Irresistible Pull Apart Chicken Pesto Sliders
It’s like a Caprese salad come to life in slider form! These chicken pesto sliders are layered with a creamy pesto mayo sauce, thinly sliced chicken, juicy tomato, and melty mozzarella. They’re perfect as an appetizer for football parties or summer barbecues, a simple picnic lunch, or an easy weeknight dinner with a salad on the side.
Not your typical game day sliders.
Although the weather is a bit chillier, we still have gorgeous sunshine here in the PNW which means grilling season is still going strong for me! The other week, I had a batch of this balsamic grilled chicken leftover and wanted to re-invent the leftover chicken into a new meal. Enter: chicken sliders.
It was Sunday, the air was crisp but the sun was shining, we went to the pumpkin patch in the morning and had friends over to watch football in the afternoon. A perfect fall day if you ask me. I told my husband I was making sliders for dinner/football food. When he came upstairs to snag some he was initially disappointed that I didn’t mean traditional cheeseburger sliders.
His mind was QUICKLY changed though. The soft bread, melty cheese, flavorful pesto, juicy tomatoes and balsamic grilled chicken come together to make mini sandwiches that are truly so, so good. I paired these with some Caesar green beans and sweet potato fries and DAYUMMMNNN. It might be slightly unconventional game day food, but it is MY kind of football food.
Our friends loved them. Hubs loved them. My littles loved them. I loved them. And now it’s your sign to make these chicken pesto sliders. 👊🏼
FEATURED COMMENT
“These were amazing! I added a little arugula too after baking. Perfect easy dinner and a great way to use leftover chicken”
★★★★★
Some Thoughts on Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Pesto Chicken Sliders:
- Pesto is a simple sauce made with basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon, Parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil. I love homemade pesto but you can also use store-bought pesto. I prefer the fresh pesto in the refrigerated deli section but jarred varieties are in the pasta aisle.
- I recommend getting the type of dinner rolls that you have to pull apart. I find that the ones in the bakery section are fresher, softer and have a simpler ingredient list than those found in the bread aisle. You could use sweet Hawaiian rolls or potato rolls but I usually just go for a very basic dinner roll.
- Mozzarella cheese pairs perfectly with the tomato, balsamic, and pesto flavors. Other varieties of cheese that will work are provolone, fontina or Monterey jack. I like shredded cheese but you could also use slices of mozzarella cheese.
- I developed this recipe with a batch of leftover balsamic chicken breast which adds incredible flavor. However, the sliders are still incredible with basic cooked chicken breast. If you do use rotisserie chicken you could add a drizzle of balsamic glaze for that same tangy balsamic flavor.
- Slice the red onions super thin so the taste doesn’t overpower.
- I like to use tomatoes on the vine or roma tomatoes.
- Salt, pepper, butter and a good all-purpose seasoning are the only seasonings you’ll need. I use green goddess seasoning or 21 seasonings salute from good ole Trader Joe’s.
How to Make This Chicken Slider Recipe:
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and stir together the pesto and mayo to make a quick pesto aioli.
Keeping the rolls connected, slice the whole block in half horizontally with a bread knife and place the bottom half on a sheet pan. Spread half of the pesto aioli over the bottom, then layer on half of the mozzarella cheese.
Then layer on the sliced chicken, red onion, and the rest of the mozzarella. Spread the remaining pesto aioli on the inside of the top half of the rolls and place on top.
Use a pastry brush to brush the melted butter over the top of the sliders. Sprinkle with all-purpose seasoning. Bake for 12-14 minutes until rolls are golden brown and cheese is melty.
While they bake, season your tomato slices with a little salt and pepper. Once the sliders are out of the oven, pull them apart and tuck a slice of tomato into each one. Serve hot and melty and ENJOYYY.
Yeaaah… don’t be surprised if you go back for more than one.
Expert Tips:
- Use a serrated knife to get thin, even tomato slices, and to slice the entire ‘loaf’ of rolls without pulling them apart.
- Grate mozzarella from a block (vs pre-shredded) for the best meltiness and flavor.
- If you like things a little spicy, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pesto mayo.
Serving Ideas:
- These are a crowd favorite! Use it as part of any party food spread – football, birthdays, holidays, BBQs or backyard hangs.
- Pair with potato chips, sliced veggies and iced tea for a simple picnic.
- Serve with a green veggie of choice or side salad for an easy weeknight meal.
- Ditch the boring lunchtime sandwiches! Prep a pot of soup and you’ll be looking forward to your slider + soup lunches all week long.
FAQs
The dinner rolls will probably get a little soggy as leftovers. An air fryer is SO CLUTCH for reheating these if you have one. I usually do 400ºF for 5-8 minutes and it crisps up the outside and warms the insides perfectly.
If you don’t have an air fryer you can reheat these in the oven at 400ºF for 10 minutes or so to return them to their former glory.
You can use any cooked chicken breast! Rotisserie chicken or sliced deli chicken work great. You can even add a drizzle of balsamic glaze to the chicken for the same vibe.
I don’t think chicken thighs are quite as user-friendly or eater-friendly in a sandwich as chicken breast but yes, these would be just as delicious with chicken thighs.
Place leftover sandwiches in an airtight container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to three days.
Watch How to Make These Chicken Pesto Sliders:
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! For more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or Youtube – I love connecting with you all there!
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Chicken Pesto Sliders (Easy Pull Apart Recipe)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 12 sliders 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Entertaining
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These chicken pesto sliders are layered with juicy chicken, melty mozzarella, and a creamy pesto sauce on soft rolls. They’re an easy, flavor-packed option for dinner, game day, or summer get-togethers.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 12 dinner rolls
- 6–8oz sliced chicken breast – I use leftover balsamic grilled chicken, but you could use rotisserie chicken or sliced deli chicken
- 6oz mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- all-purpose seasoning blend (I like Green Goddess or 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together pesto and mayo to make the pesto aioli.
- Without pulling rolls apart, slice the entire block of dinner rolls in half lengthwise using a bread knife and place the bottom half on a sheet pan.
- Spread half of the pesto mayo on the bottom layer of rolls followed by half of the mozzarella, the thinly sliced chicken breast, red onion and then the rest of the mozzarella. Spread the remaining pesto mayo on the top layer of rolls and place on top.
- Use a pastry brush to brush melted butter all over the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with seasoning. Bake for 12-14 minutes until rolls are golden brown and the cheese is melty.
- Season the tomato slices with pinches of salt and pepper. Pull apart the chicken sliders and add a slice of tomato to each. DEVOUR.
I could eat four of these at LEAST.
Notes
Refer to above blog post for photo instructions, expert tips and answers to frequently asked questions!
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slider
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 276.4 mg
- Fat: 12.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.6 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 12.8 g
- Cholesterol: 47.3 mg
So good!! I made these on sourdough focaccia (it’s what I had on hand) and they were so easy yet felt like a fancy sandwich!
Toddler approved 👍🏼👍🏼
Yummm foccacia is SUCH a bomb idea!
These were absolutely insanely good! Another 100A% winner!!
These were so delicious! Will be making on repeat.
These were amazing! I added a little arugula too after baking. Perfect easy dinner and a great way to use leftover chicken
Yaaaay so happy you enjoyed! Excellend call on the arugula!