Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Is the Coziest One Pan Dinner
Gnocchi lovers (or anyone who loves a cozy meal), this one is for you. Grab a glass a wine, some cozy sweatpants, and get ready to enjoy a delicious weeknight staple. There’s just something about those little dumplings that warm the soul!
This one pan creamy chicken and gnocchi recipe features tender chicken breasts nestled in a creamy sauce with pillowy gnocchi, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Serve this with a side of garlic bread or a simple kale salad, and you’ve got a meal that feels restaurant-worthy but requires minimal effort.
One pot meals are a staple around here like garlic parmesan chicken pasta and creamy lemon chicken orzo.
Do you love gnocchi? Try chicken alfredo gnocchi bake, creamy chicken gnocchi soup, or Tuscan sheet pan gnocchi next!
Ingredient Notes
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes gives it tons of flavor.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: chicken thighs work too.
- Shallot and garlic: both of these create the base of the sauce.
- White wine and lemon: the acid in white wine and lemon juice balances out this dish.
- Gnocchi: store bought or gluten-free gnocchi (I like Delallo) work. You can also use my quick homemade cauliflower gnocchi.
- Parmesan cheese: the salty richness gives the creamy sauce a ton of flavor. Bonus points for letting the parmesan rind simmer in the sauce.
- Heavy cream: another creamy thickener to richen the sauce.
- Fresh spinach and sun-dried tomatoes: adds greens, color, and extra flavor, just like creamy tuscan chicken.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Gnocchi
- Season and sear the chicken: Drizzle with olive oil and toss it with spices. Pan fry it in a large skillet, like a cast iron skillet, on both sides until it reaches an internal temp of 165°F, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board.
- Saute shallots and garlic: Melt butter in the same skillet then saute the shallot and garlic. Deglaze the pan with white wine, then add the chicken broth and simmer to reduce.
- Make the creamy sauce with gnocchi: Stir in the heavy cream and uncooked gnocchi and simmer to cook. The starch from the gnocchi also thickens the sauce.
- Add the spinach and parmesan: Stir in the parmesan cheese, spinach, lemon juice, and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook to wilt the spinach.
- Finish and serve: Nestle the chicken back into the pan with the creamy sauce and gnocchi and serve with fresh herbs.
Variations and Add-Ins
- Chicken breasts: use chicken thighs or skip the steps to sear the chicken and use rotisserie chicken instead.
- More veggies: Add baby bella mushrooms to onion and garlic. Tuscan kale is a great swap for baby spinach.
- Dairy-free or gluten-free: use vegan butter, nutritional yeast, and coconut cream. I’ve tested this with Delallo gluten-free gnocchi.
Quick Tips
- Slice the chicken in half lengthwise and/or pound it to an even thickness for even cooking. I recommend this for my Boursin chicken too!
- Add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet with the chicken if it’s starting to burn before the chicken is cooked through all the way.
- Use an instant-read thermometer and pull the chicken just before 165°F (it will continue cooking slightly as it rests).
- Use high-quality chicken stock or broth. The better the quality, the richer and more flavorful the sauce.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remember the gnocchi will continue to release starch and thicken the sauce over time. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers because the texture of the sauce will change as it defrosts because of the dairy.
Reheat in a saute pan over medium-low heat, adding additional chicken broth or cream to thin out the sauce as needed.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
Love one pot meals? Try buffalo chicken pasta, one pot taco pasta, or creamy white chicken lasagna soup next.
Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
Creamy chicken and gnocchi is the ultimate cozy, one-pan meal with tender bites of chicken and pillowy gnocchi smothered in a rich, garlicky cream sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s a weeknight dinner win—so easy, you’ll want to make it again and again!
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Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 16 oz potato gnocchi gluten-free if needed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups baby spinach chopped
- 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes sliced
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Season chicken: pat the chicken dry then drizzle with 1 Tablespoons of olive oil and coat with the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt.2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Sear chicken: Heat another Tablespoon of oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Pan fry the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a clean plate or cutting board.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 1/2 lb chicken breasts
- Cook the onion and garlic: Melt butter over medium heat in the same skillet. Cook the shallot until soft, 2-3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.1 medium shallot, 3 cloves garlic
- Creamy sauce: Deglaze the pan with white wine and scrape any brown bits from the bottom. Stir in the chicken broth and simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes to reduce.1/4 cup white wine, 3/4 cup chicken broth
- Cook gnocchi: Stir in the heavy cream and uncooked gnocchi and simmer until the sauce thickens and gnocchi is cooked through, 3-4 minutes.16 oz potato gnocchi, 1 cup heavy cream
- Add spinach: Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon, and parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and spinach wilts.2 cups baby spinach, 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Finish and serve: Slice the cooked chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces and add it back to the creamy gnocchi and top with fresh cracked black pepper, parsley or fresh thyme.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!
Notes
Dairy-free: use vegan butter, nutritional yeast, and coconut cream.
Gluten-free: find a gluten-free gnocchi (we like Delallo) or try cauliflower gnocchi or sweet potato gnocchi (like Trader Joe’s). Cauliflower gnocchi may alter the thickening of the cream sauce so see the recipe notes below for options.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remember the gnocchi will continue to release starch and thicken the sauce over time. Add more cream or chicken broth when reheating to thin the sauce if needed.
*Nutrition information is based off of 4oz (113g) of cooked chicken and 1/6 of the gnocchi. The pictures show 4 large chicken breasts, which are larger than 4-ounce portions, so adjust the nutrition information accordingly if you are serving large chicken breasts.
MyFitnessPal: Search creamy chicken gnocchi – whatmollymade to save and log this recipe.
Video
Equipment
- Deep skillet or saute pan
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (113g chicken and 1/6 gnocchi) | Calories: 639kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 804mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 202.4IU | Vitamin C: 12.2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Super yummy! We will be adding this to our rotation.
Thanks Emily! Love it when we make it in the rotation!