Chicken Parmesan Sliders

The past few days we’ve been running non-stop stories coming out of Houston and the devastating flooding. The video has just been heartbreaking.

I think natural disasters like this one really tug more at Oklahomans hearts. We’ve seen our fair share of disasters. Tornadoes, epic ice storms, and did I mention tornadoes? It reminds me of the first time I ever covered the destruction of a monster tornado.

May 20, 2013.

That was a day I’ll never forget.

I remember being so mad at the start of that day. I was assigned to our old, ratchety live truck that didn’t have working A/C. It was my second day in a row working in that horrible truck. I was miserable. It was unbelievably humid, hot, and since the A/C didn’t work—the defroster somehow didn’t work either. You had to wipe off the condensation from the inside of the windshield while driving. 

My anger was quickly erased when I started my way into Moore after a massive EF-5 tornado barreled through town. It was like nothing I had ever seen. Unbelievable. The entire town was unrecognizable.

After hours in traffic, and seeing people wandering aimlessly in the middle of the street, screaming out for loved ones, we made it to what was typically a busy business intersection.

There was nothing left.

Where a famous BBQ shack stood, a pile of rubble. A daycare center looked like remnants of an ancient building. The next day I found out there was a 7-11 across the street from where we had done live shots all night. That 7-11? Three people died trying to shelter in the walk-in freezer.

Kids died when the tornado hit the elementary school.

My problems, and anger from earlier in the day, seemed completely miniscule compared to the vast destruction that enveloped an entire town.

Oklahomans know disasters.

Because of that, we typically pour our hearts into helping others out who are facing the same fate. We’ve run story after story of Oklahomans going down to Houston to help with rescue and evacuation efforts.

It’s the one shining light in a really, really dark chapter of Texas (and American) history.

I don’t really have a segue into this recipe, but I don’t feel like I need to. Sometimes you just need some comfort food, and this is one of those times. Chicken parmesan is one of the most ultimate comfort foods in the world. Chicken parmesan sliders are even better.

If you want to cheer yourself up, make these sliders.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Cook chicken tenders according to package instructions. Afterward, turn oven heat to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, slice Hawaiian rolls in half. Place bottom halves in a baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on the bottom halve and sprinkle a little bit of parsley over that.

Bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Take out of oven and spread a few spoonfuls of marinara sauce over over the melted cheese.

Place chicken tenders on top of that, and then sprinkle more cheese on top of chicken.

Place tops of rolls on top of cheese. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with parmesan, garlic powder, red pepper and parsley.

Brush butter mixture over the tops of the rolls. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

I’m pretty sure I could’ve shoved a hundred of these sliders into my mouth like a chipmunk. I’m obsessed with chicken parmesan (if you haven’t noticed the dozens of different ways I’ve made it) so these little guys really hit the spot.