This creamy chicken and gnocchi puts seared chicken, pan-fried gnocchi and sun-dried tomatoes into a parmesan cream sauce, all in one pan, in 30 minutes flat. The author calls it Marry Me Chicken as a pasta, and her family scraped the pan clean.
The sauce builds in the same pan the chicken seared in, so the browned bits on the bottom dissolve into the butter and broth. Flour goes into the melted butter first and cooks for 30 seconds before any liquid touches it, which is what stops the sauce from going lumpy or thin.
Sautéing the gnocchi in butter until golden on both sides instead of just boiling it is worth the extra five minutes. Boiled gnocchi softens further in the cream sauce and loses its shape, while sautéed gnocchi holds a crust that gives the dish a second texture.
Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy5
servings5
minutes25
minutes544
kcalChicken breasts seared golden and sliced, tossed with butter-fried gnocchi in a from-scratch parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning and fresh basil. One pan from start to finish.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
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
Directions
- Cook the gnocchi:Cook according to the package, or sauté in butter until golden on both sides. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken:Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high and sear 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and 165F inside. Remove, rest, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Butterfly thick breasts before cooking.
- Make the sauce:In the same pan, melt the butter. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, stir in the flour until smooth. Pour in the broth, add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook until thickened. Lower the heat and stir in the milk, cream and parmesan.
- Combine and serve:Add the chicken and gnocchi to the sauce and stir to coat. Fold in the fresh basil and serve with extra parmesan.
FAQs
What if the chicken breasts are very thick?
Butterfly them before seasoning. A full thick breast at 5 to 6 minutes per side will be raw in the centre, and cooking longer dries the outside before the inside finishes. Two thinner halves cook evenly and slice better for the dish.
Why did the sauce come out too salty?
Salt on the chicken plus salted broth plus parmesan stacks up fast. Use low-sodium broth, go light on the chicken seasoning, and taste the sauce before adding anything else. Sun-dried tomatoes carry salt too depending on the brand.
Can you use a different protein?
Thighs are richer and more forgiving. Shrimp sears in 2 to 3 minutes per side. Italian sausage sliced and browned gives a heartier version. All three work in the same sauce with no other changes.
Can you swap the gnocchi for regular pasta?
Penne or rigatoni both hold the thick sauce well. Cook separately, drain, and toss in at the end the same way. The dish changes character since gnocchi absorbs sauce differently than dried pasta, but the flavours stay the same.
How do you store and reheat this?
Fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat on the stove over medium-low with a splash of broth or milk, since the sauce sets thick as it cools. The gnocchi softens further overnight.
