Easy Chicken Birria Sliders Recipe

My First Taste of Birria

My grandson brought me to a food truck years ago. He ordered birria tacos. I took one bite and my eyes went wide. The rich, spicy sauce was pure magic. I knew I had to make it at home.

But my old bones find long stews tiring. So I made a simpler version. I use chicken and turn it into sliders. It’s cozy food for sharing. What’s the first dish a loved one ever surprised you with?

Why This Chicken Works

Let’s talk chicken. I always use thighs. They stay juicy and tender. Breasts can get dry in this sauce. Trust me on this one.

You brown the chicken first. This step matters. It adds a deep flavor you can’t skip. It’s the secret to a rich broth. Good food is about layers of love, not just steps.

The Heart of the Sauce

Now for the fun part. You cook onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Then you add dried chilies and spices. Your kitchen will smell incredible. Doesn’t that smell amazing?

You blend it all into a smooth red sauce. Fun fact: The word “birria” means “a mess” in Spanish. A delicious, wonderful mess! You simmer the sauce until it’s rich. Then the chicken cooks in that flavor bath.

Putting Our Sliders Together

Here’s my favorite trick. Save most of that beautiful sauce for dipping. Just use the shredded chicken for the sliders. This keeps the rolls from getting soggy. I learned this the hard way with a very soft bun once. I still laugh at that.

Layer the chicken, onion, cilantro, and cheese. Use Hawaiian rolls for a sweet touch. Brush the tops with butter before baking. The cheese gets all melty. Do you prefer your sliders super cheesy or just a little?

Gather and Dip

Pull these sliders from the oven. Serve them right away with the warm sauce. Everyone dips their own slider. The sharing is the best part.

This meal turns a Tuesday into a celebration. Food is about bringing people to the table. That’s why it matters. What’s your favorite food to share with a crowd?

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
boneless chicken, thighs preferred	500-600g
oil	1 tbsp + 4 tbsp	Divided for chicken and birria
salt	½ tsp + 1 tsp (or to taste)	Divided for chicken and birria
pepper	½ tsp
yellow onions	1 ½ , quartered
tomatoes	3, quartered
garlic cloves	8, peeled
dried red chilies	8	*see notes
bay leaves	2
paprika	2-3 tsp
oregano	2 tsp
cumin powder	1 ½ tsp
cinnamon	1 tsp
chicken bouillon cubes	2-4	**see notes
water	4 cups
slider rolls	24	e.g., King’s Hawaiian rolls
onion, thinly sliced	½ cup
cilantro, chopped	⅓ cup
Mexican shredded cheese	1-2 cups
butter, melted	1-2 tbsp	For brushing sliders

Easy Chicken Birria Sliders: A Cozy Kitchen Story

Hello, my dear. Come sit. Let me tell you about these sliders. They are pure comfort food. I learned the idea from my grandson’s friend. He makes them with beef. But I thought, why not chicken? It’s so tender and quick. My kitchen smells incredible when these are cooking. Doesn’t that smell amazing? It’s like a warm, spicy hug. I want you to feel that cozy feeling, too. Let’s make them together.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed/seeded
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups water, divided
• 12 slider rolls
• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion (for serving)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (for serving)
• 2 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)

Instructions

Step 1: First, we brown our chicken. Use a nice, heavy pot. A little oil, salt, and pepper is all you need. Just cook it until it gets some golden color. Don’t worry about cooking it through. We just want that good flavor to start. I still laugh at that. I used to cook it all the way here. Then it would be dry later. (Hard-learned tip: Use chicken thighs. They stay juicy no matter what!).

Step 2: Now, the magic sauce. In that same pot, we cook onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Add all those lovely dried spices. It will sizzle and smell wonderful. Cook until everything gets soft. Then, everything goes into the blender. Be sure to take the bay leaves out first. I forgot once. The sauce had little leaf bits. It was still tasty, though! Blend it with some water until it’s super smooth.

Step 3: Pour that beautiful red sauce back into the pot. Add more water and let it bubble. It will get darker and richer. This is when you taste it. Is it salty enough? Spicy enough? You are the boss of your pot. Now, add your browned chicken back in. Let it cook slowly, covered, for about twenty minutes. The chicken will become so tender.

Step 4: Time to shred! Take the chicken out carefully. It will be hot. Use two forks to pull it apart. It should fall apart easily. Now, here’s a key step. Take most of that sauce out. Save it for dipping. Only add a little back to the chicken. Why do we save the extra sauce? Share below! This keeps our sliders from getting soggy. Mix the chicken with just enough sauce to coat it.

Step 5: Let’s assemble. Use those sweet, soft rolls. Lightly toast the halves first. On the bottom half, pile your saucy chicken. Then add fresh onion and cilantro. Cheese goes on next—be generous! Put the top back on. Brush the tops with melted butter. This makes them golden. Bake just until the cheese melts. Oh, the wait is the hardest part. Serve them hot with that saved sauce for dipping. Pure joy.

Cook Time: About 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 12 sliders
Category: Dinner, Party Food

Three Fun Twists to Try

I love a good recipe. But I love changing it up more. Here are three ideas. Make it veggie: Use big, meaty mushrooms instead of chicken. They soak up the sauce beautifully. Kick up the heat: Add a chopped chipotle pepper in adobo to the blender. It gives a smoky, spicy punch. Breakfast slider: Use the birria sauce to top scrambled eggs on a roll. A strange but wonderful weekend treat. Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving Your Sliders with Style

These sliders are a full meal. But a little side makes it special. I like a simple, crunchy salad. Just lettuce, lime juice, and salt. A bowl of black beans is perfect, too. For drinks, a cold horchata is so nice. The sweetness cools the spice. For the grown-ups, a light lager beer works well. It cleanses the palate. Which would you choose tonight? I think I’d have the horchata. It reminds me of sunny afternoons.

Keeping Your Birria Cozy for Later

Let’s talk about storing these tasty sliders. First, keep the chicken and sauce separate. Put them in airtight containers in the fridge. They will stay happy for three to four days. You can also freeze the birria meat and sauce for two months. I once froze a whole batch for my grandson’s surprise visit. It was a lifesaver!

To reheat, warm the sauce in a pot. Add the chicken back in until it’s hot. For the sliders, a quick warm-up in the oven keeps them crispy. Batch cooking this recipe is a wonderful idea. It gives you a ready-made feast on a busy night. This matters because good food should bring joy, not stress. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Simple Fixes for Common Slider Snags

Sometimes our cooking needs a little help. Here are three common issues. First, a sauce that’s too thin. Just let it simmer a bit longer. It will thicken up nicely. I remember when my first birria sauce was like soup. A little extra patience fixed it.

Second, sliders getting soggy. Always squeeze out the extra sauce from the chicken. This keeps the bread perfect for dipping. Third, not enough flavor. Taste your sauce before adding the chicken. You can add a pinch more salt or a bouillon cube. Getting the flavor right matters. It turns a good meal into a great memory. Fixing small problems builds your cooking confidence. Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Birria Slider Questions, Answered

Q: Can I make this gluten-free? A: Yes! Use your favorite gluten-free rolls for the sliders. Check your bouillon cubes too.

Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Absolutely. The birria chicken and sauce can be made two days early.

Q: What if I don’t have dried chilies? A: Use 2 tablespoons of chili powder instead. It will still be delicious.

Q: Can I double the recipe? A: You sure can. Use a bigger pot for cooking the sauce.

Q: Any optional tips? A: A squeeze of lime on the finished sliders is a fun fact my family loves. Which tip will you try first?

From My Kitchen to Yours

I hope you love making these sliders as much as I do. The smell fills my kitchen with warmth. It reminds me of big family gatherings. I would love to see your cooking adventures. Share a photo of your beautiful birria sliders. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! You can find me at @ChloesCozyKitchen. I can’t wait to see what you create.

Happy cooking!
—Chloe Hartwell.