If you’re looking for a truly easy game day recipe, these buffalo chicken sliders deliver. The slow cooker handles most of the work, leaving you to pile saucy shredded chicken, melted cheese, and crunchy slaw onto soft rolls. Serve them for an easy dinner or set out a tray for a hungry crowd. Good luck stopping at just one!
These slow cooker buffalo chicken sliders are the kind of game day food you can get going before anyone shows up, leaving more time for hanging out and less time in the kitchen. Slow cookers really are magical!
And there’s no rule that says you need a football game to make them. Add some fries or a simple salad, and dinner is handled. When I’m feeding a crowd, I like to keep the buffalo chicken in the slow cooker and set the rolls out beside it. Everyone can build their own whenever they’re ready to eat. If you’re after those buttery, golden tops, assemble the sliders and pop them in the oven before serving.
Why You'll Love These Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Very little hands-on work. Let the slow cooker do its thing!
- Assemble a tray or let everyone build their own.
- Make the filling ahead and keep the rolls separate until serving.
- A crowd-pleaser for game day, parties, or an easy dinner!
Ingredients You Need
- Chicken: You’ll need 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. I usually reach for chicken breasts for this recipe (unlike honey garlic chicken), but use whichever you prefer!
- Buffalo Sauce: Frank's Original is always my go-to.
- Spices: To give the chicken an extra boost, add garlic powder, onion powder, and dried parsley.
- Salt & Pepper: Basics to season the chicken.
- Cream Cheese: Use block-style cream cheese for a rich, creamy filling that coats every bit of shredded chicken.
- Cheddar Cheese: I always grab cheddar cheese as it melts right into the buffalo chicken for an extra cheesy filling. A little extra is always welcome!
- Butter: To finish the sliders off, brush with the seasoned melted butter and bake. When I’m feeding a crowd, I usually skip the oven and set the rolls beside the slow cooker so everyone can build their own. Toast the rolls first if you’d like!
- Rolls: Soft Hawaiian rolls are great for sliders, especially when feeding a crowd. Other small dinner rolls work just as well, so grab your favorite.
How To Make These Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders
These sliders are easy to pull together, but let me walk you through the steps and share a few tips for assembling them ahead.
Place the chicken in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker (here’s the one I use and love) and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the buffalo sauce and scallions, then cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours or low for 6–7 hours.
Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker, add the shredded cheese and cream cheese, and give everything a good stir. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes, until the cheeses have melted and the filling is creamy.
From here, you can assemble the sliders before serving or let everyone build their own.
- To assemble, place the bottom halves of the rolls in a 9×13-inch baking dish and toast at 350°F for 5–10 minutes. Spoon the buffalo chicken over the bottoms, add the roll tops, and return to the oven until the tops are lightly browned. Carefully lift off the tops, add the crunchy slaw, and replace the tops before brushing with melted herb butter.
- For a build-your-own setup, keep the buffalo chicken warm in the slow cooker and set out the rolls, crunchy slaw, and blue cheese or ranch dressing. Everyone can assemble their sliders whenever they’re ready to eat!
FAQ About Crispy Chicken Wings
Absolutely! I prefer chicken breasts for these buffalo chicken sliders, but chicken thighs or a mix of both work just as well.
Serve these buffalo chicken sliders plain or pile on my favorite topping: a crunchy, vinegar-based slaw.
Blue cheese crumbles add a tangy bite, while blue cheese dressing brings a creamy contrast. Monterey Jack or Colby Jack melts smoothly without overpowering the buffalo sauce, mozzarella gives you that gooey cheese pull, and sharp cheddar adds bold, savory flavor.
More Game Day Recipes
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Description
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup buffalo sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 4 ounces block-style cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 package slider rolls
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ⅓ cup blue cheese dressing
- ¼ cup scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker (here’s the one I use and love) and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the buffalo sauce and scallions, then cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours or low for 6–7 hours.
- Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker, add the shredded cheese and cream cheese, and give everything a good stir. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes, until the cheeses have melted and the filling is creamy.
- Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, add the cheese and stir to combine. Cook for 15-30 minutes more.
- From here, you can assemble the sliders before serving or let everyone build their own. 1) To assemble, place the bottom halves of the rolls in a 9×13-inch baking dish and toast at 350°F for 5–10 minutes (keep an eye on the tops). Spoon the buffalo chicken over the bottoms, add the roll tops, and return to the oven until the tops are lightly browned. Carefully lift off the tops, add the crunchy slaw, and replace the tops before brushing with melted herb butter. 2) For a build-your-own setup, keep the buffalo chicken warm in the slow cooker and set out the rolls, crunchy slaw, and blue cheese or ranch dressing. Everyone can assemble their sliders whenever they’re ready to eat!
- Serve with extra buffalo sauce and sides of blue cheese and/or ranch dressing. Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The chicken can be made up to 2 days ahead. To re-heat, add to the slow cooker or heat over the stove.
- Freezer Instructions: Allow to cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or place in the slow cooker.
- Chicken: You can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs, even a combination will work. To make it even easier, you can even use shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Rolls: Any small dinner rolls will work for this as long as they are similar in size to Hawaiian or slider rolls.
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