Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Sloppy Joes
Published August 10, 2025
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Total Time
- 4 hours 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 4 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 (7 ½-ounce) can chipotles in adobo sauce
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
⅔ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons sugar
2 pounds ground chicken
Salt and black pepper
6 warmed burger buns, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
39 grams carbs; 130 milligrams cholesterol; 403 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 1028 milligrams sodium; 32 grams protein; 16 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Dump the can of chipotles in adobo sauce onto a cutting board. Finely chop the chiles. Scrape the chopped chiles and sauce into the slow cooker. Add ¼ cup of water to the can and stir to release any residual chipotle sauce, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
- Step 2
Add the onion, ketchup, tomato paste and sugar, and stir to combine. Add the ground chicken, season generously with salt and pepper and stir to combine with the sauce.
- Step 3
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Using a spatula, break the chicken into smaller chunks. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Step 4
Divide among over burger buns.
Private Notes
Comments
Based on my lived experience with canned chipotle peppers, give careful thought to tossing a whole can (7 1/2 ounces) into this dish, which serves 6. This is the equivalent of having someone eat slightly more than 1 canned chipotle pepper each, which not everyone can handle. Perhaps try 1 or maybe 2 canned chipotle peppers for flavor and then test and add a bit of cayenne as necessary to raise the heat to the desired level.
@Wm made this tonight as directed, wish I had seen your comment first and halved the chipotle chiles. Very tasty but very hot.
Very disappointing. The end texture is mushy. It might work better browning the chicken in a pan, adding the other ingredients, and skipping the slow cooker.
I made this at the last minute in a pan (brown the onion and chicken and then add everything else) and it was delicious with great texture. This is also terrific in a tortilla with shredded sharp cheddar and sliced green bell peppers. Or treat it like chili as a topper for a hot dog, or as the star ingredient in a Frito pie! (Yes, I'm in Texas ...)
Made this tonight but didn’t have canned chipotle’s so I swapped in a big handful of fresh peppers and it gave it a really nice mild rounded taste. Kind of like a Midwestern “Made right” sandwich. Very very tasty easy dinner.
Anyone else feel the urge to add barley or wheat berries? Will def reduce the adobo chilis as noted.