whole tray, and there’s an easy fix if it comes out hotter than you wanted.

And the filling can be mixed up to 2 days ahead, so the only job left is assembling and baking.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Makes 12 sliders. You’ll need a 9×13-inch pan, parchment paper, foil and a serrated knife.

For the sliders

1 package (12 count, 12 oz) King’s Hawaiian original sweet rolls – Keep them connected. The slight sweetness balances the heat.

3 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 rotisserie chicken) – Pull off the skin and bones. Flavored birds can be salty, so taste the filling before adding salt.

4 ounces cream cheese, softened – This is what makes the filling thick, like a dip.

1/4 cup ranch dressing – It goes in the filling because it’s milder than blue cheese and blends smoothly.

1/2 cup Buffalo sauce (medium heat) – This is the heat dial. Mild and hot versions are in Helpful Tips.

1 teaspoon garlic powder – Seasons the filling.

1/2 teaspoon onion powder – Rounds it out.

2 green onions, thinly sliced – A little freshness against the cheese.

1 cup shredded mozzarella – This is the barrier layer under the filling. Shred it from a block if you can, since pre-shredded cheese melts less smoothly.

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar – Bold flavor on top of the filling.

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles – Skip them if you don’t like blue cheese. On top of the filling they stay distinct.

For the butter topping

4 tablespoons butter, melted and divided – 1 tablespoon toasts the bottoms and 3 go on top.

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder – Stirred into the top butter.

1 teaspoon dried parsley – For color.

For serving

Ranch or blue cheese dressing, and celery sticks – Blue cheese dressing is best for dipping.

How to Make It

Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment.

Keep the rolls connected. With a serrated knife, cut the whole sheet in half horizontally and set the top slab aside. Put the bottom slab in the pan, brush it with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, and toast it for 5 minutes.

While it toasts, stir the cream cheese, ranch, Buffalo sauce, garlic powder and onion powder together in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in the chicken and green onions. The mixture should be thick and scoopable, like Buffalo chicken dip. If it’s loose, add a little more chicken. If it’s too stiff to spread, stir in 1 tablespoon of ranch.

Sprinkle the mozzarella over the toasted bottoms, all the way to the edges. Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the cheese and press down gently. Top with the cheddar and blue cheese crumbles, then set the top slab over the filling.

Stir the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and the parsley, and brush it over the tops. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 8 to 10 minutes more, until the tops are golden, the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F.

Let the sliders sit for 5 minutes, then cut along the roll lines with a serrated knife. Serve with dressing and celery.

My “Thick Filling, Firm Roll” Mini Guide

• Keep the filling thick, like a dip. If it drips off a spoon, add more chicken. A loose filling is the biggest reason rolls go soggy.
• Toast the bottoms. It dries and seals the cut side of the bread.
• Lay the mozzarella down first, to the edges. It sits between the filling and the bread and slows the moisture.
• Cover first, then uncover. The foil lets the filling heat through before the tops brown. Taking it off for the last 8 to 10 minutes dries and crisps the butter-brushed tops, because steam softens the rolls.
• Assemble no more than an hour ahead. The rolls start absorbing moisture once the filling touches them.
• Put fresh toppings on after baking. Lettuce, celery and slaw wilt in the oven. Green onions and extra cheese can go in before.

Helpful Tips

For the heat, use 1/3 cup of Buffalo sauce for mild, which suits kids and mixed crowds, 1/2 cup for medium as written, or 3/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for hot, with extra ranch or blue cheese for cooling. The cream cheese, ranch and cheese all mellow it, so the tray tastes milder than the sauce alone. If the filling is hotter than you want after mixing, stir in 2 tablespoons more cream cheese or ranch. If it’s too mild, add sauce a tablespoon at a time and taste.

If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, poach 1½ pounds of raw chicken breast for about 3 cups. Cover it with water or broth and simmer gently until the center reaches 165°F, usually 15 to 20 minutes, then shred. For a slow cooker, I’d cook the chicken plain with 1/2 cup of broth on low for 4 to 6 hours, then add the sauce at the end so you control the heat and the thickness.

For a filling that tastes more like wings, I’d skip the cream cheese and toss the chicken in 1/3 cup of Buffalo sauce simmered with 2 tablespoons of butter. I haven’t tried it on this tray. It’s thinner, so keep the cheese barrier and toasted bottoms, bake 12 to 15 minutes total, and serve right away. For a crispy version, I’d toss baked frozen breaded chicken tenders in Buffalo sauce and butter on provolone-topped rolls, though I haven’t tried that either.

For 6 sliders, use half of everything in an 8×8-inch pan: 6 rolls, 1½ cups of chicken, 1/4 cup of sauce, 2 ounces of cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of ranch. For 24, double everything in two 9×13-inch pans. You’ll need about 2 rotisserie chickens, and the pans should go on separate racks, swapped halfway through. Plan on 3 sliders per person as a main dish, 2 as an appetizer, and 3 or 4 for a game-day crowd.

Mix the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Leftover baked sliders keep up to 3 days. Reheat them on a baking sheet at 350°F, covered with foil, for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot all the way through. The microwave makes the bread soft and chewy.

To freeze, assemble the sliders without the butter topping, wrap the pan tightly in foil and then plastic wrap or a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, brush on the butter topping, and bake covered at 350°F for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Celery and carrot sticks with ranch or blue cheese dressing are the classic match. Potato chips, coleslaw and baked mac and cheese all go well with the heat.

For a bigger spread, a simple green salad balances the richness.