Crack Chicken Sliders with Everything Bagel Butter
Skip the stovetop by leveraging rotisserie chicken and pre-cooked bacon in this streamlined, flavor-packed take on a party classic. Tender shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and sharp cheddar are tossed in a rich, tangy ranch cream cheese mixture, then baked inside sweet Hawaiian rolls under a crunchy, buttery everything-bagel crown.
- Total Time32 minutes
- Yield12 sliders 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Slider Filling
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (60g) sour cream
- 1 packet (1 oz / 28g) dry ranch seasoning mix
- 2 ½ cups (350g) shredded cooked chicken (such as rotisserie)
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled (or store-bought pre-cooked)
- 2 cups (226g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- ¼ cup (25g) thinly sliced scallions (green onions)
Rolls & Topping
- 1 (12-count) package sweet Hawaiian rolls
- 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp (9g) everything bagel seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Mix the creamy base: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and dry ranch seasoning together until entirely smooth and well combined.
- Fold in the mix-ins: Add the shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, scallions, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the cream cheese mixture.
- Assemble the sliders: Keeping the rolls attached to one another, slice the entire slab of Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally. Place the bottom slab into your prepared baking dish. Spread the chicken filling in an even layer across the bottom buns. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese evenly over the filling, then place the top buns over the cheese.
- Glaze the tops: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, everything bagel seasoning, and garlic powder. Brush this mixture generously and evenly over the tops of the rolls.
- Bake and serve: Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes (this thoroughly heats the filling without burning the sweet tops). Remove the foil and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the buns are deep golden brown, the cheese is visibly bubbling, and the center of the sliders reaches a food-safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Cool for 5 minutes before slicing into individual sliders.
Notes
- Why it works: Swapping the traditional chicken broth for sour cream keeps the filling rich and thick, completely eliminating the risk of soggy bottom buns while adding a subtle tang that balances the rich cream cheese.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can mix the chicken filling up to 24 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, assemble the sliders on fresh rolls, apply the butter glaze, and bake. Note: If using chilled filling directly from the fridge, you will need to add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time to ensure the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
Nutrition (per serving — estimates)
Calories: 350 | Total Carbs: 20g (Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g) | Fat: 22g (Saturated: 11g) | Protein: 18g
Nutritional values are approximate, based on standard reference data (USDA FoodData Central). Actual values vary by brand and exact measurements. For precision, use a tracker like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slider
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 18g