Description
This Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi recipe is a comforting one-pot meal featuring tender chicken breast, pillowy potato gnocchi, and a rich, flavorful sauce made with chicken broth, cream, parmesan, and spinach. The sauce is infused with Italian herbs and finished with a touch of lemon juice for brightness. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner that feels indulgent yet wholesome.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- ½ chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Chicken, Gnocchi, and Other Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- ½ cup yellow onions, diced
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
- 2 ½ cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 16 oz. potato gnocchi
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Combine the chicken broth, heavy cream, chicken bouillon, honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, dried basil, oregano, onion powder, and parsley in a bowl and set aside. Measure all remaining ingredients before you start cooking.
- Tenderize and Season Chicken: Place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet until even thickness. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-inch cubes and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Onions: Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet. Add diced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the white wine and use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom of the skillet, loosening browned bits for flavor. Cook over medium heat until wine reduces by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add Garlic and Butter: Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and minced garlic. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Create Roux with Flour: Gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring continuously. Cook for about 2 minutes to form a roux and eliminate raw flour taste.
- Incorporate Sauce Mixture: Slowly add the sauce mixture prepared in step one in small splashes while stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.
- Cook Gnocchi: While sauce simmers gently uncovered, cook gnocchi in a separate pot of boiling water following package instructions. Drain once tender.
- Finish Sauce and Combine: Lower heat to low; stir in cream cheese gradually until melted and smooth. Add parmesan cheese and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Fold in drained gnocchi and chopped spinach, allowing spinach to wilt for about 2 minutes.
- Thicken Sauce and Add Chicken: Let sauce simmer until it reaches desired thickness, then add the cooked chicken. Stir thoroughly to heat through and combine flavors. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk and reduce butter slightly.
- Use gluten-free flour and gnocchi to make this recipe gluten free.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing is possible for up to 3 months, but gnocchi may become chewier after thawing and reheating.
- To reheat, warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen sauce.
- Fresh spinach can be substituted with baby kale for a different texture.
- If white wine is not available, use extra chicken broth with a splash of white wine vinegar as a substitute.
