BBQ chicken sliders are full-flavored and smoky with a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce! Instead of one cut of chicken, this recipe uses a whole chicken, so you get a little bit of everything. The chicken sliders also feature a cool, creamy slaw for richness and crunch.
Servings 6
Prep Time 20 minutesmins
Cook Time 2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Total Time 2 hourshrs50 minutesmins
Equipment
Z Grills 1000D3E Wood Pellet Grill
Z Grills Cherry Wood Pellets
Meat Fork
Tongs
Hand Mixer
Ingredients
Chicken
1 (4-pound) whole chicken
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ yellow onion, peeled
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 lemon, halved
Slaw
1 (10-ounce) bag shredded cabbage
¼ cup matchstick cucumber
¼ cup matchstick carrot
½ cup plain Greek yogurt, nonfat
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sliders
12 slider buns, toasted if desired
Instructions
Chicken
Preheat your Z-Grills (preferably with branded wood pellets) or other wood pellet grill to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the giblets from the chicken, rinse under cool water, and pat dry.
In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and paprika to make the dry rub.
Apply the rub all over the chicken, including the cavity.
Add the onion, garlic, and lemon to the chicken’s cavity.
Transfer the chicken to the grill, close the lid, and smoke for 2 hours and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slaw
Meanwhile, add the cabbage, cucumber, and carrot to a large bowl.
Whisk the remaining slaw ingredients together in another bowl, then add to the cabbage mixture. Toss to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the chicken is ready.
Sauce
As the chicken smokes and the slaw chills, heat the oil for the sauce over medium heat.
Sauté the onion for 4 minutes or until softened and fragrant, then add the garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
Stir in the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, molasses, water, tomato paste, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer.
Add the remaining sauce ingredients to the saucepan and stir. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth. Alternatively, remove it from the heat and use a stand blender or food processor.
Return the sauce to a simmer once again, leave it for 5-7 minutes, then remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside.
Sliders
Remove the chicken from the pellet grill using a meat fork and tongs. Set it aside to rest and cool slightly.
Carefully remove the skin, then remove the meat from the bones.
Shred the chicken using two forks or transfer it to a large bowl to shred with a hand mixer (on low speed). Toss the shredded chicken with about half of the sauce.
Divide the chicken between the slider buns, drizzle with leftover sauce, and top with slaw.
Serve and enjoy.
Notes
To toast buns, increase the heat on your grill to 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit, brush the cut side of each bun half with melted butter, and toast for 30 seconds to a minute.