Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders

Introduction & Inspiration

Get ready for a truly delightful and incredibly easy way to enjoy the classic flavors of Chicken Cordon Bleu – in fun, shareable slider form! This Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders recipe takes tender chicken breasts, slow cooks them with garlic and cream cheese until perfectly shreddable, then mixes in savory chopped ham and melty Swiss cheese. This luscious, cheesy mixture is then piled onto soft, sweet Hawaiian rolls and garnished with fresh green onions. It’s pure comfort food genius!

My inspiration for this recipe comes from loving the sophisticated taste of Chicken Cordon Bleu but wanting a much simpler, more casual way to enjoy those flavors, especially for parties or easy weeknight meals. The slow cooker does all the hard work of making the chicken incredibly tender, and the slider format is perfect for gatherings.

These sliders are fantastic for game days, potlucks, casual entertaining, or anytime you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer or light meal that’s packed with flavor and requires minimal fuss. It is a perfect recipe for a delicious, easy meal.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

Chicken Cordon Bleu, with its classic combination of chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese, often topped with a creamy sauce, has a certain nostalgic elegance for many. It’s a dish frequently found on restaurant menus for special occasions or enjoyed as a comforting, slightly fancy home-cooked meal. Sliders, on the other hand, are pure fun, casual comfort food, perfect for sharing.

This recipe beautifully marries the comforting, classic flavors of Chicken Cordon Bleu with the playful, easy-to-eat format of sliders served on sweet Hawaiian rolls. The creamy, cheesy, savory filling is incredibly satisfying and familiar.

It’s a delightful mashup that feels both a little bit special and wonderfully comforting, guaranteed to be a hit. A perfect comfort food appetizer or light meal.

Homemade Focus (Effortless Slow Cooking & Assembly)

This recipe celebrates the joy of creating a delicious, flavorful filling from scratch with the incredible ease of a slow cooker, even while using convenient Hawaiian sweet rolls. You’re starting with fresh chicken breasts, seasoning them simply, and letting the slow cooker work its magic with cream cheese and garlic to create an incredibly tender, shreddable base.

The homemade focus lies in this slow-cooking process and then combining the shredded chicken with quality ham and Swiss cheese to create a unique, rich filling. While the rolls are store-bought, the heart of the dish – the creamy Cordon Bleu chicken mixture – is all homemade.

It’s about leveraging the convenience of the slow cooker and simple assembly to create a truly satisfying and flavorful homemade treat. The homemade filling is incredible.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is to capture the essence of Chicken Cordon Bleu – savory chicken, salty ham, and nutty Swiss cheese – in a creamy, shreddable format perfect for sliders, all served on slightly sweet Hawaiian rolls.

The slow-cooked chicken should be fall-apart tender and infused with garlic and the creamy tang of cream cheese. The Swiss cheese should melt beautifully into the chicken mixture, adding its characteristic mild, nutty flavor. The chopped ham provides essential salty, savory notes. The Hawaiian rolls add a touch of sweetness that complements the savory filling, and the green onions offer a fresh, mild bite.

The overall experience should be a warm, soft slider filled with a rich, creamy, cheesy, savory mixture of chicken, ham, and Swiss, with subtle garlic undertones. A perfect balance between flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: The lean protein base. The slow cooker ensures they become very tender and easy to shred. (1.5 pounds).
• Garlic (Minced): Adds essential aromatic flavor to the chicken as it cooks.
• Salt & Pepper: Basic seasonings for the chicken.
• Cream Cheese (Cubed): Melts into the chicken as it cooks, creating a rich, creamy, tangy base for the filling. Using it cubed helps it distribute and melt evenly. (8 ounces / 1 package).
• Shredded Swiss Cheese: The classic cheese for Cordon Bleu, known for its mild, nutty flavor and excellent melting properties.
• Finely Chopped Fully Cooked Ham: Adds salty, savory flavor and completes the Cordon Bleu trio. Use good quality cooked ham.
• Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (Split): Their slight sweetness and soft texture are a perfect match for the savory, creamy filling. Two 12-ounce packages provide enough for a crowd.
• Chopped Green Onions: For a fresh, mild oniony garnish.

Essential Equipment

• 3-quart Slow Cooker (Crockpot): The recipe specifies this size, which is suitable for 1.5 lbs of chicken. Needs to be greased. (A slightly larger one, like 4-5 qt, would also work fine).
• Forks (Two): Essential for easily shredding the tender cooked chicken.
• Large Bowl (Optional): For mixing shredded chicken with other ingredients if not done directly in slow cooker.
• Knife & Cutting Board: For mincing garlic, chopping ham (if not pre-chopped), slicing green onions.
• Measuring Cups & Spoons:
• Serving Platter: For the assembled sliders.

Ingredients

(Original recipe yields 6 servings – but uses 24 rolls, so likely 4 mini sliders per serving)

Chicken Filling:

• ▢ 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 garlic clove, minced
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed

Mix-Ins & Assembly:

• ▢ 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups finely chopped fully cooked ham
• ▢ 2 packages (12 ounces each) Hawaiian sweet rolls (24 rolls total), split
• ▢ Chopped green onions, for garnish

For Slow Cooker:

• ▢ Cooking spray

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Slow Cooker and Cook Chicken Base:

• Lightly grease the insert of your 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
• Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into the prepared slow cooker.
• Sprinkle the minced garlic, salt, and pepper evenly over the chicken.
• Scatter the cubes of cream cheese on top of and around the chicken.
• Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on the LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The chicken is done when it is cooked through, very tender, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).

2. Shred Chicken and Combine Filling:

• Once the chicken is cooked and tender, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a clean cutting board or large plate. Leave the accumulated juices and melted cream cheese in the slow cooker.
• Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken.
• Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker with the creamy juices.
• Add the shredded Swiss cheese and the finely chopped fully cooked ham to the slow cooker.
• Stir everything together gently but thoroughly until the shredded chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese are well combined with the creamy sauce.

3. Melt Cheese and Finish Filling:

• Cover the slow cooker again and let the mixture stand on the WARM setting (or keep on LOW if your slow cooker doesn’t automatically switch) for about 15 minutes, or until the Swiss cheese is completely melted and the filling is hot and gooey.
• Stir the mixture once more before serving to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

4. Assemble the Sliders:

• Split the Hawaiian sweet rolls in half horizontally, if they are not already pre-split.
• Spoon a generous amount of the warm, cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu mixture onto the bottom half of each Hawaiian sweet roll.
• Place the top half of the roll over the filling.

5. Garnish and Serve:

• Sprinkle the assembled sliders with freshly chopped green onions for garnish.
• Serve the Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders immediately while they are warm and the filling is melty. Enjoy!

Troubleshooting

• Chicken Dry: Very unlikely with this slow cooker method using cream cheese, especially if using thighs as an alternative. If using very lean breasts, ensure they are not cooked excessively long on HIGH. Shredding and mixing with sauce helps.
• Filling Too Loose/Watery: Chicken can release a lot of water. If the mixture seems too thin after shredding and adding cheese/ham, you can leave the lid slightly ajar on the WARM or LOW setting for a little while to allow some steam to escape and the sauce to thicken slightly before serving. Ensure cream cheese was full-fat.
• Cheese Not Melting Well: Used a cheese that doesn’t melt smoothly, or didn’t let it stand long enough in the warm slow cooker. Shredded Swiss should melt nicely. Give it the full 15 minutes.
• Rolls Getting Soggy: Filling was exceptionally wet, or sliders assembled too far in advance of serving. Assemble just before serving if possible. Toasting the inside of the rolls lightly before adding filling can create a slight barrier (optional extra step).

Tips and Variations

• Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used for an even more moist and flavorful result. Use an equal weight.
• Ham Quality: Use good quality, flavorful cooked ham (like deli ham, leftover baked ham, or Canadian bacon), finely chopped.
• Cheese Choices: While Swiss is classic for Cordon Bleu, Provolone, Gruyère, or even a mild white cheddar would also be delicious.
• Add Dijon: Stir 1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard into the slow cooker with the cream cheese for an extra layer of classic Cordon Bleu tang.
• Toasted Rolls: For extra texture, briefly toast the split Hawaiian rolls (buttered or plain) under the broiler or on a griddle before adding the filling.
• Make it a Dip: Serve the warm chicken, ham, and cheese mixture as a hot dip with crackers, tortilla chips, or crusty bread instead of in sliders.
• Spice it Up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the slow cooker with the chicken.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve Warm: These sliders are best enjoyed when the filling is hot and cheesy and the rolls are soft.
• Party Appetizer or Main: Perfect as hearty appetizers for a crowd, or serve 2-3 per person as a light main course.
• Game Day Favorite: Easy, shareable, and always a hit.
• Simple Sides: Pair with potato chips, pickles, a simple green salad, or a fruit salad.

Nutritional Information

(Note: Estimated, per slider, assuming 24 sliders made. Highly variable based on roll size, exact amounts of cheese, ham, and chicken per slider.)

• Calories: 180-280+ per slider
• Fat: 8-15g+
• Saturated Fat: 4-8g+
• Cholesterol: 40-60mg+
• Sodium: 400-600mg+ (Ham, cheese, rolls, and seasonings contribute)
• Total Carbohydrates: 15-20g+ (Mostly from roll)
• Dietary Fiber: <1g
• Sugars: 5-8g+ (from Hawaiian rolls)
• Protein: 10-15g+

Print

Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: These Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Sliders feature boneless, skinless chicken breasts slow-cooked with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and cubed cream cheese until tender. The chicken is then shredded and returned to the slow cooker, where shredded Swiss cheese and finely chopped cooked ham are stirred in and allowed to melt. This creamy, cheesy chicken and ham mixture is served hot on split Hawaiian sweet rolls, garnished with chopped green onions.

Q&A:

• Q: Can I use fresh garlic instead of just the 1 clove minced with chicken?
  • A: The recipe calls for 1 clove minced garlic to be cooked with the chicken. You can certainly increase this if you love garlic! The cream cheese will mellow its flavor.
• Q: Do I need to shred the chicken very finely?
  • A: Shred it to your preference. A coarser shred will give more distinct chicken texture, while a finer shred will blend more into a homogenous cheesy filling. Both are delicious.
• Q: Can I prepare the chicken filling ahead of time?
  • A: Yes, the entire chicken, ham, and cheese filling can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Reheat it gently in the slow cooker on LOW, in a saucepan on the stovetop, or in the microwave before assembling the sliders.
• Q: What’s the best way to keep these warm for a party?
  • A: Keep the warm chicken filling in the slow cooker on the WARM setting. Assemble the sliders with the warm filling just before serving or allow guests to assemble their own for the freshest result and to prevent rolls from getting soggy if made too far in advance.