The perfectly savory and sweet healthy sloppy joe recipe is here! Made with ground chicken and a flavorful sauce packed with clean ingredients, these Sloppy Joes will not disappoint!
As a true midwestern staple, sloppy joes were always a fan favorite at our house growing up. My parents made this for sporting events, holidays, etc., so we decided to take everything we love about this nostalgic fave, put a healthy twist on it, and serve it up to you all!
For this sloppy joe recipe, we used a leaner ground meat – chicken, but you could also use ground turkey or beef. And then — the sauce 😍 Ours is homemade with a tomatoey base and different flavor add-ins to give you the perfect sweet and salty flavor.
Our Secretly Healthy Sloppy Joes Sauce
You absolutely cannot make a proper sloppy without a #kickgass sauce. And our recipe will not disappoint in the sauce department! It’s the most perfect savory and sweet flavorings from:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Apple cider vinegar
- Frank’s hot sauce
- Maple syrup
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Mustard powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Combined with that tomato-ey flavor you love in a traditional Sloppy Joe that we achieved through the just-right combination of:
- Tomato paste
- Tomato sauce
- Ketchup
And we promise you, this sauce is NOT too runny (nobody needs a soggy bun!) and NOT too thick (this isn’t a thick midwestern chili recipe!).
How to Make Sloppy Joes Meat
- In a large sauté pan, cook garlic and onion in olive oil.
- Add the ground chicken and cook until browned.
- Combine all ingredients for the sauce and then add that into the pan. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened.
Meat Options for Sloppy Joes
We love these healthy Sloppy Joes with ground chicken, but feel free to sub in:
- ground turkey
- ground beef.
Just be aware that the fattier the meat you use, the more fat you’ll have to strain out of the pan before adding in the sauce to obtain that perfect Sloppy Joe thickness. We haven’t tested this with Beyond Meat or other vegetarian or vegan alternatives, but if this works for you, let us know in the comments!
No Bun? No Problem!
Are you GF? Or looking for lower carb options that aren’t as bun-heavy to make the very best Sloppy Joe? Feel free to slap this delicious Sloppy Joe filling on:
- A corn tortilla
- A lettuce wrap
- On top of a salad
- In a buddha bowl with your fave accompaniments
- Dipped with tortilla chips
- In between grilled slices of eggplant, sweet potato or portobello mushrooms
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
Looking for the perfect sides to round out your Sloppy Joe meal? Here are some of our favorite recipe pairings for these Joes:
If you love Sloppy Joes and other flavorful recipes with ground meat, you’re sure to love our Instant Pot Hamburger Soup and these Grilled Sweet and Sour Meatball Skewers and, of course, this Healthy Hamburger Casserole.
More Healthy Sandwiches
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First, prepare sauce by mixing together all ingredients in a large Pyrex or bowl. Set aside.
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Next, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium/high heat. Once fragrant, add yellow onion and minced garlic.
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Sautee for about 2 minutes before adding in ground chicken. Saute chicken for around 3-5 minutes until almost browned. Make sure to break the chicken up into small pieces.
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Add sauce to to the ground chicken and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to low and let simmer for around 20 minutes or until sauce reduces by half.
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Serve on your favorite bun*.
*Nutrition does not include bun.
Calories: 199 kcal, Carbohydrates: 11 g, Protein: 15 g, Fat: 11 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 7 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
