Name: Buffalo Turkey Sliders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (1 stick) butter; ½ cup hot wing sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot, plus more to taste; ½ tsp garlic powder; ¼ tsp black pepper; 4 cups shredded leftover roast turkey, warmed; 8 slider buns, split; ½ cup blue cheese dressing; 1 rib celery, finely diced (optional)

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By the weekend after Thanksgiving, most of us are ready to trade sage and gravy for something with a little more kick. These Buffalo turkey sliders deliver. TABLE contributor Rhonda Schuldt borrows everything people love about Buffalo wings, including the buttery, vinegary heat, tangy blue cheese, the crunch of celery, and piles it onto soft slider buns with shredded leftover turkey. They’re great for football Saturdays, casual get-togethers, and anyone who needs a break from the traditional holiday menu.

The sauce follows the classic Buffalo formula of equal parts melted butter and hot wing sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot, seasoned with garlic powder and black pepper. The butter tames the vinegar bite and helps the sauce cling to every strand of turkey, while the hot sauce brings the heat. Schuldt suggests making plenty, since it keeps well in the fridge and is just as good on eggs, roasted vegetables, or grilled chicken.

Leftover turkey soaks up the sauce, and a mix of white and dark meat gives the sliders both tenderness and richness. Each slider takes just two tablespoons of sauce and half a cup of turkey, so the recipe is easy to scale up for a crowd or down for a quick lunch for one.

There is no shame in shortcuts here. Store-bought slider buns, bottled hot sauce, and a jar of good blue cheese dressing get these on the table in about 20 minutes, which is part of their charm on a busy weekend. If you have a little more time, crumble fresh blue cheese into the dressing for a chunkier, more pungent topping, or add a few pickled red onions for color and tang. The same sauced turkey also makes a great filling for wraps, quesadillas, and baked potatoes.

How Do I Make Buffalo Turkey Sliders Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free?

For gluten-free sliders, use gluten-free slider buns or dinner rolls, or serve the Buffalo turkey in butter lettuce cups for a lighter option. Most traditional cayenne-based wing sauces are gluten-free, but check labels, since some bottled blue cheese dressings and flavored hot sauces contain wheat-based thickeners.

For dairy-free sliders, swap the butter in the sauce for a plant-based butter or a neutral oil such as avocado oil. The sauce will be slightly thinner but just as flavorful. Replace the blue cheese dressing with a dairy-free ranch, or stir a little garlic, lemon juice, and fresh dill into vegan mayonnaise for a quick creamy topping. Double-check the buns, too, since many soft rolls are made with milk or butter.

Can I Make Buffalo Turkey Sliders in a Slow Cooker?

Yes, and it’s the easiest way to serve them at a party. Combine the shredded turkey and sauce in a slow cooker and warm on low for 1 to 2 hours, stirring once or twice, then switch to the warm setting. Guests can build their own sliders straight from the pot. For a baked, pull-apart version, set a slab of connected slider buns in a baking dish, fill with the sauced turkey, brush the tops with melted butter, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.

What Can I Serve With Buffalo Turkey Sliders?

Lean into wing-night classics: carrot and celery sticks with extra blue cheese dressing, a crunchy coleslaw, or a basket of fries or kettle chips. Roasted Brussels sprouts or a crisp green salad keep things lighter. To drink, a cold lager or a crisp, slightly off-dry Riesling helps cool the heat.

Tips for Success

Warm the turkey first. Cold turkey won’t absorb the sauce well. Reheat it gently, covered, with a splash of stock, before tossing.
Shred, don’t slice. Thin shreds catch more sauce than thick slices of breast meat.
Toast the buns. A quick toast in a dry skillet or under the broiler keeps the bottoms from going soggy.
Tune the heat. Add more hot sauce for more fire, or a little more butter for milder sliders that kids will eat.
Store the sauce. Leftover Buffalo sauce keeps refrigerated in a covered jar for up to a week. The butter firms up as it chills, so rewarm it gently, whisking, before using.

Looking for more ways to use up the bird? Our leftover turkey recipes include Gluten-Free Leftover Turkey Enchiladas Verde Casserole.

Planning a game-day spread? Pair these sliders with TABLE’s Meatballs in Cranberry Gochujang Sauce, Crispy Butter Beans with Whipped Chèvre.

Read the rest of our appetizer recipes.