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Easy Chicken Enchilada Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls are a great way to use up leftover roast chicken. Shredded chicken is combined with enchilada sauce, onion, garlic and cheese before being sandwiched into fresh rolls and baked in the oven until warm.
These Easy Chicken Enchilada Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls are ready in 40 minutes and deliver everything you want from a game-day or weeknight crowd-pleaser: saucy shredded chicken, gooey melted cheese, soft slider buns, and a garlic herb butter finish that takes them completely over the top. The whole tray bakes together in a 9×13 pan, which means minimal cleanup and maximum flavor.
Rotisserie chicken makes this one of the easiest dinners in my regular rotation. The chicken gets tossed with enchilada sauce and sauteed garlic and onion, piled onto rolls with a generous layer of Mexican blend cheese, and finished with a brush of garlicky herb butter before baking until golden. I top mine with avocado slices and fresh cilantro right before serving, which adds a fresh, creamy contrast to the saucy, cheesy filling — and honestly makes them look as good as they taste.
These are perfect for feeding a crowd at game day, a quick Tuesday night dinner, or anytime you have leftover rotisserie chicken that needs a good home. If you love easy slider recipes, you also have to try my Easy Chicken Sliders, Roasted Beef Sliders,Taco Beef Sliders or these Easy Chicken Parmesan Sliders.
Why this Recipe Works
• Sauteing the onion and garlic first builds a flavor base. Rather than just mixing everything cold, cooking the aromatics in olive oil before adding the chicken and sauce creates a deeper, more savory filling. That step takes only a few minutes but makes a real difference in the final result.
• Simmering the chicken in enchilada sauce helps it absorb flavor. Two minutes on the stove lets the chicken soak up the sauce before it ever hits the rolls, so every bite is saucy all the way through rather than just on top.
• The foil tent protects the buns. Covering the pan for the first 15 minutes of baking keeps the tops from over-browning before the cheese fully melts and the filling heats through. Removing it for the last 3 to 5 minutes gives you that lightly golden finish.
Recipe Ingredients
For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the full recipe card below.
- Chicken: I prefer Rotisserie chicken for flavor, but any cooked and shredded chicken is fine. You could also use leftover Thanksgiving turkey. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken or even leftover herb roasted turkey at Thanksgiving these are a great way to use that up. You could also use Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken.
- Enchilada Sauce: Use your favorite sauce, store bought or homemade will both work a treat in this dish.
- Cheese: The shredded cheese on these chicken sliders helps to add flavor. I used a blend of shredded Mexican cheese but any shredded cheese will work in this dish like mozzarella, pepper jack or sharp cheddar.
- Butter: Both salted and unsalted butter will work in this recipe. The garlic herb butter is what sets these apart. Most slider recipes use plain melted butter. This one uses garlic and Mexican oregano cooked into the butter before brushing it over the rolls. It adds a savory, slightly herby crust that you just do not get with plain butter and it is the first thing people ask about.
- Dried Herbs: Some dried Mexican oregano is added to the top of the rolls, this is optional, but it does add great flavor to the sliders. You can also use crushed red pepper or Italian seasoning on top.
Ways to Modify this Recipe
- Add extra veggies. Sauteed bell pepper, pickled red onions, mushrooms, or sliced zucchini all mix well into the chicken filling or work as toppings after baking.
- Turn up the heat. Stir diced jalapenos directly into the chicken mixture, or add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a splash of hot sauce to the enchilada sauce before simmering.
- Swap the cheese. Mexican blend is my go-to, but pepper jack adds a spicy kick, sharp cheddar gives more depth, and mozzarella keeps it mild and extra melty.
- Try green enchilada sauce. Red is the classic choice here, but green enchilada sauce gives the filling a tangier, slightly brighter flavor that works really well with the avocado topping.
- Load up the toppings. After baking, pile on sliced avocado, fresh tomato, a dollop of sour cream, or a spoonful of pico de gallo for a fully loaded slider.
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Sliders
Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 350F° and spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray. Start by heating the olive oil in a saute pan. Add the onions and 2 teaspoons of garlic and cook over low heat until translucent.
Step 2: Add the Chicken: Now add the chicken to the onions and stir in the enchilada sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare the Rolls: Cut the rolls in half, placing the bottom of the rolls in the base of the pan. Next spread the enchilada chicken mixture over the rolls and top with cheese. Finally place the tops half of the rolls over the chicken and cheese.
Step 4: Spread Mixture: Next spread the enchilada chicken mixture over the rolls.
Step 5: Top with Cheese: Next top with cheese.
Step 6: Place Top Half of Rolls: Finally place the tops half of the rolls over the chicken and cheese.
Step 7: Top the Rolls: Now melt the butter in a small pan and add 1 teaspoon of fresh garlic along with the Mexican oregano and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and brush the herb butter over the tops of the rolls.
Step 8: Bake the Rolls: Tent a piece of tinfoil over the rolls and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 15 minute, then remove the tinfoil and bake for a further 3 to 5 minutes until the tops have slightly browned.
Step 9: Serve: Remove the pan from the oven. Slice into individual sliders and sprinkle with some freshly chopped cilantro. Top with avocado slices and serve immediately.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the foil for the first bake. Without it, the tops of the rolls will brown and harden before the cheese melts and the filling heats through. Always tent foil for the first 15 minutes.
- Using too much enchilada sauce. Two cups is the right amount for 4 cups of chicken. Too much sauce makes the filling watery and the bun bottoms soggy, especially if the sliders sit before serving.
- Not simmering the chicken long enough. Even just 2 minutes on low heat allows the chicken to absorb the sauce. Skipping this step leaves the filling tasting flat.
- Assembling too far ahead. You can prep the chicken mixture in advance and refrigerate it, but assemble the sliders just before baking. Sitting assembled for too long will make the buns soft and wet from the sauce.
Make-Ahead Tips
These sliders are easy to prep ahead, which is one of the reasons they work so well for entertaining.
- Make the chicken filling up to 2 days ahead. Cook the onion, garlic, and chicken with enchilada sauce, cool completely, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Assemble right before baking. Do not put the filling on the rolls until you are ready to bake. The sauce will make the bun bottoms soggy if they sit too long.
- The filling also freezes well. Store cooled chicken filling in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling and baking.
Storage Tips
Store leftover sliders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until warmed through. The foil prevents the tops from drying out. You can also reheat individual sliders in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, though the oven method keeps the buns from getting rubbery.
Recipe FAQ
It is important to cover the baking pan with tinfoil during the first part of baking, or the tops of the rolls will burn before the sliders are ready.
You can make a Homemade Enchilada Sauce using this recipe. It is a great sauce for this Easy Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe, Chicken Enchiladas and Three Cheese Beef Enchiladas.
Yes, and they work really well. Hawaiian rolls are soft, slightly sweet, and hold up well to saucy fillings without falling apart. The sweetness plays nicely against the savory enchilada sauce. Regular slider buns work too if you prefer a more neutral flavor.
Two things help here. First, simmer the chicken in the enchilada sauce before assembling so the filling is not too wet or loose. Second, assemble and bake the sliders right before serving rather than letting them sit assembled. If you are making them ahead, store the filling separately and add it to the buns just before baking.
The chicken filling freezes well for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling and baking. I do not recommend freezing fully assembled and baked sliders, as the buns become too soft after thawing.
More Chicken Recipes
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Easy Chicken Enchilada Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, divided
- 4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- 12 slider buns
- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon chopped Cilantro
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and cook the onions and 2 teaspoons of garlic over low heat till translucent or brown them for more flavor.
- Add the chicken to the onions and stir in the enchilada sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.
- Cut the rolls in half lengthwise and place the bottom half in the pan.
- Spread the enchilada chicken over the rolls and top with cheese. Place the tops of the rolls on the chicken.
- Melt the butter in a small pan and add 1 teaspoon garlic and the Mexican oregano and cook for 1 minute. Remove and brush over the tops of the rolls. Tent a piece of foil over the rolls and place in the oven.
- Bake for 15 minute, then remove the tinfoil and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until the tops have slightly browned.Remove and sprinkle with the cilantro. Top with avocado slices and serve.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Always tent foil over the pan for the first 15 minutes of baking to prevent the tops from burning before the cheese melts.
- The garlic herb butter is key — cook the garlic and Mexican oregano in the butter for 1 minute before brushing. This step adds a savory, herby crust to the rolls.
- Assemble just before baking. Filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Rotisserie chicken is the fastest option and adds great flavor. Shred while warm for the easiest results.
- Top with avocado slices and fresh cilantro right after baking for a fresh contrast to the cheesy filling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
