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closeup shot of chicken hawaiian roll slider with bbq chicken and grilled pineapple.

Hawaiian Roll Chicken Sliders

My easy recipe for Hawaiian Roll Chicken Sliders features tender chicken thighs, juicy grilled pineapple, teriyaki BBQ sauce, tangy pickled red onions, and a fiery sriracha mayo mixture all loaded high on King's Hawaiian rolls.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Sandwiches
Cuisine American, Barbecue, BBQ, Hawaiian
Servings 12 sliders
Calories 152 kcal

Ingredients
  

Marinade Ingredients

For Assembly

Instructions
 

  • Mix all marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
    ⅓ C Soy Sauce or Tamari, ⅓ C Brown Sugar, ⅓ C Reserved Pineapple Juice, 1 tablespoon Dried Onion Flakes, 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon Ginger Powder, ¼ teaspoon Ghost Pepper Flakes, 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
  • Transfer the chicken thighs to a large bowl or baking dish with a lid, then pour the marinade over the top. Squish the thighs around to make sure all pieces are fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1-24 hours.
    3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the pineapple rings until each side has good char marks, then remove to a plate.
    Grill the chicken thighs at the same time, cooking for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the outsides are golden brown and the the internal temperature of the chicken hits about 163ºF.
    Remove the cooked chicken and pineapple to a cutting board and tent with foil to rest for about 10-15 minutes; the chicken should continue cooking through transfer heat and reach 165ºF before slicing into smaller pieces.
    1 can Pineapple Rings in Pineapple Juice
  • While your chicken rests, reduce the marinade with the remaining pineapple juice. The sauce will appear split at first. Continue cooking until at least syrupy, or preferably jammy.
  • Split Hawaiian rolls in half using a serrated knife. Slather the bottom half with mayonnaise, reduced marinade and sriracha to taste. Pile on the chopped chicken. Top with chopped grilled pineapple, fresh cilantro and pickled red onions, then lay the top half of the rolls on top. Slice, eat and repeat.
    12 Hawaiian Rolls, Mayonnaise, Sriracha, Cilantro, Pickled Red Onions

Notes

Optional Variations
  • Gluten-Free - Serve chopped BBQ chicken and pineapple over steamed long-grain rice with a big sprinkling of sliced green onions. Make sure to swap in a GF soy sauce option like tamari or coconut aminos to keep the marinade celiac friendly. (Or, swap in GF Hawaiian rolls.)
  • Extra Spicy - Add extra ghost pepper (or red pepper flakes/cayenne/etc) plus a generous squirt of sriracha to the teriyaki marinade. You can also add grilled sliced jalapeños or pickled jalapeños for extra kick.
  • Soy-Free - Swap out the soy sauce for coconut aminos or Bragg's liquid aminos.
  • Pork-Free - Not a fan of swine? Swap in boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), pressed extra-firm tofu, or sliced seitan instead.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
  • Stay Unassembled - If possible, I recommend eating the sliders on the day they are assembled. The chicken and pineapple can be grilled in advance, refrigerated for up to 3-5 days, and reheated before serving—this will prevent your buns from becoming soggy or stale.
  • Refrigerated - Allow any leftover sliders that have been assembled to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. (Alternatively, wrap the serving dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.) They’ll keep well in the fridge for about 3-5 days. Note that bread tends to stale more quickly in the fridge, so it’s recommended you eat any leftovers the next day for the best results.
  • Frozen - For longer storage, wrap room temp individual sliders in plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 
  • To reheat, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge (if needed). Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in a 350ºF oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
  • Make-Ahead Tips - The marinade can be made and refrigerated up to a week in advance. You can also marinate and freeze the chicken thighs up to 3 months in advance. I always recommend keeping a jar of red onion pickles on hand to jazz up any meal; they'll keep for weeks at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 447mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 51IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword Cheap, Easy, Fast, Grilled, Grilling, Pork, Summer
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