These Tangy Crockpot Chicken Sliders are an easy dinner solution and party food favorite. They’ve got tender, juicy slow cooker pulled chicken topped with our spicy sesame slaw, all served on your favorite slider buns.
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Tangy Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sliders
If you find that your days never seem to slow down, you will truly appreciate easy recipes like these Tangy Slow Cooker Chicken Sliders. Not only are they super yummy, they can be served for lunch, dinner, or as party food and they are so darn easy!
The sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce uses just a few simple ingredients and is all you need to cook basic chicken into something fantastic. Best of all, the slow cooker does most of the work for you. I’ve given you a simple, crunchy Spicy Sesame Slaw recipe that pairs perfectly with the juicy teriyaki chicken. Serve on slider rolls or hamburger buns, or even use the chicken to serve over rice, noodles, or pizza - whatever floats your boat.
Looking for more of a crispy chicken slider recipe? These Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins would taste amazing on a slider bun with the sesame slaw in this crockpot slider recipe.
Tangy Crockpot Chicken Sliders Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts - I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, although it would also taste amazing with chicken thighs.
- Ketchup - plain old ketchup is the secret ingredient here. Any kind will work to help balance the flavors perfectly.
- Teriyaki Sauce - any kind of teriyaki sauce will work for this recipe.
- Onions - I usually use white or yellow minced onions but red onions would also work.
- Garlic - I like to use fresh garlic for this recipe because the stronger flavor gets much milder as it cooks. You can also use the jarred minced garlic in a pinch.
- Ginger Powder - ground ginger powder adds an extra boost of tangy flavor that compliments the teriyaki sauce perfectly.
- Salt - sea salt works great.
- Buns - you can either use small slider buns or hamburger buns from the grocery store or make your own. Hawaiian rolls work great. If you decide to go with homemade slider buns, I highly recommend either these Potato Rolls or our Quick Dinner Rolls.
Spicy Sesame Slaw
- Coleslaw Mix - you can usually find this is the produce section at the grocery store. It’s an easy time saver because you don’t need to do any cutting or shredding yourself. You could also substitute about 2 cups of shredded red cabbage.
- Mayonnaise - I prefer regular mayonnaise rather than low fat but either will work.
- Sriracha - you can add between 1-2 teaspoons depending on how spicy you like things. I would suggest starting with a little, tasting, and adding more if you want.
- White Rice Vinegar - this adds a bit of tangy Asian flavor to the slaw.
- Sesame Oil - sesame oil adds loads of flavor. In order to get the sesame flavor, there really isn’t a great substitute. You could use avocado oil if you just wanted a spicy slaw.
How to Make Tangy Chicken Sliders {Crock Pot}
- Cook the chicken. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, teriyaki sauce, minced onion, minced garlic, salt, and ginger powder. Stir to combine, then add the sauce to the slow cooker making sure it covers all sides of the chicken. Cover and cook chicken on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. (The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees F)
- Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is easily shreddable, remove from the slow cooker and shred using two forks. Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir to cover in the sauce.
- Make the spicy sesame slaw. In a large bowl, mix together the slaw mix, mayo, Sriracha, vinegar, and sesame oil. Stir to combine, then use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Build the sliders. Place about ¼ cup shredded chicken on a slider bun or about ⅓ cup on a hamburger bun. Top with the spicy slaw and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically yes, you can overcook chicken in a slow cooker. However, as long as you follow this recipe and go with the suggested cooking times, cooking until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, you will not run the risk of overcooking it.
Cooking on either high or low heat will work perfectly fine for this slow cooker chicken. No matter what, your Tangy Chicken will turn out super juicy, so you can really just plan around your own schedule. If it’s already early afternoon, go ahead and cook on high. If it’s morning and you’ve got the time, cook it on low.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are always a good choice because they are easy and kid-friendly. Chicken thighs would also taste great, or you could even make this recipe with turkey. Another option that would truly cut down the cooking time would be to use rotisserie chicken. This way, you would just use the slow cooker to heat up the chicken and sauce, taking about 1 hour on high.
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sliders Variations
- Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sliders: Pulled chicken seasoned with hot sauce and topped with blue cheese dressing and celery on a slider bun.
- Asian-Inspired Pulled Chicken Sliders: Shredded chicken with a soy-ginger glaze, topped with pickled carrots and cucumbers on a steamed bun.
- Mexican-Style Pulled Chicken Sliders: Salsa Verde Crockpot Chicken topped with sliced avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro on a mini torta bun.
- Italian-style Pulled Chicken Sliders: season pulled chicken with Italian herbs and top with roasted red peppers and provolone cheese on a ciabatta roll.
- Hawaiian pulled chicken sliders: pulled chicken with BBQ sauce, topped with grilled pineapple and red onion on a soft Hawaiian roll.
- Breakfast Pulled Chicken Sliders: mix pulled chicken with scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese, then top with bacon and serve on a mini bagel.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Spicy sesame slaw can also be stored for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: cool chicken completely then transfer to freezer bags and store frozen for up to 2 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: you can reheat your tangy pulled chicken in the microwave, or add to a saucepan with a splash of water, chicken stock, or even ketchup and reheat over medium low until warmed through.
Tangy Crockpot Chicken Sliders Recipe
Ingredients
- 6-8 Hawaiian Rolls or Slider Buns
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
- 2 pounds Chicken Breast
- ⅓ cup Ketchup
- ¼ cup Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup Onions minced
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Spicy Seasame Slaw
- 2 cups Cole Slaw Mix
- 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoons Sriracha
- 2 teaspoons White Rice Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
Instructions
Slow Cooker Tangy Chicken
- Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, teriyaki sauce, minced onion, minced garlic, salt, and ginger powder. Stir to combine, then add the sauce to the slow cooker making sure it covers all sides of the chicken.
- Cover and cook chicken on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. (The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees F)
- Once the chicken is easily shreddable, remove from the slow cooker and shred using two forks. Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir to cover in the sauce.
Spicy Sesame Slaw
- In a large bowl, mix together the slaw mix, mayo, Sriracha, vinegar, and sesame oil. Stir to combine, then use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tangy Chicken Sliders
- Place about ¼ cup shredded chicken on a slider bun or about ⅓ cup on a hamburger bun. Top with the spicy slaw and enjoy!
Nutrition
More Crockpot Chicken Recipes To Try
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- Mississippi Chicken
- Tuscan Chicken
- Chicken Fajitas
- Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie
- More Inexpensive Dinner Ideas
- More Slow Cooker Recipes
- More Chicken Recipes
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These Tangy Crockpot Chicken Sliders are topped with a crunchy, spicy sesame slaw that makes the ultimate easy dinner or party food. They're perfect for lunch, dinner, game day, potlucks, or summer BBQs with family and friends.
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