By John Mitzewich
I’m showing you how to make what I like to call Sloppy Chickens, which are a cross between a pulled pork sandwich and a classic ground beef Sloppy Joe, except this chicken version is way easier than both of those. And don’t let the name fool you, we’re not going to need to pull any chicken, since as you’ll see, it actually pulls itself. Garnish these with more green onion if desired.
Jump to recipe
The original plan for this deliciously different hot sandwich was simply going to be a chicken-based version of a pulled pork sandwich. But then I remembered I’m not the biggest fan of pulled pork sandwiches, or at least tossing shredded meat in barbecue sauce before serving on a bun. That’s why I decided to try the sloppy Joe approach — and I could not have been happier with the results.
Above and beyond the great taste and texture, these “sloppy chickens” were incredibly simple to make. All we do is dump everything in the saucepan, simmer until tender, and then eat. This is a classic example of a recipe they call “dump recipes,” but just because “they” call them that, doesn’t mean we have to (and I really hope you don’t).
The only big decision you’ll have to make, besides what else to toss in spice-wise, is how wet or dry to make yours. You can let the sauce reduce while the chicken cooks like I did, for a “drier” sandwich that you can possibly eat with your hands. You can also cover the pan, so the mixture stays saucier, and enjoy your sloppy chicken with a fork. I prefer the thicker, less saucy approach, but both would be fantastic, and no matter which direction you go, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
- ½ cup diced jalapeño pepper
- 4 medium hamburger buns – split, toasted and buttered
Directions
Step 1
Add vegetable oil to a saucepan, and then add (in this order) garlic, yellow onion, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne, chicken thighs, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
Step 12
Place over high heat and wait until you can hear the garlic sizzling in the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds. Let garlic sizzle for about 30 seconds before adding the water. Stir everything together and wait for the mixture to boil.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken falls apart, about 1 1/2 hours.
Step 4
Stir in the green onions and peppers and cook until the peppers just turn tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Taste for seasoning.
Step 5
Remove from heat and serve on toasted hamburger buns.
Chef’s Notes
You can use any kind of salt you like, chicken broth instead of water, and any green pepper instead of the jalapeño.
For a wetter, saucier Sloppy Joe that you eat with a fork, simply cook the chicken covered so the sauce doesn’t reduce as much, and/or add more water or broth at the end to adjust the texture.
