Oh, how patience is rewarded. It takes close to 24 hours to properly make Potluck Chicken Sliders. But goodness gracious, can you taste all that love and effort in every bite! There just isn’t chicken around that is quite so flavorful, so savory, so tender and juicy as this! Shredded and mixed with smoky, sweet barbeque sauce before piling it on a bun, Potluck Chicken Sliders will make you the hero of the potluck and it will be the most popular dish. You might want to serve yourself first before stopping by the party!
Ingredients
- For the brine:
- 1 1/2 quarts water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
For the sandwiches:
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1/3 cup liquid smoke
- 1 1/2 cups hickory-smoke-flavored barbeque sauce
- 16 slider buns or dinner rolls, split and warmed
- deli coleslaw, optional, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, add the water, the brown sugar, the salt, 1 tablespoon of the liquid smoke, the garlic, and the thyme together and stir until the brown sugar has dissolved.
Step 2 –Reserve 1 cup of the brine; cover it and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 3 –Place the chicken in a bowl with the remaining brine and turn the meat to coat it.
Step 4 –Cover and refrigerate the chicken in the brine, turning the chicken occasionally, for at least 18 hours and up to 24 hours.
Step 5 –Transfer the chicken from the brine to a 3-quart slow cooker. Discard the brine from the bowl.
Step 6 –Add the reserved 1 cup of brine and the remaining liquid smoke to the slow cooker.
Step 7 –Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 hours.
Step 8 –Transfer the chicken from the slow cooker and allow it to cool slightly.
Step 9 –Discard the cooking juices.
Step 10 –Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the slow cooker.
Step 11 –Stir the barbeque sauce into the chicken mixture and allow it to heat through.
Step 12 –Serve the chicken on the buns with the coleslaw.
