Bottom Line: The Jalapeno Roast Beef Sliders and Buffalo Chicken Sliders from Arby’s offer some tasty small bites but could use some more heat.
Arby’s is known for its big beefy sandwiches, and those are certainly rather satisfying when you have a big appetite. But sometimes smaller is better and Arby’s has you covered on that as well because they have several slider options on the menu, and a couple of those bring a bit of a kick. If you are in the mood for roast beef, then I certainly recommend checking out their Jalapeno Roast Beef Sliders. But if poultry is what you prefer, then Arby’s fries up the bird pretty well with its Buffalo Chicken Sliders. And the best news is that both of these are on the permanent menu. (Well, for now at least.)
Here is the description of each from their website:
Jalapeno Roast Beef Sliders: Little sandwich, big kick. We take diced fire-roasted jalapeños, thinly sliced roast beef, and top it off with Swiss on a soft slider bun.
Buffalo Chicken Sliders: A crispy chicken tender dipped in spicy buffalo sauce and topped with Parmesan Peppercorn Ranch. For when you want to step things up, but just a little bit, because it’s a slider.
When you unwrap the Jalapeno Roast Beef Sliders, they look pretty small but are actually more hefty than they appear. They deliver the meaty taste you expect from Arby’s roast beef, and the jalapenos add a good, roast pepper flavor that makes these particularly enjoyable. The cheese adds a nice creaminess and maybe a little extra kick. The second of the two sliders was loaded with jalapenos and that one was really good. So make a note to ask for extra when you order these sliders.
They don’t bring much heat, maybe getting to Mild on my scale, but they are still quite tasty (that second one was a bit hotter). If they were to sprinkle on some of the fiery seasoning they use on their limited-time hotter offerings, that might bump the sliders to the next level, but these sliders are still good as is. For a quick lunch nosh with a bit of a kick, they really hit the spot.
As for the Buffalo Chicken Sliders, the piece of chicken is a decent size for a small sandwich. It does not have too much crunch because the sauce sops that away, but it still has good texture. Even though I am not a big fan of Ranch (very overrated dressing), their peppercorn version topping the Buffalo sauce works well. You get the expected hot sauce tang along with a nice, creamy counterbalance and a peppery kick along with some garlic. It makes for a nice twist on the Buffalo sandwich and works well on the full-size sammy as well (read my review of that one here).
Again, though, these disappoint on the heat, coming up to barely the Mild level on my scale. Adding those roast jalapenos they include with the Roast Beef Sliders would be good. Or adding the fiery seasoning could kick these up some as well. But at least they score well in the flavor department.
Of the two sliders, the roast beef version will cost you less on calories. Those are only 177 cals each vs. the Buffalo Chicken Sliders which are 257 cals. So you can get two of the Jalapeno Roast Beef Sliders and a small side (a small order of fries is 250 cals) and not break the calorie bank. Even two of those chicken sliders and a side is not too bad for the drive thru, but you may have to cut out one of your snacks during the day. And don’t let your doctor see the sodium level on those.
As mentioned above, the sliders are on the regular menu so they won’t be disappearing anytime soon. (But this is the fast food industry and there are few truly permanent items.) They run $2.49 each in my area and a few bucks more if you want to make it a meal with a drink and fries. That’s not bad for the drive thru these days, and these certainly satisfy if you are looking for a quick and easy meal. I just wish they would kick up the heat a bit. But then I have enough hot sauce at the ready to help with that.
Nutrition Info:
Jalapeno Roast Beef Sliders
Serving Size: 1 Slider
Calories: 177
Fat: 7g (3g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 10g
Carbs: 16g
Sodium: 487mg
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Serving Size: 1 Slider
Calories: 257
Fat: 12g (2g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 10g
Carbs: 26g
Sodium: 907mg