This is an easy Sloppy joe recipe (3 ingredients only). Sloppy joes are a classic American dish that are easy to make and enjoy. With just three simple ingredients, you can have a delicious chicken sloppy joe recipe ready in under 30 minutes.
The traditional recipe just got a lighter, healthier makeover with ground chicken and if you want more bells and whistles, you should try our old fashioned sloppy joes recipe next.
This recipe post contains helpful tips, tricks and answers to FAQs. Please read through to ensure you get the recipe right when you try it.
Table of Contents
3 ingredient sloppy Joes with ground chicken
A sloppy joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef and onions cooked in a tomato-based sauce, served on a hamburger bun. The dish likely originated from loose meat sandwiches which were popular in the Midwest in the 1920s. The earliest known references to "sloppy joe's" date back to the 1930s.
A basic sloppy joe is made with ground meat, usually beef, tomato sauce or ketchup, and onions. The sauce is seasoned with spices like garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and mustard. The meat and sauce mixture is served warm on hamburger buns.
Traditional sloppy joes contain ground beef, but using ground chicken breasts or thighs creates a less greasy, lighter version. The flavor is still savory and saucy, but without the guilt!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy and quick to make: this is one of our favorite ways to cook ground chicken!
- Kid-friendly: these loaded Sandwiches aren’t just nostalgic, they are picky eater approved. Nothing as comforting as a saucy sloppy joes!
- Healthier alternative to ground beef or pork for anyone looking to cut down on red meat. It’s also a great option for people with alpha gal allergies.
- Customizable with different add-ins
- Perfect for busy weeknights or casual get-togethers.
- Crowd pleasing: The sweet and tangy flavor profile appeals to people of all ages. The messy handheld style makes it fun for kids. Sloppy joes are definitely a crowd-pleasing meal!
Ingredients
Ground chicken
Ketchup or bbq sauce
Yellow mustard
Tools used for this recipe
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- Skillet
- Cooking spoons
How to make this 3 ingredient sloppy Joe recipe
See printable recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions!
Cook the ground chicken till it it’s no longer pink, then pour in the ketchup and mustard into the ground chicken.
Stir till well combined, then cook for another 3 minutes. Serve with your favorite burger bun! I love to use briov
What to serve with sloppy joes
While sloppy joes are great on their own, they pair well with various sides:
- French fries or tater tots
- Corn on the cob
- Coleslaw or potato salad
- Baked beans
- Chips and dip
- Fresh fruit or veggies
Crunchy and creamy sides help balance out the saucy sloppy joe filling. Classic picnic options like potato salad and coleslaw just seem to go hand-in-hand with these sandwiches and for something sweet, I love to make puff pastry dessert recipes.
How to store and reheat
Leftover sloppy joe meat can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The sauce tends to thicken up when chilled.
To reheat, place the sloppy joe meat in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in a few tablespoons of water to loosen up the sauce again. Heat through until warmed throughout.
Sloppy joes also reheat well in the microwave. Just zap a portion for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until hot.
Serve leftovers on fresh buns or over rice, pasta, or baked potatoes for an easy second meal.
Pro Tips
- Use lean ground chicken a less fatty option. If you are making your own chicken mince at home, consider using boneless skinless chicken thighs or a mix or chicken thighs and chicken breasts for best flavor.
- Cook chicken over medium-high heat until browned and crumbled.
- I used ¾ cup of ketchup you can use up to 1 cup if you like want a lot of ketchup.
- I don’t recommend adding sugar until you’ve tried this recipe. I think the sweetness was perfect for me.
- Toast the buns for crunch.
- Top with lettuce and sliced tomato for a pop of freshness
FAQs
Brioche or whole wheat buns holds up well. Potato rolls also work nicely.
Yes, just be sure to drain any excess grease after cooking.
Draining most of the grease after browning is recommended for most sloppy joe recipes using ground beef.
However I found that since ground chicken is mostly lean, I rarely need to drain.
Yes, freeze cooled chicken mixture for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
More ground chicken recipes
- Ground chicken pasta
- American chop suey
- Check out all our chicken recipes.
Chicken sloppy joes are a healthier, lighter take on a classic sandwich. Made with just 3 ingredients in under 30 minutes, they are so quick and easy to make any night of the week. The flavors are family-friendly while still being lower in fat and calories. Hope you try this saucy chicken version for a satisfying sandwich soon!
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3 ingredient sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground chicken
- ¾ cup Ketchup
- 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoons Yellow mustard
Instructions
- Cook and the ground chicken for about 8 to 10 mins or until it’s no longer pink.
- Add the Ketchup and Yellow mustard to the cooked ground chicken. Mix till well combined.
- Simmer on medium heat for 5 to 7 more minutes before turning off the heat.
- Let it rest for a minute before serving.
Sharon says
I never thought to use chicken for sloppy joes before and it is definitely a leaner choice! Great idea and recipe.
Rose says
This was such an wasy weeknight meal that my whole family enjoyed
Ksenia says
I tried out your easy Sloppy Joe recipe, and I'm truly impressed! The simplicity of just three ingredients resulted in a dish bursting with flavor. Your clear instructions made it a breeze to whip up, and my family absolutely loved it. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe that's become a regular in our meal rotation – it's proof that deliciousness doesn't have to be complicated!
Lisa says
I was looking for a last-minute dinner idea and this recipe delivered. It was so quick and easy and the family loved it.
Emilie says
Why have I never tried a chicken sloppy joe before? What a great way to lower the calorie content of a favorite comfort food in my house. Can't believe this is only three ingredients. Thanks for another easy weeknight meal I can add to my regular rotation!
Sage Scott says
Because several of us at my house are allergic to beef, we loved that this recipe was made with ground chicken instead. Hooray! We served them on brioche buns from Trader Joe's and added sliced hamburger dills -- just like my Mom used to make sloppy joes when I was a kid. Yum!
Sue says
I loved using ground chicken to make a healthier sloppy joe. My family devoured these! No one realized they were any different, gotta love that!
Jessica says
Fascinating. I never thought to make sloppy joes with ground chicken before, but they are delicous! As you might expect, the kids loved these. Such a weeknight win for us.
Devy says
I love making this sloppy Joe. Just like the title, it is dead easy to make it. But the best thing for me is that my boys like eating it. So it's worth every effort.
Rachna says
This ground chicken sloppy Joe was delicious. So easy to make. We loved it at home.
Jenny J says
I had never made sloppy joes with ground chicken and loved how these turned out! I need to cook more with ground chicken the flavor and always turns out amazing.
Louise says
My daughter and her friends made this as their sleepover food last night and it was so simple to make that they didn't need any help.
They had some sliced cheese that they added when they ate them but other wise they followed the recipe exactly.
Great easy recipe
Chichi says
Thank you Louise!
Marie says
Super simple to throw together and so saucy and flavorful! I love using chicken instead of beef. It will be a regular weeknight meal.
Celina says
Ok confession time, I've never had ground chicken and especially in a sloppy Joe...but now I can't stop raving about it. My kids loved the fun twist and asked for seconds immediately, I can totally see this being a family fav for a long time!
Chichi says
Hey Celina,
Happy you enjoyed it. We make ground chicken sloppy joes frequently these days. It’s especially good if you are cutting down on consuming red meat.