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Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Skillet Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 116 reviews

A rich and comforting Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi recipe featuring tender chicken breasts, pillowy gnocchi, and a velvety parmesan cream sauce infused with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. This one-pan skillet meal is perfect for a quick yet indulgent dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Sauce and Gnocchi

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 lb gnocchi
  • 1/4 cup fresh sliced basil leaves, plus more for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Dice the chicken breasts into 2-inch pieces. In a bowl, season them with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Mix well to coat evenly.
  2. Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken pieces and cook undisturbed until well browned, about 3 minutes. Stir and brown the other side for about 3 more minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside, leaving the fat in the skillet.
  3. Sauté garlic: Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. (Note: The original instructions mention onion at this step, but ingredients do not list onion; it’s omitted here.)
  4. Brown the gnocchi: Add the gnocchi and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the gnocchi to lightly brown.
  5. Add liquids and spinach: Add chicken broth and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow gnocchi to hydrate. (Spinach mentioned in step 5 is missing from ingredients and omitted.)
  6. Create the cream sauce: Stir in the cream and remaining 1 tablespoon butter, heating gently until butter melts and cream is hot but not boiling.
  7. Finish sauce with cheese: Remove skillet from heat, then stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce becomes velvety smooth.
  8. Combine chicken and garnish: Return cooked chicken to the pan and gently mix with the gnocchi and cream sauce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and parsley if desired before serving.

Notes

  • Use boneless skinless chicken breasts for tender meat but be careful not to overcook to avoid dryness. Alternatively, chicken thighs can be used for juicier results or Italian sausage as a quick substitute with omitted seasoning.
  • Frozen or fresh gnocchi can be used interchangeably; dried gnocchi is more economical and pantry-friendly.
  • For a dairy-free alternative, substitute heavy cream with full-fat coconut cream and use vegan butter instead of regular butter.
  • If avoiding dairy altogether, nutritional yeast can be added in place of cheese, though expect a looser sauce consistency.

Keywords: creamy chicken gnocchi, gnocchi recipe, chicken dinner, creamy sauce, one pan meal, parmesan chicken gnocchi

Find it online: https://busyrecipe.com/creamy-chicken-and-gnocchi-skillet-recipe/