This gluten free Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes recipe is perfect for dinner! It's made with a rich and tangy BBQ sauce and served on buns.
Sloppy Joes are one of those quintessential childhood meals that feels nostalgic with every bite. This version is made with ground chicken, a blend of savory spices, and a super flavorful BBQ-based sauce.
A sloppy joe is a loose meat sandwich that is often made with ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and a tomato-based sauce that usually consists of ketchup and brown sugar for sweetness.
It's a dish that is commonly served at home, community events like potlucks, and in diners all throughout the Midwest. Sloppy joes are a humble meal that is enjoyed by children and adults alike.
This version is made using ground chicken that is sautéed with lots of garlic, onions, bell peppers, and smoked paprika. The meat is then simmered in a sweet, smoky, and tangy sauce made from BBQ sauce.
These Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes are gluten free and made without ketchup. It may be served on toasted buns, bread, or any way you like!
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How To Add Flavor To Sloppy Joes
Sloppy joes are one of those old fashioned dishes that has stuck around throughout the years. It hasn't changed much, but nowadays you can find variations on the classic.
You might find a Tex Mex version made with taco meat and topped with guacamole to an Asian version topped with kimchi to a buffalo chicken version slathered with blue cheese dressing.
Sloppy joes are a great 'blank slate' recipe that can be altered and built upon, but the basic concept remains unchanged. Whatever route you choose to take this American classic, chances are it's going to be tasty.
Often, sloppy joes are made at home by using a seasoning packet, or some other packaged product. I find the results to be much more flavorful if the meat is seasoned with aromatics like garlic, onions, and peppers.
I love to use ground chicken or turkey when making sloppy joes, because the meat tends to absorb the flavor of whatever is added to it. The neutral flavor of the ground chicken allows all of the other ingredients to shine.
Ingredients For Chicken Sloppy Joes
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 Onion (any color)
- 1 Bell Pepper (any color)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 lbs. Ground Chicken (can use ground turkey or beef)
- 1 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- ¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)
- ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce (gluten free)
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar (or any vinegar)
- 1 package Gluten Free Buns (or any buns if not gluten free)
How To Make Sloppy Joes
This dish is great for a number of reasons, one of them being that it doesn't take much time to prepare. It's perfect for a weeknight dinner and the leftovers keep for a few days in the fridge.
The first step is to chop the aromatics and sauté them in a skillet with some olive oil. The ground chicken is then added to the skillet, browned, and simmered in a homemade BBQ flavored sauce.
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 large onion (any color).
- Dice 1 large bell pepper (any color).
- Place a skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
- Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and peppers. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring often. The onions will become translucent and the peppers slightly softened.
Is Ground Chicken Healthy?
Ground chicken is a great choice when making sloppy joes, because it is one of the healthiest ground meat options. It's leaner than ground beef or pork and high in protein.
It's important to cook ground chicken thoroughly (the safe internal temp for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit), but it's also important not to overcook it, or the meat may become dry.
I used lean ground chicken to make these sloppy joes and was very pleased with the results. The meat has just enough fat to make it flavorful, but not so much that the dish is greasy.
You can also use ground turkey in place of chicken if you prefer. Ground venison or bison are also low in fat, but both have a bit of a gamey flavor.
Ground beef or pork may be used if you want a higher fat content.
- Add 2 lbs. ground chicken (or ground meat of choice) to the skillet.
- Add 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional), and ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the meat.
- Stir all of the spices into the chicken and sauté on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the meat has cooked through.
- Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and stir often to ensure that it cooks evenly and the spices are equally distributed.
- Drain any excess fat from the meat, if necessary.
Looking for more ground chicken recipes? Don't miss these!
If you love ground turkey, check out these recipes!
- Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
- Baked Southwest Egg Rolls
- Southwest Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs
How To Make Sloppy Joes Without Ketchup
Ketchup is one of the main components used for the sauce when making sloppy joes, but it is an ingredient I don't care for and avoid at all costs. I have a difficult time eating something if I know that ketchup is one of the ingredients.
Fortunately, it is totally possible to create a delicious sloppy joe sauce without it. I like to use a high quality BBQ sauce in place of it.
My favorite BBQ sauce is Stubb's - It's made without ketchup, has no high fructose corn syrup, and is gluten free. There are a number of flavors, but I opt for the Smoky Mesquite when making these sloppy joes.
Of course, you can choose any brand or variety of BBQ sauce you like. Be sure to choose a brand that is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.
The BBQ sauce is sweetened, which means that you do not need to add brown sugar. The flavor is smoky and tangy and using it means you don't need to add a bunch of other unnecessary ingredients.
How To Thicken Sloppy Joes
One of the hallmarks of sloppy joes is a thick, rich, and tangy sauce. I found this sauce to be thick enough on its own, but there are a few things you can do to thicken it if needed.
- One option is to add 1-2 Tbsp. of tomato paste at the end of the cooking time. Tomato paste acts as a thickener and may be stirred into the meat until the sauce thickens.
- Another option is to combine 1-2 Tbsp. corn starch or arrowroot powder to a bit of water or chicken broth, creating a slurry. Slowly pour a bit of the slurry into the skillet and stir until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
To finish these ground chicken sloppy joes, the the cooked meat is combined with BBQ sauce and a few other ingredients to create that rich, tangy sauce.
- To the meat, add 1 cup BBQ sauce, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, and 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar (or vinegar of choice).
- Stir all of these ingredients into the meat and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is heated through.
- Add any thickeners if needed.
Any kind of vinegar may be used, but it's important to avoid malt vinegar if gluten is an issue for you.
What To Serve With Sloppy Joes
I love to have a batch of chicken sloppy joes on hand, because the meat is so versatile.
One of the easiest and most common way to serve them is on some toasted buns. You can also serve it on toasted bread or Texas toast. Make sure to use gluten free buns or bread if gluten is an issue for you.
The sloppy joes may be topped with cheese if you like. Provolone, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack cheese are all great choices.
The tangy flavor of the BBQ sauce pairs well with pickled veggies like jalapenos, pickled green beans, or asparagus. You can also serve them alongside your favorite pickles.
I love these BBQ sloppy joes with a side of coleslaw. The crunchy texture of the cabbage and tangy flavor of the slaw dressing is perfect with this dish.
Roasted green beans or Parmesan roasted cauliflower are great side dishes. Salads like a fresh pea salad, marinated green bean salad, and pickled beet salad are tasty pairings.
The leftover ground chicken can also be used creatively and used as a salad topping, added to pasta, stuffed into a quesadilla, as a topping for nachos, or stuffed into peppers.
How Long Does This Last In The Fridge?
Any leftover sloppy joes may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Make sure to allow the meat to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.
Can It Be Frozen?
Yes, this is an excellent freezer meal.
How To Freeze
- Prepare the meat according to instructions.
- Allow the meat to come to room temperature.
- Place in heavy-duty freezer bags and label with the date.
- Store up to 3 months in the freezer.
How To Thaw
- Place the freezer bag in the refrigerator 24 hours before serving to thaw.
- Heat on the stove top with a bit of water or chicken broth.
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes!
Love BBQ? Check out these recipes!
- Ground Turkey BBQ Meatballs
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- BBQ Sweet Potatoes
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Pulled BBQ Chicken
Looking For More Ground Chicken Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Ground Chicken Chili
Healthy Ground Chicken Stir Fry
Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf
Greek Ground Chicken Burger
Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 large onion any color
- 1 large bell pepper any color
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 lbs. ground chicken or ground meat of choice
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper optional
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 cup BBQ sauce gluten free
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar or vinegar of choice
- 1 package gluten free buns or any buns if not gluten free
Instructions
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 large onion (any color).
- Dice 1 large bell pepper (any color).
- Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and peppers. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring often. The onions will become translucent and the peppers slightly softened.
- Add 2 lbs. lean ground chicken (or ground meat of choice) to the skillet. Add 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional), and ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the ground chicken.
- Stir all of the spices into the chicken and sauté on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the meat has cooked through (the safe temperature for ground chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit).Be careful not to overcook the meat, or it may become dry.
- Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and stir often to ensure that it cooks evenly and the spices are equally distributed. Drain any excess fat from the meat if necessary.
- Add 1 cup gluten free BBQ sauce (or any BBQ sauce if not gluten free), 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, and 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar (or vinegar of choice - do not use malt vinegar if gluten is an issue for you).
- Stir all of these ingredients into the meat and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is heated through. The sauce should be thick and not too runny.If you need to thicken the sauce, simply add 1-2 Tbsp. of tomato paste, or make a slurry with corn starch or arrowroot powder and water or chicken broth. Add as much is needed to thicken sauce to desired consistency.
- To Serve: Place a generous amount of the sloppy joes on a toasted gluten free bun or bread (or any bread if not gluten free). Add some cheese and pickled jalapenos if desired (optional).
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