Creamy Herb Chicken Gnocchi (Printable)
One-pan chicken and gnocchi in a creamy herb sauce, ready in 40 minutes for a comforting weeknight meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Gnocchi & Dairy
06 - 1 lb potato gnocchi (fresh or shelf-stable)
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Fresh Herbs
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
14 - 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
→ Spices & Seasonings
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
02 - In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Sauté the diced onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
03 - Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring well to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
04 - Add the potato gnocchi directly to the simmering sauce. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi are tender and cooked through.
05 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet along with the chopped spinach and halved cherry tomatoes. Stir everything together and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the tomatoes have softened slightly.
06 - Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, basil, thyme, and chives. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let the dish stand for 2 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan, which means you get all the flavor and barely any dishes to wash afterward.
- The sauce thickens itself as the gnocchi releases its starches, so you never need a separate roux or flour step.
- It genuinely tastes like something you ordered at a cozy Italian restaurant, but it comes together on a random Tuesday in under an hour.
02 -
- Do not skip scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan after the chicken comes out, that fond is where half the flavor lives.
- If the sauce looks too thick when you add the gnocchi, splash in another tablespoon or two of broth, but go easy because it thins out as it heats.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels before seasoning them, because moisture is the enemy of a proper golden sear.
- Use a lid that fits your skillet tightly during the gnocchi cooking step, since trapped steam is what cooks them through evenly without drying out the sauce.