Crack Chicken Sliders
Juicy shredded chicken in a creamy, cheesy, ranch-spiked sauce with nuggets of bacon and fresh green onions in every bite. Oh, and those buns? They’re glazed with garlic butter and sprinkled with nutty parmesan cheese. See why they’re called “crack” chicken sliders?
Despite the weird name, these sliders are insane! I mean, I can see whey they’re called “crack” sliders because they’re wildly addictive. The combination of cream cheese, ranch, onions, and bacon is perfection, and when mixed with chicken and cheese, it’s a meaty, gooey hand-held treat.
The filling for these sliders is super easy to make. Everything comes together in one saucepan before getting piled onto soft buns. Then, the oven does the rest of the work – which is melting the cheese and toasting the buns.
What kind of buns should you use? I used Wonder sweet Hawaiian hamburger buns – the subtle sweetness partners perfectly with the salty bacon, sharp cheese, and herby ranch!
I love that you can make 8 sliders at once! That means you can feed a crowd with ease! Just line up your buns on a baking sheet, top them with the creamy chicken mixture and bake as directed! Feed everyone at once!
What kind of chicken should you use for these sliders? This recipe calls for cooked chicken, so you have a few options. You can purchase cooked chicken from your grocery store (either the grilled chicken sold with the lunchmeat or a rotisserie chicken), or you can cook raw chicken from scratch.
To cook from scratch, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs on a lined baking sheet and season with salt and black pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the cut of chicken). All chicken should reach 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with your fingers and use as directed. You’ll need about 1.25 pounds of chicken for 4 cups of shredded meat.
Crack Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
- 8- ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup half & half
- 2 tablespoons or 1-ounce packet dry ranch dressing/dip mix
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled, or chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- 2 cups sharp or mild shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 package, 8 count sweet Hawaiian hamburger buns
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Combine the cream cheese and half & half in a large saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Cook until the cream cheese softens and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the ranch seasoning, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the chicken, bacon, green onions, and 1 cup of the cheese.
- Place the bottom half of the rolls on the prepared pan, nestled right next to each other. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Top the chicken mixture with the remaining cheddar cheese. Arrange the top of the rolls on top.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and garlic powder. Brush the top of the rolls with the garlic butter and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the rolls are golden and the cheese is bubbly. Remove the pan from the oven and let the sliders rest for 5 minutes before serving.