Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: bbq sloppy joes, gluten free sloppy joes, sloppy joes with ground chicken

Servings:

Calories: 283kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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.
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).

Notes

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 available, but I opt for the Smoky Mesquite when making these sloppy joes.

Ground turkey may be used in place of ground chicken.

Ground beef, pork, venison, or bison may be used, but the overall taste of the dish may be altered. Keep in mind that ground beef and pork has a higher fat content.

Nutritional information includes hamburger buns.

Nutrition