Cheesy Hawaiian Chicken Sliders

If you ask me, sliders are one of the best party foods out there.

These Hawaiian chicken sliders bring together sweet pineapple, tangy BBQ sauce, and melted Monterey Jack cheese on soft rolls. The chicken gets tossed in a pineapple BBQ glaze that’s sticky and full of flavor.

They’re topped with a creamy cilantro-lime mayo that cuts through the sweetness. A buttery topping with Parmesan, poppy seeds, and smoked paprika gets brushed over the buns before baking.

It’s a crowd-pleasing dish that works for game day, family dinners, or weekend get-togethers.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For these sliders, you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to chicken. Rotisserie chicken from the store is probably the easiest route – just pull off the meat and shred it, and you’re basically done. If you want to cook your own, poached or slow-cooked chicken breasts work great because they stay moist and shred easily with two forks. You can even use leftover grilled chicken if that’s what you have on hand, though it might be a bit drier. The key is making sure your chicken is already cooked and cooled enough to handle before you start shredding it for the recipe.

Options for Substitutions

These sliders are pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Shredded chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver, but you can also use leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken breasts, or even shredded turkey. If you’re starting from scratch, simmer 1.5 pounds of chicken breasts in water for about 20 minutes, then shred.
• Slider buns: Hawaiian sweet rolls are traditional here, but regular dinner rolls or even small hamburger buns work fine. You might want to brush them with a bit of honey if using plain rolls to get that sweet contrast.
• Pineapple tidbits: Fresh pineapple works great if you have it – just dice it into small pieces. Canned crushed pineapple is another option, though you’ll want to drain it well.
• Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese: Provolone, Colby Jack, or even pepper jack (if you like a kick) are all solid choices. Swiss cheese also melts nicely if that’s what you have on hand.
• BBQ sauce: Any BBQ sauce you prefer will work – sweet, smoky, or spicy. You can even make a quick version by mixing ketchup with brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Cilantro: If you’re not a cilantro fan, try fresh parsley instead, or just leave it out of the mayo mixture altogether.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with these sliders is skipping the foil cover during baking, which can leave you with dried-out, hard buns instead of soft, buttery tops – keep them covered for the full 25 minutes to trap the moisture. Another common error is not draining the pineapple tidbits well enough, as excess liquid will make your sliders soggy and dilute the BBQ sauce flavor, so give them a good squeeze in a paper towel before adding. Don’t rush the sauce-thickening step either; if your BBQ mixture is too thin, it’ll soak through the buns and create a messy situation, so let it simmer the full 5-7 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. For even better results, toast the slider buns lightly before assembling, which creates a barrier that helps prevent sogginess, and let the sliders rest for 5 minutes after baking so the cheese sets and they’re easier to separate.

What to Serve With Hawaiian Chicken Sliders?

These sweet and tangy sliders are perfect for parties and pair really well with classic picnic sides. I love serving them with a simple coleslaw (you can even use the cilantro-lime mayo from the recipe as a dressing base), crispy sweet potato fries, or some tortilla chips with fresh salsa. If you want to keep the tropical theme going, try a fruit salad with pineapple, mango, and watermelon, or go for traditional potato salad or macaroni salad. For a lighter option, grilled corn on the cob or a cucumber salad with red onion works great to balance out the richness of the sliders.

Storage Instructions

Store: These sliders are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The buns might get a bit softer as they sit, but they’re still delicious. You can also store the chicken mixture separately from the buns if you want to assemble fresh sliders later.

Freeze: I like to freeze the assembled sliders before baking them. Wrap the whole pan tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and they’ll keep for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, just bake from frozen and add about 10-15 extra minutes to the cooking time.

Reheat: Pop leftover sliders in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave individual sliders for about 30-45 seconds, though the buns won’t be quite as crispy as when you reheat them in the oven.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3550-3850
• Protein: 185-205 g
• Fat: 165-190 g
• Carbohydrates: 325-355 g

Ingredients

For the chicken filling:

• 4 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 1/4 cups pineapple (I use Dole tidbits for a better bite size)
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1.5 cups BBQ sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s for the best glaze)
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

For the assembly and spread:

• 12 slider buns (I always use King’s Hawaiian rolls)
• 12 slices Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for a creamier spread)
• 1 lime (zested and juiced)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, minced

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup butter (melted and cooled slightly)
• 2 tbsp onion (finely minced into 1/8-inch pieces)
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Step 1: Prepare the Lime-Cilantro Mayo and Preheat

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lime
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F.

While it heats, prepare the mayo spread by combining mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, minced garlic, and fresh cilantro in a small bowl.

Stir until smooth and well combined, then refrigerate until ready to use.

This allows the flavors to meld while you work on the other components.

Step 2: Build the Hawaiian BBQ Sauce Base

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1.5 cups BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.

Pour in the BBQ sauce, pineapple juice, chili powder, and brown sugar, stirring to combine.

Let this simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors deepen.

I like to let it reduce a bit so the sauce clings better to the chicken rather than pooling at the bottom of the sliders.

Step 3: Add Chicken and Pineapple to the Sauce

• 4 cups chicken
• 1 1/4 cups pineapple
• sauce mixture from Step 2

Stir the shredded or cubed chicken into the thickened sauce from Step 2, coating it evenly.

Add the pineapple tidbits and gently fold them in, being careful not to break them apart.

Let this warm through for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.

The chicken is now ready to fill your sliders.

Step 4: Assemble the Sliders in the Baking Pan

• 12 slider buns
• chicken-pineapple mixture from Step 3
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 12 slices Monterey Jack cheese
• lime-cilantro mayo from Step 1

Slice your King’s Hawaiian rolls in half and arrange the bottom halves cut-side up in a 9×13 inch baking pan.

Divide the Hawaiian chicken mixture evenly among the 12 bottom buns, then layer the thinly sliced red onion on top.

Place a slice of Monterey Jack cheese on each slider, then spread the lime-cilantro mayo from Step 1 generously on each top bun.

Close each slider by placing the top bun over the filling.

Step 5: Add the Buttery Topping and Season

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tbsp onion
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Drizzle the melted butter evenly over all the assembled sliders.

In a small bowl, combine the finely minced onion, poppy seeds, grated Parmesan cheese, and smoked paprika.

Sprinkle this mixture generously over the buttered tops of the sliders.

I find that finely mincing the onion into small pieces ensures it cooks through and adds a nice textural element rather than large chunks.

Step 6: Bake and Finish

Cover the baking pan tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated 350°F oven.

Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the buns are warm and slightly golden on the edges.

Remove from the oven, carefully lift off the foil (watch for steam), and let the sliders rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

This brief rest helps everything set together so the sliders hold up when you pick them up.

Cheesy Hawaiian Chicken Sliders

Delicious Cheesy Hawaiian Chicken Sliders recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 12 servings

Calories 3700 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken filling

• 4 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 1/4 cups pineapple (I use Dole tidbits for a better bite size)
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1.5 cups BBQ sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's for the best glaze)
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

For the assembly and spread

• 12 slider buns (I always use King's Hawaiian rolls)
• 12 slices Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for a creamier spread)
• 1 lime (zested and juiced)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, minced

For the glaze

• 1/2 cup butter (melted and cooled slightly)
• 2 tbsp onion (finely minced into 1/8-inch pieces)
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

 

• Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. While it heats, prepare the mayo spread by combining mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, minced garlic, and fresh cilantro in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and well combined, then refrigerate until ready to use. This allows the flavors to meld while you work on the other components.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Pour in the BBQ sauce, pineapple juice, chili powder, and brown sugar, stirring to combine. Let this simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors deepen. I like to let it reduce a bit so the sauce clings better to the chicken rather than pooling at the bottom of the sliders.
• Stir the shredded or cubed chicken into the thickened sauce from Step 2, coating it evenly. Add the pineapple tidbits and gently fold them in, being careful not to break them apart. Let this warm through for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat. The chicken is now ready to fill your sliders.
• Slice your King's Hawaiian rolls in half and arrange the bottom halves cut-side up in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Divide the Hawaiian chicken mixture evenly among the 12 bottom buns, then layer the thinly sliced red onion on top. Place a slice of Monterey Jack cheese on each slider, then spread the lime-cilantro mayo from Step 1 generously on each top bun. Close each slider by placing the top bun over the filling.
• Drizzle the melted butter evenly over all the assembled sliders. In a small bowl, combine the finely minced onion, poppy seeds, grated Parmesan cheese, and smoked paprika. Sprinkle this mixture generously over the buttered tops of the sliders. I find that finely mincing the onion into small pieces ensures it cooks through and adds a nice textural element rather than large chunks.
• Cover the baking pan tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the buns are warm and slightly golden on the edges. Remove from the oven, carefully lift off the foil (watch for steam), and let the sliders rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. This brief rest helps everything set together so the sliders hold up when you pick them up.