Easy Chicken Pesto Sliders With Mozzarella

Name: Easy Chicken Pesto Sliders With Mozzarella
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 12 Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls (or any other roll); 1/3 cup pesto; 1 lb deli sliced chicken; 4 slices mozzarella cheese; 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted; 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon dried basil (optional); 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The fresh pesto flavor complements the balsamic herb butter perfectly

These simple sandwiches can replace boring lunchtime sandwiches

They're a fun party food or game day appetizer

It's an easy recipe with simple ingredients, making it great for a busy weeknight

The rolls reheat well for a great meal prep option or tasty snack

It's a great recipe that's a suitable main course or delicious appetizer for any day of the week

You can easily customize these pesto chicken pull-apart sliders to make them your own

Ingredient Notes

An overhead shot of ingredients needed to make pesto chicken sliders: Hawaiian sweet rolls, mozzarella, sliced chicken breast, pesto, butter, dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, dried basil, and balsamic vinegar.

Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls (or any other roll) - You can easily find Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls at most grocery stores. They are store bought tray buns. If you've never tried them, we think you'll be a fan! They're soft and buttery and make this recipe quick and simple.

Pesto - Pesto is the star of this recipe! Feel free to use a homemade pesto or any store-bought pesto. We like the Vegan Kale Cashew Pesto from Trader Joe's and Costco's Kirkland basil pesto. Don't skip the pesto, it really takes this recipe to the next level.

Deli sliced chicken - For this recipe, we prefer to use fresh sliced chicken breast from the deli. Feel free to use your favorite brand! You could also use shredded rotisserie chicken for this recipe as well.

Sliced mozzarella cheese - Sliced mozzarella gets melty and ties the whole sandwich together. If you're not a big fan of cheese, you can leave it out.

Unsalted butter, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, and salt - Before baking, you'll brush the top of the rolls with a delicious balsamic herb butter. It adds a ton of flavor to the chicken pesto rolls.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Step by Step Directions

For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

An overhead shot of the bottom half of the Hawaiian rolls with pesto spread across it.

Step 1: Begin by slicing the 12 Hawaiian rolls in half. Don’t break the rolls apart to do this, instead use a sharp bread knife to carefully cut the entire group of rolls in half. Place the bottom side of the sheet of rolls into the prepared baking dish. Set aside the top half of the rolls momentarily. Spread the pesto evenly across the bottom half of the rolls.

An overhead shot of the bottom half of the Hawaiian rolls with pesto and sliced chicken breast spread across it.

Step 2: Next, evenly layer the sliced chicken.

An overhead shot of the bottom half of the Hawaiian rolls with pesto, sliced chicken breast, and sliced mozzarella spread across it.

Step 3: Layer on the cheese slices. Place the top half of the rolls back on top.

A small bowl with the melted butter, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and spices to brush across the tops of the sandwiches.

Step 4: In a small bowl, melt the butter. Add the balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, onion powder, basil, and salt and mix well. Using a pastry brush or spoon, evenly spread the melted butter mixture on top of the rolls.

An overhead shot of twelve pesto chicken sliders in a baking dish.

Step 5: Bake the rolls in the oven covered with foil for 10 minutes, then remove the tin foil for the last 10 minutes to allow the top of the rolls to become golden brown.

Eight pesto chicken sliders lined up with two sliders on their sides to show the contents of the sandwiches.

Step 6: Serve the slider rolls with balsamic glaze if desired. Enjoy!

Tips & Variations

If you don't have sliced chicken breast on hand, feel free to swap it for shredded chicken or other leftover chicken.

Instead of Hawaiian rolls, slider buns will work great as well.

For an additional cheese factor, you could sprinkle the tops of the rolls with parmesan cheese.

If you want to make a larger batch for a crowd, use a baking sheet or sheet pan instead of a baking dish.

These mini sandwiches are a great option for a party. Feel free to include sliced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar glaze on the side.

FAQ

How do I reheat the rolls?

These rolls are great the next day! Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Feel free to reheat the rolls in the oven, air fryer, or microwave. Our favorite way to reheat them is at 300 degrees in the air fryer to bring back the golden brown exterior and melty mozzarella cheese.

Can I substitute the chicken for a different kind of deli meat?

While the chicken is a main ingredient, you can definitely work with other ingredients you have on hand. Feel free to swap the sliced chicken for shredded chicken or another deli meat like turkey. Sliced turkey is a great substitute.

Can I make these ahead of time?

You can definitely make these rolls ahead of time. You have two options:
1) Fully bake them, allow them to cool, store in the fridge, and then reheat when you're ready to eat.
2) Prepare the rolls all the way until the baking stage. Cover the unbaked rolls with aluminum foil and then bake them when you're ready to eat.

Is it (GF/DF/V/VG)?

These rolls are not dairy-free or vegan. For a gluten-free version, simply use a gluten-free bun or roll and ensure that the pesto sauce is certified gluten-free. For a vegetarian version, leave out the chicken and add a slice of fresh tomato after the rolls have baked.