As football season comes to a close, it culminates with a finger food frenzy that brings friends and family together whether or not you’re into the Big Game!
That’s why I affectionately refer to this annual celebration as “Supper” Bowl Sunday! Because let’s face it – most of us are gathering together for the food!
Thankfully, for those of us doing the Whole30 (or living a whole food GF lifestyle), there’s no need to miss out on popular Game Day fare!
These Buffalo Chicken Sliders are AMAZING! We start with moist, slow-cooked chicken smothered in a slightly spicy, flavorful sauce and pile it onto tasty Roasted Sweet Potato Buns. Then, top it off with a crunchy celery slaw with creamy ranch dressing. Game over! These sliders are the winner!
Extra point! … These sliders are super easy to make! Just follow the recipe below to create a simple veggie base and add the chicken. Season with my special blend of seasonings and top with your favorite Whole30-compliant hot sauce (we like Frank’s Original Hot Sauce). Then, shred the chicken, add my special sauce mixture and you’re ready to party whole food style!
As you can see, it takes just minutes to pop the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it do all of the work while you prep the rest of your Supper Bowl Party fare.
Speaking of which, I definitely suggest serving these tasty sliders with a side of my Secret Ingredient Guacamole and crunchy plantain chips! It’s the perfect finger food fare for sitting around the tube, cheering on your favorite team!
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup hot sauce, divided (I use Frank’s Original)
- 2 Tbsp ghee, melted
- Sweet potato buns
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups sliced celery
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 2 Tbsp almond milk
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and sea salt
- Pinch of dill and thyme
Instructions
- For the sliders: Peel and slice the onion. Cut the carrots and celery into 2-inch pieces. Evenly distribute veggies along bottom of slow cooker.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the veggie base. In a small bowl, combine onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, parsley and sea salt. Sprinkle evenly over top of chicken.
- Spoon 1/2 cup of hot sauce over the chicken. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours, until chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a large cutting board and shred using two forks. Pour liquids through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard solids.
- Add melted ghee and remaining 1/2 cup of hot sauce to the cooking liquids. Whisk well to combine.
- Place shredded chicken back into the slow cooker. Pour hot sauce mixture over chicken and stir well to combine.
- Cover and set heat to warm. Allow chicken to heat for 30 minutes more; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on sweet potato buns for a tasty grain-free, Whole30 meal, or your favorite rolls.
- For the slaw: In a large bowl, add the shredded cabbage and sliced celery. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, milk, vinegar and seasonings. Pour the ranch dressing mixture over the slaw and toss well to combine. Serve as a side dish, or use to create a delicious crunchy filling for the sliders. Yum!
Notes
Recipe Variation: If you're not doing the Whole30 or living dairy-free, toss 1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese into the celery slaw for an authentic Buffalo Chicken and blue cheese experience!