Chicken Parmesan Sliders Recipe

I turned classic Chicken Parmesan into Mini Chicken Parm Sliders featuring a sneaky crispy coating, a secret layering trick, and a concealed melted cheese pocket.

I grew up obsessed with Chicken Parmesan, so shrinking it down into Mini Chicken Parm Sliders felt inevitable. I love how sweet Hawaiian rolls cradle melted mozzarella, the whole thing almost too easy for a weekday.

It’s kind of messy, finger-licking and not at all like those neat restaurant plates, but that’s the point. If you like Easy Slider Recipes that surprise you, these will do it, guests always ask for more.

I make them when i want something fun, fast and a little decadent and i’m honestly never tired of that crunchy, cheesy bite.

Ingredients

• Slider rolls: soft, slightly sweet, add carbs and a cozy contrast to crunchy chicken.
• Chicken breasts: lean protein, helps build muscle, mild flavor so it’s great with sauce.
• Panko breadcrumbs: extra crunch, light texture, mostly carbs, watch the sodium.
• Parmesan cheese: nutty, salty, adds umami, got protein and calcium.
• Marinara sauce: tangy tomato base, gives acidity and sweetness, provides fiber and lycopene.
• Mozzarella: melty, mild, adds creamy fat and protein, keeps sliders gooey.
• Olive oil and butter: for frying or brushing, add rich flavor and calorie dense fats.

Ingredient Quantities

• 12 slider rolls (sweet Hawaiian or small dinner rolls)
• about 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 12 thin cutlets
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus about 1/4 cup extra for topping
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
• 8 oz mozzarella, sliced or shredded
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley (optional)
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease or line a 9×13 dish; split the 12 slider rolls into tops and bottoms and set aside so they’re handy.

2. Pound the chicken breasts into 12 thin cutlets (about the size of each roll), pat dry with paper towels and season lightly with some of the kosher salt and black pepper.

3. Set up dredging stations: 1) 1/2 cup flour, 2) 2 beaten eggs, 3) mix 1 cup panko, 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp garlic powder, and the rest of the kosher salt and black pepper. Coat each cutlet flour then egg then panko-Parm mixture, pressing crumbs on so they stick.

4. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry cutlets 2 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F or juices run clear). Don’t overcrowd the pan; work in batches if needed. Drain on paper towels.

5. Spread about 1 to 1 1/2 cups marinara over the bottom halves of the rolls (evenly, a few spoonfuls per roll), place a fried chicken cutlet on each, then top each cutlet with mozzarella (use slices or shredded to cover).

6. Put the roll tops on, brush all the tops with the 2 tbsp melted butter, then sprinkle the extra 1/4 cup grated Parmesan over everything and scatter the chopped parsley if you’re using it.

7. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F about 10 minutes to melt the cheese, then remove foil and bake another 4 to 6 minutes to brown the tops a little.

8. Let the sliders rest 2 to 3 minutes so the sauce sets, optionally tuck fresh basil leaves under the tops for garnish, slice between the rolls to separate and serve warm.

9. Tips and hacks: pound the chicken thin so it cooks fast and stays juicy, press panko mixture onto the cutlets so it won’t fall off, warm the marinara slightly so the oven only has to melt cheese, and use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure about doneness.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 baking dish (grease or line)
2. Cutting board and chef’s knife (for splitting rolls and trimming/slicing chicken)
3. Meat mallet or rolling pin plus a zip-top bag (to pound cutlets thin without the mess)
4. Three shallow bowls or plates (flour, beaten eggs, panko-Parmesan mix)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, panko, cheese, seasonings, butter)
6. Large skillet (10–12 inch) and a heatproof spatula or tongs (for frying)
7. Instant-read thermometer (to check chicken reaches 165°F)
8. Pastry brush (to brush melted butter on tops)
9. Paper towels and a plate or wire rack (to drain fried cutlets)

FAQ

Chicken Parmesan Sliders Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Slider rolls: brioche or potato rolls, small kaiser rolls, or gluten free mini buns if you need GF
• Boneless chicken breasts: thin turkey or pork cutlets, or for a vegetarian swap use sliced eggplant or large portobello caps, pounded thin
• Panko breadcrumbs: regular dried breadcrumbs, crushed crackers or saltines, or crushed cornflakes for extra crunch
• Finely grated Parmesan: Pecorino Romano or Asiago for a sharper flavor, or nutritional yeast if you want a dairy free option

Pro Tips

– Pound the chicken thin so it cooks fast and stays juicy, do it between plastic wrap or in a zip bag with a rolling pin or heavy pan, dont overdo it though or the meat will turn to mush.
– Press the panko-Parmesan onto the cutlets and really press it so the crumbs wont fall off when frying, and if you can let the breaded cutlets chill for like 10 minutes it helps the coating stick and absorb less oil.
– Warm the marinara a little before assembling so youre not dumping cold sauce on the rolls, that way the oven only has to melt the cheese and the buns are less likely to get soggy.
– Use a meat thermometer and pull the chicken at 165°F, dont guess by color, and let the assembled sliders rest a couple minutes after baking so the sauce and cheese settle and they slice cleaner.