Description
Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi is a comforting and hearty skillet dish featuring tender seasoned chicken thighs, golden browned gnocchi, and fresh spinach all enveloped in a rich, velvety cream and Parmesan sauce. It’s a perfect weeknight meal ready in just 25 minutes that combines simple ingredients for a flavorful, home-cooked dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1.25 lbs chicken thighs (4 to 5 thighs), diced into 2-inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Dairy and Gnocchi
- 2 Tbsp salted butter, divided
- 1 lb potato gnocchi (dry)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Dice the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces. In a bowl, combine the chicken with Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, mixing until well coated.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Once shimmering, add the chicken pieces without stirring and cook until well browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Stir and continue browning the other side for another 3 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until onions soften and garlic becomes fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.
- Cook Gnocchi: Add the dry potato gnocchi along with 1 tablespoon of salted butter to the skillet. Brown the gnocchi for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Wilt Spinach and Hydrate Gnocchi: Add the fresh spinach and vegetable broth to the skillet. Cover the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the gnocchi has absorbed some moisture.
- Add Cream and Butter: Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salted butter. Mix until the butter melts and the cream is hot and steaming, but not boiling.
- Create the Sauce: Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts smoothly into the sauce, creating a velvety texture.
- Combine Chicken and Serve: Return the browned chicken pieces to the skillet and gently fold them into the creamy gnocchi mixture. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts if preferred, but thighs stay juicier.
- If you can’t find dry gnocchi, fresh gnocchi works too; adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Vegetable broth can be replaced with chicken broth for extra flavor.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, though sauce will be less rich.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or extra Parmesan for added flavor and presentation.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
