Barbecue Chicken Sliders

Total Time Prep: 25 min. + brining Cook: 4 hours
Yield 8 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
Barbecue chicken sliders are perfect for game-day parties. To get exceptionally flavorful, juicy chicken, brine the meat overnight, then slow cook it until it's fall-apart tender.

Ingredients

  • BRINE:
  • 1-1/2 quarts water
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • SANDWICHES:
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup liquid smoke
  • 1-1/2 cups hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce
  • 16 slider buns or dinner rolls, split and warmed
  • Deli coleslaw, optional

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix brine ingredients, stirring to dissolve brown sugar. Reserve 1 cup brine for cooking chicken; cover and refrigerate.
  2. Place chicken in bowl with remaining brine; turn to coat chicken. Cover and refrigerate 18-24 hours, turning occasionally.
  3. Remove chicken from brine and transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker; discard brine from bowl. Add reserved 1 cup brine and 1/3 cup liquid smoke to chicken. Cook, covered, on low 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender.
  4. Remove chicken; cool slightly. Discard cooking juices. Shred chicken with 2 forks and return to slow cooker. Stir in barbecue sauce; heat through. Serve on buns, with coleslaw if desired.

Nutrition Facts

2 sliders: 424 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 98mg cholesterol, 993mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate (20g sugars, 3g fiber), 30g protein.

Brining the meat overnight helps make these BBQ chicken sliders taste exceptionally good. Plus, they're so tender, they melt in your mouth. —Rachel Kunkel, Schell City, Missouri
Recipe Creator

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