Fried Chicken Salad Sliders

Yes, you read that right. We're taking leftover fried chicken, turning it into chicken salad, and serving it on cute little sandwiches. But here's what great about this recipe...you don't need to have leftover fried chicken to make it. Using a supermarket shortcut, we have an alternative option that allows us to whip up this chicken salad whenever we want!

Before we talk chicken, let's start with the creamy dressing we're going to make to coat our chicken. Typically, I like my chicken salad very basic: mayo, onion powder, black pepper. That's it. But, fried chicken hits a little differently. We're keeping the skin and breading on our chicken, so we need some extra tang to help cut through the richness of the chicken. And, that's where my 2 secret ingredients come in: pickle juice and hot sauce.

It's funny, I don't really like pickles, but I like the flavor they leave behind in their aftermath. When I order a sammie from Chick-fil-A, I never eat the pickles, but I still want them there for a few minutes to help flavor the bread. And, that was partly my inspiration for our salad dressing. So, we're going to take some mayonnaise, some pickle juice, a couple dashes of hot sauce, and some black pepper to mix all together until they're smooth and creamy. This gives us a slightly tangy, lightly spiced based to coat our delicious chicken. If you don't like pickles, don't worry! The dressing doesn't taste like pickles at all...just like pure deliciousness. We're also going to mince some celery and green onion into the dressing to add some extra flavor and crunch.

Now, for the chicken. If you have some leftover fried chicken that you want to add a little flare to, this chicken salad is the perfect time to use it. Cut the meat from the bone, skin and all, and mix it right into the dressing.

However if you don't have any leftover fried chicken, you're not out of luck. Instead of fried chicken, we can use store bought breaded chicken tenders that you find in the freezer section of the grocery store. Bake the chicken according to package directions, let them cool to room temperature, chop them up, and mix them right into the dressing. If I'm being totally honest, I actually prefer this version of the chicken salad for a couple of reasons. 1. you don't need to have leftovers to make it. And 2. the chicken is a little crispier going into the dressing, so it adds another pleasant textural component.

Whichever type of chicken we use, we're going to let it sit and chill for at least a half hour after we mix it into the dressing so it can soak up all those delicious flavors. Then, we build our sammies.

To build our sliders, there are two ways you can go when it comes to bread choice. For one, you can't go wrong with a little brioche slider bun. They're soft and fluffy and perfect to hold any sandwich filling you could put in it. But if you really want to celebrate the fried chicken theme, serve these on a nice, buttery biscuit. YUM! You can cheat and buy frozen biscuits that you quickly bake up in the oven (I cheated), or you could use your own favorite biscuit recipe. It's the messier option of the two, but I promise you, it's worth it.

To finish off our sammies, we're going to add a little coleslaw mix for crunch. We don't need to dress the slaw first, because we have enough mayo in our chicken salad to keep our sandwiches from drying out. So, add a light layer of slaw on the bottom of your bread, load up the chicken salad, and get ready to devour.

These sandwiches...WOW. They're creamy, and savory, and decadent, and crisp, and fresh, and luxurious, and naughty, and nice, and just ALL THE THINGS. The chicken salad is rich and creamy thanks to the mayo and fried chicken, but it's also fresh and crunchy thanks to the celery and scallions. Then, you have a second layer of crunch and freshness thanks to the shredded cabbage. And whether you're using a biscuit or brioche, the soft, buttery bread elevates something that's already so delicious to superstar status.

These sammies make the perfect addition to any picnic, any party, any gathering, or any every day lunch. These are sure to quickly become a new favorite in your house.

I can't wait to hear what you think of them. Make sure you tag me on social media when you make them so I can see too!

Enjoy, and let's eat!