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    Home / Dinners / The Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

    The Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

    Published: Sep 10, 2021 Modified: Jun 28, 2022 by jillias4 This post may contain affiliate link. This blog generates income via ads

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Calling all Buffalo Sauce Lovers! This one's for you. These Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes are made in a healthy way using ground chicken, onions, celery, and carrots with some cheese and the perfect combination of seasonings to give it a little spice and a savory taste!

    buffalo chicken sloppy joes in a white bowl next to 2 sandwiches on whole wheat buns
    Check out the flavor in that bowl!

    Love a good buffalo chicken sandwich anytime of year, but football Sunday sounds like the perfect time to me. Curled up on the couch watching sports and chowing down on this fantastic dish! Just in time for the start of the season 🙂

    This was inspired by my Super Crispy Cauliflower Buffalo Bites , and pairs well with these Sweet Potato Fries. These Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes were created on a whim. My husband bought ground chicken one day but I had not planned to cook with it that week. Since it was the only meat in my fridge I needed to use it. I looked up and down my condiments rack until I spotted the buffalo sauce and then she was created!

    These ground chicken sloppy joes are also extremely easy to make! Everything is cooked in one pan, which is a win in my book. Less to clean up!

    Ingredients

    Below is a picture of all the ingredients you will need to make these healthy chicken sloppy joes!

    ingredients to make buffalo chicken sloppy joes
    Ingredients to make Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes!
    • avocado oil
    • 2 large carrots, diced
    • 2 celery stalks, diced
    • ½ small onion, diced
    • one 16 oz package of ground chicken
    • kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
    • onion powder - all about organic, Simply Organic Onion Powder - 3oz, $6.99
    • garlic powder - Simply Organic Garlic Powder - 3.64oz, $5.49
    • dill - Simply Organic Dill Weed - $7.24
    • parsley - Simply Organic Parsley Flakes - $6.03
    • celery salt - Simply Organic Celery Salt- $7.67
    • mild buffalo sauce - I can't take the heat, but if you can spice it up! Tessemae's is my FAVORITE! Tesseamae's Mild Buffalo Sauce, 4 pack - $34.41
    • plain greek yogurt
    • reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
    • Worcestershire sauce

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions for making Buffalo Sloppy Joes

    Step 1 - Start off by heating your oil in a large non-stick frying pan to medium heat. Add your diced carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until veggies are fragrant and have softened, about 10 minutes. Step 2 - Add in your ground chicken and break up into pieces. Cook until browned. Add remaining ingredients into pan.

    all the ingredients to make buffalo chicken sloppy joes in a pan

    Step 3 - Stir until all ingredients are mixed well. Turn burner down to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Step 4 - Serve on your choice of bun, wrap, or straight out of the bowl!

    Helpful Tip: When you chop up your veggies I like to use this hand blender. It really chops up the veggies perfectly! Cuisinart Hand Blender!

    birds eye view of the ultimate buffalo chicken sloppy joes on parchment paper

    Different ways to eat this dish!

    There are a ton of different ways to eat buffalo chicken sloppy joes. Here are a couple I recommend. Choose your favorite!

    • Lettuce wraps - use romaine lettuce to serve your sloppy joes on topped with your favorite toppings. That's Low Carb?! does a great presentation of buffalo chicken sloppy joes on lettuce wraps.
    • Whole Wheat Buns - use whole wheat buns filled with your sloppy joes and topped with your favorites. What I used in my pictures.
    • Straight up - if you just love the buffalo ground chicken by itself, serve it in a bowl topped with some blue cheese or any other toppings you desire.
    buffalo chicken sloppy joes in a white bowl with a wooden spoon on a wooden board with
    Can I eat the whole bowl?!

    Toppings!

    There are a ton of different toppings you can add to your sloppy joes! Here are a few of my favorite and some I think would be amazing. If you've tried some I haven't please comment below and give me all the details!

    • Homemade Ranch Dressing - ½ cup of plain greek yogurt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp parsley, kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
    • Cherry tomatoes - rinsed and halved. The juicy taste of a cherry tomato adds just the right amount of flavor.
    • Romaine lettuce - romaine lettuce is great on top of any sandwich because it holds its place well and have a crispy bite.
    • Crumbled Blue Cheese - if you don't add blue cheese to everything with buffalo sauce then you are doing it all wrong.
    • Shredded Chedder Cheese - if for some reason you aren't a fan of blue cheese, cheddar is a great substitute and compliments this meal just right!

    Try some of these toppings out on my Healthy Turkey Sloppy Joes too, or if you prefer ground turkey over ground chicken!

    Storing your leftovers!

    Just in case your family didn't devour the entire dinner in one sitting here is how you can store your leftovers for lunch or dinner tomorrow. Be sure to store your buffalo ground chicken in its own container in the fridge. You don't want it sitting on your buns or lettuce wraps all night because they could get soggy. Store the buffalo chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store any toppings in a separate container to prevent sogginess. Assemble sandwich right before eating.

    Tips and FAQ's

    Can you use this recipe as a dip?

    You absolutely can! This would be an amazing dip to serve at parties as an appetizer with some whole wheat Tostitos or pita chips!

    When chopping your veggies...

    I recommend using a hand blender because it gets your veggies into the perfect size for being mixed in with your meat, but if you don't have one then use a paring knife and cutting board and dice up your veggies as small as possible!

    Including your kids?

    I also suggest having your children help you cook because I know when I help make something I'm more willing to try it. Teaching them how to measure out your ingredients is the perfect way to include them and a bonus math lesson.

    a close up of buffalo ground chicken sloppy joes on toasted buns with crumbled blue cheese on top cherry tomatoes and romaine lettuce
    Toasted Buns are the Best!

    My favorite tip for this dish is, if you decide to use whole wheat buns toast them before adding your ground chicken mix. Crispy buns are the way to go!

    birds eye view of the ultimate buffalo chicken sloppy joes on parchment paper

    The Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

    These Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes are made in a healthy way using ground chicken, onions, celery, and carrots with some cheese and the perfect combination of seasonings to give it a little spice and a savory taste!
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 26kcal
    Author: Jillian Schneider

    Equipment

    • Hand Blender (optional)
    • large non-stick skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp avocado oil
    • 2 large carrots peeled and diced
    • 2 large celery stalks peeled and diced
    • ½ small onion peeled and diced
    • 1 16 oz package ground chicken
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp dill
    • 1 tsp parsley
    • 1 tsp celery salt
    • ½ cup mild buffalo sauce
    • ½ cup plain greek yogurt
    • ½ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar
    • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

    Instructions

    • Start off by heating your oil in a large non-stick frying pan to medium heat.
    • Add your diced carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until veggies are fragrant and have softened, about 10 minutes.
    • Add in your ground chicken and break up into pieces. Cook until browned. Add remaining ingredients into pan.
    • Stir until all ingredients are mixed well. Turn burner down to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
    • Serve on your choice of bun, wrap, or straight out of the bowl! Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

    Notes

    Topping Ideas: ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, crumbled blue cheese, shredded cheddar.
    How can my kids help?  Have your child help measure out all the ingredients.  Have them help you assemble the final product 🙂 Always have fun!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 26kcal
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @JilliansHealthfulEats or tag #jillianshealthfuleats!

    Other Buffalo Recipes you might like!

    1. Crispy Buffalo Wings with Ranch Cauliflower Bites
    2. Super Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
    3. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
    4. Buffalo Cauliflower Gnocchi with Homemade Blue Cheese
    5. Buffalo Quinoa Bites

    Food safety

    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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