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BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes

When it comes to feeding your family, you can’t go wrong with BBQ! And with this simple make ahead recipe, you can whip up a delicious batch of BBQ sandwiches with just a few minutes of prep work at dinner time. Thanks to the delicious combination of barbeque sauce, peppers, and onions, this recipe for chicken sloppy joes is sure to be a hit with everyone at the dinner table.

This budget friendly recipe is also kid friendly. Ground chicken is often less expensive than other ground meats. With rising grocery costs, recipes like this are good to include in your dinner rotation schedule.plastic bag with meat mixture in it and then an open bun on a plate with the meat mixture on topKids seem to like Sloppy Joes. I think it’s something about the name. It’s one of the meals that all my kids will happily eat so it’s no wonder that over the years I’ve developed so many variations!

I actually remember thinking this dish had such a fun name even back in my own childhood!

Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground chicken, cooked
  • 3/4 cup onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce

Assembly Instructions:

  1. Cook the ground chicken in a large skillet, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan and allow it to cool completely.
  2. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag with the onion, green pepper, BBQ sauce, and tomato sauce.
  3. Squeeze the contents of the bag together to mix the sauce into the meat and vegetables.
  4. Seal the bag and remove excess air. Place the bag in the freezer until you’re ready to eat.

clear bag with a meat mixture in it with cubes of green pepper visible

Cooking instructions:

  1. Transfer the frozen BBQ chicken ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
  2. When ready to cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the contents of the bag and stir to mix the ingredients together.
  3. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow the mixture to cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the ingredients are heated through.
  4. Serve on hamburger buns.

collage of photos of a freezer meal ground chicken sloppy joes being cooked and served

What Toppings Go Well With Sloppy Joes?

Since these chicken sloppy Joes are made with BBQ sauce, there are a variety of toppings you can add to your sandwiches to take the flavor up a notch! Try these topping ideas to add some fresh flavor to your barbeque dinner.

  • Coleslaw
  • Cheese
  • Pickles
  • Sliced red onions
  • Jalapeño slices
  • Lettuce
  • Extra BBQ sauce

open faced bun topped with a meat mixture on a colourful plate

What Can I Serve with BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes?

This quick make ahead recipe is the perfect option for an easy main dish for dinner. But after you prepare your sandwiches, you’ll need some side dishes to add to your plate. Try these sides when you serve your sloppy joe dinner.

How Do You Store Chicken Sloppy Joes?

Since these chicken sloppy joes are so delicious, I’d be surprised if you have any left after dinner is over! But if there are a few leftovers to save, simply transfer the meat to an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. The sloppy joe filling will stay good for up to four days.

To reheat your meat, place it in the microwave in 30 second intervals or reheat it in a skillet. ground chicken sloppy joes heating in a skillet

Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Keyword: sloppy Joes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground chicken cooked
  • 3/4 cup onion diced
  • 1 green pepper chopped
  • 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:
  1. Cook the ground chicken in a large skillet, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan and allow it to cool completely.
  2. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag with the onion, green pepper, BBQ sauce, and tomato sauce.
  3. Squeeze the contents of the bag together to combine.

  4. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the contents of the bag and stir.

  3. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow the mixture to cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the ingredients are heated through.
  4. Serve on hamburger buns.