Chicken bacon ranch sliders are a powerful crowd-pleaser that combines melted cheese, salty bacon, and zesty ranch dressing into one small bite.
This recipe focuses on creating a savory, buttery crust that holds together a filling of juicy chicken and smoky flavors. It is an excellent choice for a busy weeknight dinner or a weekend party where you need to feed many people quickly.
Ingredients
This recipe makes 12 sliders, serving about 4 to 6 people.
- 1 pack (12 count) Hawaiian sweet rolls
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1.5 cups shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning mix
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
The Bread Base
A top-notch slider depends on the type of roll you choose. Hawaiian sweet rolls are the standard because their soft, sugary crumb balances out the salty bacon and the tang of the ranch dressing. When you get them out of the package, do not pull them apart into individual buns. Keeping the slab together makes the assembly much faster and helps the sliders bake more evenly in the oven.
Use a long serrated knife to slice the entire block of rolls in half at once. Place the bottom half into a baking dish that you have lightly greased with butter or oil. This base is what will soak up some of the juices from the chicken and the butter glaze, so you want it to be level and thick enough to support the weight of the toppings.
Meat and Sauce
The chicken should be moist and easy to bite. Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut because the meat is already seasoned and tender. Shred the chicken into small pieces rather than large chunks.
This ensures that every slider gets a fair amount of meat and that the sandwich doesn’t fall apart when someone takes a bite.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the shredded chicken with the ranch dressing until every piece is coated.
This prevents the chicken from drying out in the oven. The ranch acts as a binder, holding the chicken together while adding that signature creamy, herb-heavy flavor that people love. Once the chicken is ready, spread it in an even layer across the bottom slab of rolls.
The Smoky Layer
Bacon provides the crunch and the smoke that makes these sliders stand out. It is best to cook your bacon until it is very crispy before you crumble it. If the bacon is too soft, it will become chewy and difficult to eat inside the soft bun. Sprinkle the bacon bits generously over the chicken layer.
Following the bacon, add your cheese. Monterey Jack is a great choice because it melts smoothly and has a mild flavor that doesn’t compete with the ranch. If you want a bit more pull, you can use mozzarella. The cheese acts as the “glue” that holds the top bun to the meat.
Cover the bacon and chicken completely with the cheese before placing the top half of the rolls back on.
Buttery Finish
The final step for a top-notch slider is the glaze. Melt your butter and whisk in the dry ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and fresh parsley.
This glaze is what turns a regular sandwich into a gourmet snack. The dry ranch seasoning in the butter reinforces the flavor profile of the inside and gives the crust a beautiful, savory aroma.
Pour the butter mixture over the tops of the rolls. Use a brush to make sure the butter gets into the cracks between the buns. This allows the butter to seep down the sides, toasting the edges of the bread as it bakes. This creates a texture that is soft on the inside but slightly crispy and buttery on the outside.
Slow Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil. This is important because the sugar in the Hawaiian rolls causes them to brown very quickly. Baking with the foil on for the first 10 to 15 minutes allows the cheese to melt and the chicken to get hot without burning the bread.
After the initial bake, remove the foil and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes. Watch the oven closely during this time. You want the tops of the buns to turn a rich golden brown.
Once they look toasted and the butter has been fully absorbed, remove the dish from the oven. Let them rest for five minutes before slicing into individual sliders; this keeps the melted cheese from sliding out immediately.
Better Bite
To get a “top-notch” result, consider the order of your layers. Some people like to put a layer of cheese on the bottom bun before the chicken.
This creates a moisture barrier that prevents the bottom of the roll from getting soggy from the ranch dressing. It also helps the bottom bun stick to the meat, making the slider much easier to handle at a party.
Another tip is to use fresh parsley in your butter glaze rather than dried. Fresh herbs provide a bright green color and a clean scent that makes the sliders look like they came from a professional kitchen.
If you want a little extra kick, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the butter mixture. This adds a subtle heat that cuts through the richness of the cream and cheese.
Common Pitfalls
The biggest mistake is over-glazing the bread. While butter is delicious, using too much can make the bottom of the sliders greasy. Stick to the half-cup measurement to ensure a perfect balance. If you see a large puddle of butter at the bottom of the dish, you may have used too much.
Another issue is the chicken temperature. If you are using cold chicken from the fridge, it might not heat all the way through before the buns are done.
If your chicken is cold, increase the “foil-on” baking time by five minutes. This ensures that the middle of the slider is steaming hot while the cheese is perfectly melted.
How Can I Make These Sliders Spicy?
If you want to add some heat to your chicken bacon ranch sliders, you can easily adjust the filling. Add a few dashes of your favorite buffalo sauce to the ranch and chicken mixture before you spread it on the rolls.
You can also add a layer of pickled jalapeños on top of the bacon for a vinegary crunch and a spicy kick.
Using Pepper Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack is another simple way to increase the spice level without changing the overall texture of the dish.
Can I Use Something Other Than Hawaiian Rolls?
Yes, you can use any small dinner rolls or slider buns if you don’t like the sweetness of Hawaiian rolls. Brioche slider buns are an excellent alternative because they are buttery and rich but have less sugar.
If you use a different type of roll, keep in mind that they might be larger or smaller than the standard 12-pack of sweet rolls, so you may need to adjust the amount of chicken and cheese to fill the space. Just make sure to keep the rolls connected in a slab for the best baking results.
