Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Toasted Garlic Butter Buns

Toasted, buttery buns, loaded with the MOST succulent sloppy Joe filling. The beef is perfectly scented with onion, garlic, chili, oregano, and basil and then jacked up with chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. The sweet heat from the chilies turns ordinary sloppy Joes into a next-level dish. And those nuggets of corn? They add a sweet pop to every deliciously messy bite.

You know we'll never tire of "sloppy Joe nights" in my house! And I realize I shouldn't mess with perfection, but I change the recipe every time. I don't make big changes, just subtle tweaks here and there to see if I can outdo all previous versions. This time around I tried chipotle chilies in adobo sauce and toasted, herb-butter-glazed buns. WOWZA. So glad I messed around.

First, the chipotle chilies - if you like a little heat in your meals, then you will LOVE this. There's just enough chipotle heat to add a little fire to each bite; and there's an equal amount of adobo sauce to add sweetness to the sauce. It's a win-win.

And those buns! Why haven't I done this before?! They're crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the most incredible garlic-herb butter melted right in. As you bite in this beautiful mess, you get crisp bun, chewy bun, savory, juicy beef, and sweet corn. Roll back your sleeves, you'll be here a while.

Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Toasted Garlic Butter Buns

For the beef mixture:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup beef stock or beef broth
1 cup ketchup
1-2 tablespoons minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce with 1 teaspoon sauce from the can
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup frozen corn, keep frozen until ready to use
For the garlic butter buns:
4-8 soft rolls for serving (4 regular-size rolls/buns or 8 slider rolls)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

To make the filling, brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat and return the beef to the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chili powder, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir to coat the beef. Cook for 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant. Add the beef stock, ketchup, chipotle chilies and adobo sauce, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes (you can cover the pan with a lid and simmer for an hour if you want). Stir in the corn and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, to make the buns, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Melt the butter in the microwave or small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the garlic powder and oregano. Arrange the buns, open-faced, on a baking sheet. Brush the butter mixture all over the inside of the top and bottom buns. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the buns are lightly toasted.
Pile the sloppy Joe filling onto the buns and serve.

Serves 4