Pesto Chicken Parmesan Sliders (Print Version)

Juicy chicken with basil pesto, marinara, mozzarella on mini brioche slider buns for gatherings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into 12 pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Breading

06 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Assembly

09 - 12 mini brioche slider buns
10 - 1/2 cup basil pesto
11 - 1 cup marinara sauce
12 - 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, toss chicken pieces with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - In a shallow dish, combine panko, Parmesan, and Italian herbs. Dredge chicken pieces in breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to adhere coating.
04 - Arrange breaded chicken on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
05 - While chicken bakes, slice slider buns horizontally. Spread approximately 2 teaspoons pesto on each bottom half.
06 - Once chicken is cooked, place one piece on each pesto-spread bottom bun. Top with 1 tablespoon marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
07 - Cover each slider with bun tops. Transfer sliders to a baking dish. Brush melted butter over the tops of all buns.
08 - Bake assembled sliders at 400°F for 5 minutes until cheese melts completely and buns are lightly toasted.
09 - Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm with additional marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They look like you spent all day in the kitchen but honestly take less time than ordering takeout.
  • The pesto-marinara combo creates this unexpected depth that keeps people reaching for seconds.
  • Easy to customize for different diets without completely starting over.
02 -
  • Cut your chicken pieces fairly uniform in size or they'll cook at different rates, which I learned the hard way when half my batch was done and the other half was still pale.
  • Don't skip the final five-minute bake after assembly, it's crucial for melting the cheese and warming everything through without drying out the chicken.
03 -
  • Keep your chicken pieces fairly consistent in thickness by gently pounding them a bit before breading, this ensures even cooking and that they're not too thick to warm through in the final bake.
  • Toast your panko in a dry skillet for two minutes before mixing it with the Parmesan if you want extra crunch and deeper flavor, it's a small step that makes a noticeable difference.
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