A delicious one-skillet dinner of Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi with sundried tomatoes and spinach is only 25 minutes away with this easy pasta recipe!
Pillowy potato gnocchi in a garlic, parmesan, and sundried tomato cream sauce with chicken and spinach. Sounds like something you might find on a fancy Italian restaurant menu, right?
You can stay home for this meal though – this recipe will teach you exactly how easy it is to make restaurant-worthy pasta at home!
The flavors in this creamy gnocchi are very similar to those in my Marry Me Chicken and Tuscan Chicken recipes. The decadent blend of heavy cream, garlic, and sundried tomatoes makes everything taste amazing!
So you can call this recipe “Tuscan gnocchi” if you like, or even “gnocchi florentine” due to the addition of spinach.
Be sure to call it something though – your family will want to ask for it by name, and they will definitely want you to make this easy pasta dish again!
I made this tonight exactly as written and it was delicious. I love that I used just one pan too. My whole family loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
Penney
Then, you can try my Creamy Pesto Gnocchi and Gnocchi Al Pomodoro. There are so many delicious ways to cook gnocchi!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s simple to make! – If you can pan-sear chicken in a skillet, then you’ll have no trouble making this chicken and gnocchi meal. You’ll love that the whole meal is made in the same pan too.
- Ultra creamy gnocchi sauce recipe – I love making cream sauces because they are impressive and delicious. Not only that, but homemade cream sauce is so, so much better than anything you’ll buy in a jar.
- 25 minutes to dinner – Take a few minutes to prep your ingredients, once you start cooking, it will only take 15 minutes to whip up this creamy gnocchi with chicken and spinach.
The Ingredients in Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
Here’s what you need to make this amazing pasta dish:
- Chicken: 1 pound of chicken breast meat, cut into bite-sized pieces will cook up quickly in a skillet.
- Gnocchi: You’ll find gnocchi at the grocery store, packaged in plastic. It’s generally shelf-stable and often vacuum-sealed for freshness. This type of gnocchi only takes 3-4 minutes to cook. Avoid dried gnocchi or frozen gnocchi for this recipe.
- Sundried Tomatoes: Look for sundried tomatoes packed in oil. You can use the oil from the jar to cook the chicken to add even more complex flavor.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is a must for this savory cream sauce. Two cloves are perfect, but you can always add a little bit more if you really enjoy garlic.
- Heavy Cream: If you’re in the UK, this is called double cream. The rich dairy cream is what makes this sauce heavenly.
- Seasonings: Parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Baby Spinach: I love adding baby spinach leaves to pasta sauces, because you barely need to cook them! Spinach will wilt down into the sauce in seconds.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil, then add the chicken. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning as needed, until fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside while you make the sauce and gnocchi.
- Saute Garlic: To the same pan, add butter and garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, or just until the garlic is fragrant. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, scraping up the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer the Gnocchi with Cream: Add heavy cream to pan with the garlic, and then add the gnocchi. Reduce the heat if needed to keep the cream at a simmer, and cook the gnocchi for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is tender.
- Finish the Sauce: Lower the heat on the pan to medium-low, add smoked paprika, sundried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
- Wilt Spinach: Stir in the baby spinach leaves. At this point, you can add a splash of water if needed to thin out the sauce.
- Add the Chicken Back: Stir in the chicken that you cooked earlier. Remove the pan from the heat and serve your chicken and gnocchi immediately.
Tip!
Use freshly grated parmesan cheese! It’s not difficult to grate your own from a block of cheese, and it will have a much better flavor and texture.
Recipe Tips
- This dish pairs well with your favorite dry white wine. You can also use that wine to deglaze the pan instead of using chicken stock. This will give the sauce a richer and more complex flavor.
- Be sure to use packaged, ready-to-heat gnocchi. Frozen gnocchi won’t work well in this recipe.
- Not a fan of spinach? That’s ok, you can leave it out. Basil leaves can also be used.
- Instead of chicken breast meat, try this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Don’t throw away the oil from the sundried tomatoes. Use it in this recipe or other recipes in place of olive oil. It adds tons of flavor.
Storing Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a bit of water to loosen up the sauce.
What To Serve With Creamy Gnocchi
The great part about this meal is that it’s already complete! Chicken, pasta, and veggies are all in the skillet.
That said, you can certainly enjoy creamy chicken and gnocchi with side dishes like garlic bread, Olive Garden breadsticks, or a simple and homemade Caesar Salad.
Recipe FAQs
I like to cut the chicken into small pieces so that it cooks quickly and is easy to eat, but you can definitely make this recipe with chicken cutlets or chicken tenders instead. Just be sure to cook them fully before starting the sauce. Serve them as is, or slice them just before serving.
Traditionally, gnocchi is made from potatoes with a small amount of wheat flour. You can look for gluten-free gnocchi as well. If you have options while shopping for gnocchi, the brands with the most amount of potatoes in them will be the fluffiest.
Chicken is safe to eat when it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Use a thermometer to check it and be on the safe side.
More Amazing Pasta Recipes
Chicken Mushroom Pasta
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
Alfredo Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
Don’t forget to Pin this recipe! You’ll want to have it saved so that you can make it all the time. The silky sauce and tender chicken and gnocchi are sure to be a family favorite.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
Recipe Video
Equipment
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or sundried tomato oil from the can
- 1 pound (450 grams) chicken breast about 2 breasts, cut into ¾ – 1 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (26 grams) butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream double cream in the UK
- 16 ounces (450 grams) gnocchi
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- In a skillet (I used 12 inch stainless steel), over medium high heat, heat oil then add the chicken, and season with italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Remove the fully cooked chicken onto a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt butter and add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, and scrape off the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon (lots of flavor!).
- Add heavy cream, and drop the gnocchi, allow to simmer for 5 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken, and the gnocchi will be tender and done.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, add smoked paprika, sundried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
- Then add the spinach, and stir again to combine and wilt the spinach (add a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce).
- Add the chicken back in and stir. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.
Notes:
- This dish pairs well with your favorite dry white wine. You can also use that wine to deglaze the pan instead of using chicken stock. This will give the sauce a richer and more complex flavor.
- Be sure to use packaged, ready-to-heat gnocchi. Frozen gnocchi won’t work well in this recipe.
- You can leave out the spinach if you like. Basil leaves can also be used.
- Instead of chicken breast meat, try this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Don’t throw away the oil from the sundried tomatoes. Use it in this recipe or other recipes in place of olive oil. It adds tons of flavor.
- To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add a bit of water when reheating to loosen up the cream sauce again.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Penney says
I made this tonight exactly as written and it was delicious. I love that I used just one pan too. My whole family loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
One pan recipes are my favorite too! Thank you so much for the feedback.