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Side shot of Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi in a silver skillet with a wooden spoon in it.
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4.75 from 74 votes

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi

This delicious dish is full of pillowy gnocchi drenched in a rich buttery cream sauce, with pops of juicy chicken and earthy spinach. Plus it's so easy, you can make it in under thirty minutes!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American, Italian
Total Cost: $8.41 recipe / $2.10 serving
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 756kcal
Author: Monti Carlo

Equipment

  • Deep Stainless Steel Skillet

Ingredients

  • 1.25 lbs chicken thighs (4 to 5 thighs)* $4.23
  • 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning $0.30
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika $0.05
  • 1/2 tsp salt $0.04
  • 1/4 tsp pepper $0.02
  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.08
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced $0.32
  • 2 garlic cloves $0.11
  • 2 Tbsp salted butter, divided $0.30
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi (dry)** $1.13
  • 2 cups fresh spinach $0.60
  • 1 cup vegetable broth $0.08
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream*** $0.71
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan**** $0.44

Instructions

  • Dice the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces. Add the chicken to a bowl and top it with Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
  • Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Once it's shimmering, add the chicken and cook undisturbed until well browned, about 3 minutes. Stir and brown on the other side, about 3 more minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan when it's cooked through and leave the fat in the pan.
  • Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Saute until the onions have softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes
  • Add the gnocchi and 1 tablespoon salted butter to the skillet and brown for 2 minutes.
  • Add the spinach and the broth to the skillet. Cover the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the gnocchi has hydrated.
  • Add the heavy cream and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salted butter to the skillet. Stir until the butter has melted and the cream is steaming hot but not boiling.
  • Take the skillet off the heat. Add the parmesan to the pan and stir until it melts, creating a velvety sauce.
  • Finally, return the cooked diced chicken to the skillet. Mix gently into the gnocchi and cream sauce. If desired, garnish with parsley.

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Notes

*You can also use chicken breast, but be careful not to overcook it, as you want juicy chicken, not dry, chicken-flavored cotton balls. In a pinch, sub the thighs with Italian sausage and skip the seasoning.
**Use frozen or fresh gnocchi, but I prefer the dried ones as they are more economical, plus I have more room in my pantry than I do in my freezer. You'll find them in the pasta section of your grocery store.
***You can substitute the heavy cream with full-fat coconut cream and the butter with vegan butter.
****If you can't do dairy, use a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast, but keep in mind that your sauce will be much looser.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 756kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 50g | Sodium: 1186mg | Fiber: 4g