BBQ Baby Shower Chicken Sliders (Printable)

Tender pulled chicken in tangy barbecue sauce served on soft slider buns for flavorful gatherings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ BBQ Sauce

03 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
04 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
05 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 0.5 tsp garlic powder
08 - 0.5 tsp onion powder
09 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Slider Assembly

10 - 12 slider buns
11 - 1 cup coleslaw mix (optional)
12 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
13 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
14 - 12 pickle slices (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Place chicken breasts or thighs in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add chicken broth and a pinch of salt.
02 - Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
03 - Remove chicken from the pot and shred using two forks. Discard excess liquid from the pot.
04 - In a clean saucepan or the same pot, combine barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
05 - Add shredded chicken to the sauce. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is hot and fully coated.
06 - In a small bowl, toss coleslaw mix with mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Spoon pulled chicken onto the bottom half of each slider bun. Top with a spoonful of slaw and a pickle slice if desired. Place the top bun on each slider.
08 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These sliders come together in under an hour, which means you can spend more time actually enjoying your guests instead of being glued to the stove.
  • The sweet and tangy barbecue sauce clings perfectly to tender shredded chicken, making every bite satisfying without feeling heavy.
  • You can prep the pulled chicken ahead of time and just reheat it, turning this into a stress-free option for entertaining.
02 -
  • Don't skip the apple cider vinegar in the sauce—it's the ingredient that prevents the whole thing from tasting like sweet ketchup and adds a complexity that makes people keep eating.
  • If you cook the chicken too fast on high heat, it becomes tough and stringy in a bad way; medium heat and patience give you that tender, pull-apart texture that makes these sliders work.
03 -
  • Make the pulled chicken up to two days ahead and store it in the refrigerator; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of extra broth to restore any moisture lost during storage.
  • Toast your slider buns lightly before assembling if you're not serving immediately—it prevents them from getting soggy while keeping them soft enough to bite through.
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