This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc.. All opinions are 100% mine.
These incredible chicken parm sliders are the perfect appetizer or entrée for parties, showers, game days, or anytime you want something delicious and bite-sized. Crispy chicken strips are topped with rich marinara and melted provolone, sandwiched between dinner rolls covered in a seasoned butter-parmesan sauce.
What Makes Crispy Chicken Parm Sliders So Good
- Who doesn’t love chicken parmesan? Crispy chicken. Rich, tomato-y sauce. ALL THAT CHEESE. Now what if I told you there’s an easy way to take everything you love about that classic Italian dish and spin it into party-perfect finger foods? These crispy chicken parm sliders do EXACTLY THAT.
- There’s so much incredible flavor and texture in these little sandwiches. The breaded chicken is exceptionally crispy. The provolone cheese melts beautifully. The warm, soft rolls are topped with this mind-blowingly good mixture of butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese that makes the bread moist but toasty.
- Chicken parm sliders are SO unbelievably easy to make. We’re making it even easier by using frozen breaded chicken strips and store-bought marinara. Since they’re so easy, they’re also a great option if you’re feeding a large group, because you won’t need to cook all day to put out a lot of food. You can easily double this recipe without needing a ton more time in the kitchen.
Key Ingredients for Crispy Chicken Parm Sliders
Dinner Rolls – Use your favorites! Sweet rolls go incredibly well with the other flavors in these sliders, but potato rolls would also work well. Seasoned, unseasoned, wheat, white, honey – anything goes here.
Marinara – You’ll want to use a good, thick marinara sauce on your chicken parm sliders. If it’s too thin, it’ll soak into the rolls and leave them soggy.
Tyson Air Fried Perfectly Crispy Chicken Strips – Y’all. These chicken strips are AMAZING, and absolutely perfect for chicken parm sliders. Made with all-natural white meat chicken and no antibiotics EVER, they’re a lighter option than traditional fried chicken, with 75% less fat and 35% fewer calories. The best part? They crisp up so well and you don’t even need to air fry them to make it happen! You can shop for these babies right now at your local Publix.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t over-bake the chicken parm sliders! You don’t want the rolls (or the garlic in the butter) to burn. Keep a close eye on them, especially if your oven runs hot or you place the sliders super close to the heat element. Let them cook just until the rolls are slightly toasty, but mainly until the cheese is melted.
- If the rolls are getting too dark before the cheese has really melted, cover the baking dish with foil. It’ll help retain some of the heat, making the cheese melt faster, without leaving the bread directly exposed to the heating element.
- I recommend using a basting brush to spread the butter sauce on the tops of the rolls. A brush will let you apply the sauce more evenly, and it’ll help keep excess butter from pooling in the bottom of the baking dish, which could make the bottom halves of the rolls soggy.
- For even cheesier chicken parm sliders, use 8 slices of provolone instead of 4. Layer one set of 4 slices directly on the bottom halves of the rolls, without any marinara or anything else. Place the bottom halves in the oven for a few minutes to let the cheese melt, then continue with the marinara sauce in step 2. That extra layer of cheese will also prevent some of the marinara from seeping into the bottom rolls, which will keep them dryer.
You’ll Love These Party-Ready Recipes, Too!
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings in Buffalo Sauce
- Beer Cheese Dip
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Crispy Fried Zucchini with Dipping Sauces
- Air Fryer Tater Tots
- Loaded Baked Potato Dip
- Texas Caviar
Hey – you’ve made it this far, and now we’re best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
Crispy Chicken Parm Sliders
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Cooking spray
- Sharp knife
- 9×13 baking dish
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- 1 20-ounce (1.25-pound) bag Tyson Air Fried Perfectly Crispy Chicken Breast Strips frozen
- 12 dinner rolls sweet rolls, potato rolls, etc.
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce divided
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes use more or less to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Place frozen chicken strips on greased baking sheet and bake at 400° for 11 minutes. After 11 minutes, flip chicken strips over and return to oven to bake an additional 9 to 11 minutes.
- While chicken strips bake, take dinner rolls out of packaging but do not separate them individually. Use sharp knife to slice horizontally through mid-line of rolls, as if making sandwiches. Place bottom halves of rolls in 9×13 baking dish and spread ¾ cup marinara sauce on cut side.
- Top marinara with baked chicken strips in one even layer. Cut chicken as needed to fit on rolls.
- Cover chicken strips with remaining marinara sauce, then layer slices of provolone cheese on top, covering as much of chicken as possible. Some cheese overlap is fine. Place top halves of rolls on top of cheese.
- In small bowl, mix together butter, garlic, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes until combined.
- Spread butter mixture liberally on tops of rolls.
- Place baking dish in oven. Bake at 400° Fahrenheit for 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and serve.
Notes
- Chicken Strips: I used Tyson Air Fried Perfectly Crispy Chicken Breast Strips for this recipe. You can find them now at Publix!
- Cheese: Feel free to use a combination of provolone, mozzarella, and/or an Italian cheese blend.
- If the tops of the rolls are browning faster than the cheese is melting in step 7, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to help retain some of the heat.
- Make sure the chicken is heated through after step 1. Once the sliders are assembled, they won’t be in the oven long enough to finish heating the chicken if it’s still frozen at all.
Nutrition
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out 40 Aprons Premium! 40 Aprons Premium offers exclusive recipes, monthly meal plans, grocery lists, and more – all completely ad free!
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
});
Lindsay says
I made this for our church small group, and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved them. Can’t wait to make them again!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad y’all enjoyed them, Lindsay!