Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

When it comes to weeknight dinners, sloppy joes are a classic BUT sometimes it's fun to spice things up! These Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes do just that with all the flavor of buffalo wings in an easy, healthy dinner. 

Over the weekend there was a lot of football watching and wing eating happening in our house. But having vowed to stay away from fried foods for the month of January, I knew I needed a yummy alternative for when the wings showed up. I decided to make these delicious and incredibly simple Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes. Let me tell you, they disappeared just as quickly as the wings. 

The recipe really couldn't be easier - ground chicken, carrots, celery, buffalo sauce, and some spices - but stuffed into a sandwich with some ranch slaw and it makes one satisfying meal.

Why We Love Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

There are so many reasons to love this delicious dinner. 

• Affordable: This recipe is very budget-friendly with ground chicken, buffalo sauce, and basic vegetables.  Stretch the protein by serving this as sandwiches or even adding some chickpeas or white beans to the sloppy joe mixture. 
• Healthy: Traditional buffalo wings and buffalo chicken sandwiches are high in fat and calories since they are usually fried. This lightened up version uses lean ground chicken but has all the same great buffalo flavor. 
• Versatile: While we usually eat this as a sandwich like traditional sloppy joes, it is also great for lettuce wraps, grain bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and more. The leftover meat is also delicious over greens for a quick salad. 
• Quick and easy: This recipe comes together from start to finish in about 20 minutes. That makes it perfect for a midweek meal.

Key Ingredients

• Ground chicken: The base of this recipe is ground chicken. Any fat content will work including ground chicken breast or ground chicken thighs. It will also work with ground turkey or chopped cooked chicken. 
• Buffalo sauce: Most of the flavor in this recipe comes from buffalo sauce. The classic option is to use Frank's Buffalo sauce, which has the classic buffalo wing flavor. With that said, swap in any buffalo sauce with a flavor you enjoy.
• Carrots and celery: To add some veggies and mimic the classic wing side dish, these sloppy joes start with some sauteed carrots and celery. This is optional but its a great way to add flavor and sneak in some veggies.
• Butter: Classic buffalo wings are almost always made with butter. That's the secret to making the rich, delicious sauce. This recipe uses just one tablespoon to add some of that rich flavor. It can be left off if you prefer to make it without butter. 

Recipe Ideas and Tips

This easy chicken sloppy joe recipe can be modified to fit your taste buds or simply use up what's in your pantry.

• Swap in any mild ground meat for the chicken. It will work with ground turkey. pork, or vegetarian crumbles. 
• If you have leftover cooked or rotisserie chicken, simply chop it up and let it simmer in the sauce. The texture will be different than traditional sloppy joes but it is just as delicious.
• If you don't like spice, make these with barbecue sauce instead of buffalo sauce.
• Kick up the flavor by seasoning your chicken with ranch seasoning.
• Serve this dish with a drizzle of ranch dressing or blue cheese. Blue cheese crumbles are also delicious.

Side Dish Ideas for Buffalo Sloppy Joes

Here are some tasty dishes to serve on the side. 

• Baked Sweet Potato Fries
• Baked Onion Rings
• Celery Ranch Slaw
• Carrot Fries

Storage and Freezing

These make delicious leftovers. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the frideg for up to 4 days. They can be frozen as well for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and reheat in a skillet.