Description
A delicious twist on classic sloppy joes featuring ground chicken simmered in marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese, topped with melted mozzarella on toasted hamburger buns. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner with Italian-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Sauce
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Cheese and Buns
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for toasting buns)
Garnish
- Chopped fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Onion: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the diced onion for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook Chicken: Add the ground chicken to the skillet. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks, and cook until no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir in the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Add Parmesan: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and cook for an additional minute to combine flavors.
- Toast Buns (Optional): If desired, toast the hamburger buns in a skillet with butter until golden brown.
- Assemble Sandwiches: Spoon the chicken mixture onto the bottom halves of the buns, then top each with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place the top buns over the cheese.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh basil if desired and serve the sandwiches hot.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or beef for the chicken if preferred.
- For extra melty cheese, place the assembled sandwiches under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
- Use your favorite marinara sauce or homemade sauce for added flavor customization.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
