Made in just 30 minutes in a single pot, these ground chicken sloppy joes are unbelievably tasty and come together in a snap! Featuring lean ground chicken, homemade sloppy joe sauce, and loads of hidden veggies, they're perfect for when you're craving a light yet filling meaty dinner.
If you're looking for your grandma's sloppy joe recipe with greasy ground beef, canned Manwich sauce, and soggy buns, you're in the wrong place.
I know grandma's recipe might be nostalgic and comforting. However, you need to trust me when I say these ground chicken sloppy joes are even better! Not only are they tastier and made with healthier ingredients, but you can feel good about eating them, too!
Think of this chicken sloppy joe recipe as an upgraded twist on the classic. Like my cheeseburger pasta skillet (a homemade take on Hamburger Helper), you'll be completely hooked on this made-from-scratch version.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- One pot recipe: Sloppy Joe's might be a mess to eat, but they're not a mess to make! One pot means cleanup is a breeze.
- Easy: These simple Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes are a quick, easy weeknight dinner with only six recipe steps. They're the perfect last-minute dinner idea!
- Hidden veggies: Carrots, celery, and bell peppers are finely diced, making them nearly undetectable by even the pickiest eaters!
- Kid-friendly: My kids love this recipe; I know yours will too!
Ingredients
- Ground chicken: Ground turkey works here too, even though chicken is my go-to. (If quick ground chicken dinners are your thing, add these Ground Chicken Swedish Meatballs to your list!)
- Bell peppers: Use red, green, or orange bell peppers. Bell peppers add color and a little bit of crunch.
- Carrots: Add carrots to boost the veggie content in the recipe. Carrots also add a hint of sweetness.
- Onion and garlic add depth of flavor to the sauce thanks to their robust, savory taste.
- Ketchup and tomato sauce form the base of the sloppy joe sauce. Combined, they add rich tomato flavor with a hint of sweetness.
- Worcestershire sauce: A dash of Worcestershire adds umami to the sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds an acid to the sauce, brightens the flavor, and balances the sweetness with a little tang.
- Seasonings: Onion flakes, paprika, yellow mustard, kosher salt, and ground black pepper enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
- Burger buns: Serve a heaping pile of sloppy joe sauce over a hearty, toasted burger bun. Toast the inside of the buns for some added crispy texture! If you don't have buns on hand, try making a loaf of this crusty Dutch oven no-knead bread.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute ground chicken with leftover Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken. You'll still have a chicken sloppy joe, but with a slightly different texture. Of course, ground turkey is always an option, too.
- Vegetable substitutions include mushrooms, celery, peas, and broccoli.
- Instead of serving sloppy joes on a bun, try serving sloppy joes on Hawaiian rolls as sliders (like these Hawaiian roll cheeseburger sliders), in taco shells, on pizza shells, over biscuits, or mixed with macaroni noodles.
How to Make Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
Recipe Rundown
- Cook the chicken.
- Sauté the vegetables.
- Add the remaining sloppy joe sauce ingredients.
- Cook until hot, bubbly, and slightly thickened.
- Serve over toasted hamburger buns, and enjoy!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make these simple ground chicken sloppy joes in just 6 easy steps!
Step 1: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, non-stick skillet. Add the ground chicken, and cook until no pink remains.
Step 2: Push the chicken to the side of the pan, and add the chopped carrots, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Mix the seasonings into the ground chicken and veggies.
Step 4: Pour the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar into the pan.
Step 5: Mix well, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Step 6: Serve these healthy ground chicken sloppy joes warm over toasted brioche buns and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Add seasonings to taste. Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce for a spicy kick! A pinch of brown sugar will do the trick if the sauce isn't quite sweet enough.
- Avoid soggy buns. If you're making the sauce ahead of time, store it separately from the buns to prevent the buns from becoming wet.
- Let the sauce simmer for at least five minutes so the flavors meld and intensify.
- Add fresh garnish. Serve your sloppy joes with fresh parsley, green onions, or grated parmesan cheese.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- How to store: Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then transfer them to a glass, airtight container. Leftovers will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
- How to freeze: Place leftover chicken sloppy joes in a plastic freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat: Reheat leftover chicken sloppy joes on the stovetop or in the microwave. Reheat in a skillet over low heat, or in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
- To make the best Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes, serve them with crunchy sides! Balance out the soft, saucy main dish with a crisp, crunchy-textured side.
- Fresh garden salads, creamy American coleslaw, or a veggie platter would be perfect! You can't go wrong with my Marinated Vegetable Salad and Caesar Salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground chicken is a healthier alternative to ground beef in sloppy joe sauce. Ground chicken has the same texture and appearance as ground beef but with a slightly different taste.
You make a sloppy Jane with ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef. Sloppy Janes are usually lighter, with less fat and fewer calories than sloppy Joes.
If there is an excess amount of fat in the skillet after browning your ground beef, you should drain the fat. Carefully pour the fat out of the pan, or use a napkin to soak it up.
Other Recipes to Consider
If you tried this Ground Chicken Sloppy Joe Recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
30-Minute Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large bell pepper diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- ½ large onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Burger buns
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the ground chicken and cook until no pink remains.
- Move the chicken to the side of the skillet, and add the chopped onion, bell peppers, and carrots. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the minced garlic, onion flakes, paprika, yellow mustard powder, salt, and pepper into the chicken and veggies. Mix until well combined.
- Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar to the skillet and stir well.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Serve ground chicken sloppy joes over toasted brioche buns, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- A large skillet with deep sides is best. I like to use my cast-iron Dutch oven or cast-iron casserole dish.
- Serve Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes with crunchy sides for the best meal! Balance out the soft, saucy main dish with a crisp, crunchy-textured side.
- If you're making the sauce ahead of time, store it separately from the buns to prevent the buns from becoming wet.
- Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then transfer them to a glass, airtight container. Leftovers will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
- The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. The calculated nutrition facts do not include the burger buns.
Katie says
Love this lighter and veggie-filled variation of ground chicken sloppy joes!
Katie says