Description

Jimmy’s Bang Bang Chicken Sliders are a perfect blend of spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors wrapped in soft mini pretzel buns. Tender shredded chicken thighs are simmered in a vibrant sauce made with Sriracha, honey, lime, and garlic, then baked with melting mozzarella cheese. Finished with a zesty sriracha-lime dipping sauce, these sliders make a crowd-pleasing appetizer or fun meal for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Sauce

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Sriracha chili sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey, divided
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Assembly

12 mini pretzel buns, split
12 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese, halved
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse salt, optional
2 green onions, chopped

Sriracha-Lime Dipping Sauce

1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons grated lime zest

Instructions

Brown the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken thighs and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes to develop flavor.
Prepare and simmer sauce: While browning chicken, mix ketchup, Sriracha chili sauce, 1/2 cup honey, water, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, ground ginger, and pepper in a bowl. Pour this mixture over the browned chicken in the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Reduce sauce and shred chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot. Bring the remaining sauce back to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Shred the chicken using two forks and toss it with the reduced sauce to coat evenly.
Assemble sliders: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish. Place the bottom halves of the pretzel buns in the dish. Add half a slice of mozzarella cheese on each bun, then spoon the sauced chicken over the cheese. Top each with the remaining cheese slices and close the sliders with the top buns.
Prepare glaze and bake: In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons honey, and crushed red pepper flakes. Brush this glaze evenly over the tops of the buns. Optionally, sprinkle coarse salt on top. Bake sliders in the oven until the buns are golden and cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Garnish and prepare dipping sauce: Remove sliders from oven and garnish with chopped green onions. To make the dipping sauce, combine the reduced-fat mayonnaise, Sriracha chili sauce, lime juice, and lime zest in a bowl and stir well.
Serve: Serve sliders hot alongside the sriracha-lime dipping sauce for extra flavor and spice.

Notes

Use part-skim mozzarella for a balance of gooeyness and less fat.
Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control spiciness on the buns.
Simmering the sauce after removing chicken intensifies the flavor and helps it cling well to the shredded meat.
Mini pretzel buns add a unique salty contrast, but slider buns or small sandwich rolls can be substituted.
The dipping sauce complements the sliders with creamy heat and citrusy brightness.
Make sure to shred the chicken finely for easy assembling and better texture.
For a gluten-free version, substitute mini pretzel buns with gluten-free slider buns.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Simmering, Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slider
Calories: 320
Sugar: 13g
Sodium: 580mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 32g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 25g
Cholesterol: 80mg

Keywords: spicy chicken sliders, bang bang chicken, sriracha chicken sliders, pretzel bun sliders, easy party appetizers