These BBQ Chicken & Ranch Sliders are the best and easiest Whole30 appetizer ever! Roasted Sweet Potato rounds are are topped with slow cooker bbq shredded chicken, topped with cilantro and red onion, and drizzled with compatible ranch dressing.
My favorite part of football season? The snacks, of course! Just check out my Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip!
I mean, as much as I love to watch our beloved Buffalo Bills, more often than not, they’re losing. But at least I’ve got some delicious, real food tailgating snacks to soften the blow!
And these Whole30 compliant BBQ Chicken & Ranch Sliders are definitely making our Sunday afternoons a lot better!
I usually make them in my slow cooker, because I like to set it before we head to church in the morning, and then by the time we get home, it’s ready to go. Score!
Best of all, they’re Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and always major crowd pleaser!
Recipe Ingredients
- Boneless Chicken Thighs (or substitute chicken breasts, if you prefer them)
- BBQ Sauce
- Sweet Potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Ranch Dressing
- Red Onion
- Cilantro (optional)
- Salt & Pepper
Optional: For a little extra oomph, sprinkle a tablespoon of BBQ Seasoning to the crock pot!
Making the Recipe
This is absolutely one of the simplest recipes I’ve ever made!
Add the chicken, half of the bbq sauce, The chicken cooks in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, so it’s almost totally hands-off. Meanwhile, the sweet potato rounds are roasted in the oven or air fryer until they’re crispy, the perfect “bun” for the sliders.
Just top each sweet potato round with the cooked chicken, a little diced red onion, herbs, and compliant ranch dressing. People will be lining up for more, it’s so good!
Recipe FAQ
Absolutely! Because they’re more flavorful than chicken breasts, I do prefer to use chicken thighs for this recipe, but if you have breasts on hand or if you just prefer white meat, go ahead and substitute chicken breasts.
Even though chicken thighs have more fat than breasts, in the slow cooker and instant pot, they do seem to cook at similar rates. If you make the substitution, they would likely need just a slightly shorter cook time, so check as it nears the end of cooking and remove the breasts early if they’re fall-apart tender.
Tessemae’s ranch and Frank’s hot sauce are most popular, but there are many compliant condiments available.
More recipes: Classic Pot Roast, Pork Loaded Fries, BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Pineapple Slaw, Air Fryer Burger Bites.
Nothing makes me happier than seeing my recipes made in your homes! If you make this, let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom!
Whole30 BBQ Chicken and Ranch Sliders
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3/4 cups compliant bbq sauce divided
Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
- 2-3 medium sweet potatoes
- 3-4 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- 1/4 cup compliant ranch I use Tessemae's
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 teaspoons cilantro
Instructions
Slow Cooker Chicken
- Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the crockpot with half of the BBQ sauce.
- Cover and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
- Once the chicken is fall apart tender, remove the chicken and shred it gently using two forks. Return the chicken to the crock pot and mix it. Set the slow cooker to "Keep Warm" function until you're ready to serve. ⠀
Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
- Preheat your oven to 400. Wash potatoes and slice in 1/4 inch rounds. Toss with olive oil, season lightly with salt & pepper, and lay on a lined parchment sheet. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, turning once halfway through, and watching closely near the end.
Assemble the Sliders
- Just before serving, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and mix with the remaining BBQ sauce.
- Top each slice of sweet potato with about a tablespoon of chicken, a drizzle of ranch, some diced red onion, and cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
Paula says
When I saw this recipe on the Whole30 Instagram page, I made it right away! thank you.
Cook at Home Mom says
Hi Paula! I’m so happy to hear you made it. I hope you loved it as much as we did!! -Laura