We’ve taken a classic comfort food and given it a unique but oh-so-delicious twist. These Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joe Sliders are a winner for the entire family and great for making ahead during weekend meal prep sessions to save time later in the week.
Oh, the humble Sloppy Joe!
If you Google “sloppy joes history,” you’ll find that there’s some disagreement as to how this now famous weeknight staple got its name. Some say it originated in Sioux City, Iowa where a cook named “Joe” (of course) added a can of tomato sauce to the loose meat sandwiches served in his restaurant. Others contend it was named for the iconic Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West, FL and still others say it was dreamt up at the old Sloppy Joe’s Saloon in Havana, Cuba. But no matter how it got its name, there’s one thing we can all agree on: It’s an easy and filling meal for busy weeknights, tailgate parties, and potlucks.
So, posting a simple Sloppy Joe recipe seemed like a no-brainer, right? Well, it was. Except for the fact that we can’t seem to leave things alone when it comes to recipes – meaning we’re always trying to find a way to make classic comfort food recipes easier and cleaner.
Enter the Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joe Sliders or if you’re looking for a more classic Sloppy Joe recipe we suggest our Stovetop Sloppy Joes!
Put that slow cooker to work!
When you come home from work at the end of the day, don’t you just want to run to the kitchen to make dinner every night?
Yeah, we thought you’d say that. That’s why our healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joe Sliders are just what you need. If you can’t be home mid-day to turn on the slow cooker, then consider making the chicken filling on the weekend when you’re home, then reheating it while you bake the sweet potato rounds.
You can even take it a step further and make a double batch and freeze half for an easy reheat-and-eat meal later in the month. Cook once, eat twice!
Buns are nice, but…
They really aren’t doing much for you nutrition-wise other than supplying some empty calories. And really, the purpose of the bun is to get the filling to your face in a somewhat socially acceptable way, right?
So we nixed the buns for this recipe and opted instead for baked sweet potato slices to up the fiber, vitamin and mineral content. Plus we added some fresh spinach and shredded cabbage for crunch. Just saying, a few dill pickle slices, dollop of garlic aioli mayo or some thinly sliced red onion would also be great additions.
No buns also = Whole30-friendly.
Not into the sweet potato bun “thing?” You’ve got options.
We get it, not everyone is cool with using a sweet potato bun. It’s a little different…maybe even “out there” for some. So here are a few additional ways you can serve up this sloppy joe goodness.
- Tucked ever so nicely into a lettuce wrap. We like to use bib or butter lettuce.
- Smothered over a baked potato or sweet potato.
- Topped on a bed of greens. Bring on the sloppy joe salad!
- Served between our Zucchini Fritters. These make for the perfect “buns.”
- Rolled into a gluten-free tortilla such as Siete’s or Danielle Walkers homemade grain-free tortillas. These are not Whole30.
We can’t wait for you to give our Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joe Sliders a try! If you give ’em a try, we would love to hear how you like them!
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Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joe Sliders
A traditional comfort food with a unique but oh-so-delicious twist. These Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joe Sliders are a winner for the entire family. Served between two sweet potato rounds, it makes for one delicious and hearty meal. Lighten it up by serving the chicken in a lettuce wrap, over a bed of greens, or whatever way you please.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast and/or thighs
- 14 oz. can organic tomato sauce
- ¼ cup canned organic tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. coconut amino
- 3 pitted dates, finely chopped (optional for touch of sweetness)
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
For the “bun:”
- 2 sweet potatoes, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- Avocado oil or olive oil
Instructions
To make the Sloppy Joes:
- Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker. Mix to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks.
- Return back to slow cooker, stir to mix all ingredients, and set temperature to warm (or low) until ready to eat.
- Place chicken between two sweet potato rounds. Add desired toppings such as pickles, onion, greens, slaw, mayonnaise, etc.
To make Sweet Potato “Buns:”
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet (or two, depending on how many sweet potatoes you’re going to bake) with parchment paper.
- Arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer on baking sheet(s). Brush with oil.
- Bake for 25-30, flipping halfway through baking time, or until sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned on the surface.
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (without sweet potato)
- Calories: 187
- Fat: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Carbohydrate: 10 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 24 g
Dietary
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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.
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All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians.
I have made this recipe once before to rave reviews from my husband and son. I would like to make it again while my daughter is home from college but she is allergic to mustard. What can I use as a replacement for the mustard? Thanks so much!!
Hi Maria,
I would just leave out the mustard and add a tiny extra splash of vinegar in it’s place. Mustard is such a unique flavor and hard to replicate but the extra vinegar should give you that tang you’d get from the yellow mustard.
Looking for more of a traditional “Sloppy Joe” recipe. Do you think I could sub ground turkey with these ingredients for the sauce? Obviously would pre-cook the meat and reduce slow cook time.
Yes, you could do that. We’ve got a more traditional Sloppy Joe recipe in the works for later this spring, too.
Love this idea and love all your slow cooker recipes! I dont like dates, could I use honey instead of dates if I’m not on a whole 30? If so how much?
Hi Ashley,
Yes, you could use honey instead of dates. I would add it at the end after the meat has cooked so you can do it to taste.
Any chance you have instant pot instructions for the recipe??? Thank you!!! 💜💜💜
The instant directions would be similar to the instructions of this recipe: https://therealfooddietitians.com/instant-pot-bbq-pulled-chicken/
Hi,
In the ingredient list, the sweet potato has avocado or olive oil listed, In the instructions it says to brush with gee. Is this an either/or or should they be coated in oil and then brushed with gee?
New to whole30.
Thank you!
Hi Brittany,
Sorry about that! That should read “Brush with oil.”