High-ranking FDNY officials are fuming that a contentious meeting in which embattled Commissioner Laura Kavanagh demanded that her chiefs think “outside the box” was secretly tape-recorded and later leaked, sources told The Post on Sunday.

The fallout over the covert recording is just the latest controversy to rattle the ranks of New York’s Bravest since Kavanagh unceremoniously demoted three chiefs earlier this month — and sparked revolt within the department.

“This is disgraceful,” one FDNY veteran railed.

The controversy began when, according to sources, Kavanagh berated about two-dozen chiefs at the Feb. 3 meeting for not “thinking outside the box” — as she demoted veteran assistant chiefs Joe Jardin, Michael Gala and Fred Schaaf.

At least five chiefs — including Chief of Department John Hodgens, Chief of Operations John Esposito and Deputy Assistant Chief of Safety Frank Leeb — have since asked to be voluntarily knocked down in rank in solidarity.

“She appointed Hodgens and Esposito then she does not ask their opinions about major personnel moves, who these chiefs have to work with on a daily basis,” another fire source said, quipping, “That sounds like an outside-the-box idea.”

“She makes these moves without consulting them,” the source added. “Also, if something goes wrong in the field they will be held responsible.”

Kavanagh, the first woman to lead the 153-year-old department, griped at the Feb. 3 meeting that the chiefs were falling short on bringing in ideas to improve the department’s efficiency, according to records reviewed by The Post.

In a biting statement to the chiefs gathered at the meeting, Kavanagh complained that despite her call for improvements, “not a single idea of what would help the membership and the citizens of New York has made it to my desk.”

Sources slammed the leak of a recording of the contentious meeting to a New York newspaper on Sunday.

“Secretly recording a meeting with your staff that the commissioner herself called, allegedly under the pretext of talking about respect, team-building and trust,” said the veteran FDNY source who called it “disgraceful.”

“Facts are the commissioner doesn’t know the definition of leadership,” the source charged. “This is not how you change culture, or team building. Trust is earned. You get back what you put out.”

Another veteran FDNY source pushed back at Kavanaugh’s call for top brass to think “outside the box” for how to improve the department.

“We have tons of solutions because we get input from the field,” the source said. “We sent emails up the chain all the time. What we really need is funding. Tons of funding.”

The source also claimed the computer-assisted dispatch system implemented on Kavanagh’s watch has been plagued with glitches and is “a disaster.”

The commissioner also apparently pushed for new breathing apparatus although the federal standards for the devices was changing and the existing equipment is “completely serviceable” and not in need of replacement, the source said.

In a statement late Sunday, Kavanaugh owned up to what she said at the meeting.

“While these comments may have been made behind closed doors, I stand by them,” she said. “Our team is focused on reducing fire deaths and keeping our members safe, and the FDNY remains ready to respond to any and all emergencies.”

City Hall did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a vote of confidence last week, Mayor Eric Adams defended Kavanagh and said she was “promoting a culture of true leadership, accountability and performance.

“Those who do not agree with that view have chosen to leave the FDNY,” the mayor said. “Regardless, New Yorkers can rest assured that the FDNY is as prepared as ever to keep them safe and respond to any and all emergencies.”

Additional reporting by Joe Marino