Cajun Chicken Sloppy Joes with Creamy Cheese Sauce
Lighter but bold, these Cajun Chicken Sloppy Joes pile juicy ground chicken in a smoky-spicy sauce, then crown it with a silky cheddar cheese sauce on a toasted brioche bun. Thirty-ish minutes, big payoff, zero fuss.
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Baking sheet or broiler
Ingredients
Cajun Chicken Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning store-bought or homemade
- 1 tbsp tomato paste deepens umami
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce (canned)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar optional, rounds heat
- salt to taste
Creamy Cheese Sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 oz sharp cheddar or American, freshly shredded
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt pinch
Assembly
- 4–6 brioche hamburger buns split, toasted
- softened butter for toasting, as needed
- freshly ground black pepper to finish
Instructions
- Make the Cajun Chicken Filling: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add ground chicken; cook and crumble until no longer pink, 5–7 minutes. Stir in onion; cook 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and Cajun seasoning; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Mix in tomato paste until the meat is glossy and brick-red. Pour in broth, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire; stir. Simmer on low, uncovered 8–10 minutes, until thick and spoonable. Season with salt to taste; add brown sugar if you want a touch of sweet heat. Tip: If it tightens too much, splash in 1–2 tbsp broth to loosen.
- Make the Creamy Cheese Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium, melt butter. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute to form a pale roux. Slowly whisk in milk; cook 4–5 minutes, whisking, until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low. Stir in shredded cheese and paprika until just melted and silky. Season with a pinch of salt. Do not boil after adding cheese.
- Assemble: Butter the cut sides of brioche buns and toast in a hot pan or under the broiler 1–2 minutes until golden. Spoon a generous mound of Cajun chicken onto each bottom bun. Ladle warm cheese sauce over the top so it cascades down the sides. Grind black pepper over the sauce, cap with the top bun, and serve immediately. Tip: Build over a parchment-lined tray—extra sauce drips are liquid gold for fries.
Notes
For milder heat, use 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning and add more to taste. Shred cheese fresh for the smoothest sauce—pre-shredded often contains anti-caking starches that can make sauces grainy.