There really is nothing better than an easy, packed-with-flavor meal you can make in one pan. Not only does it mean less washing up, but cooking this way gives all the ingredients time to really meld and get to know each other, giving you even MORE flavor.

This gnocchi dish is based on the iconic Tuscan chicken or ‘Marry Me’ chicken – with chicken, sundried tomatoes, garlic and thyme in a creamy sauce – so if you love those flavors, you’re going to love this too. It’s as simple as cooking your chicken, then adding everything else into the pan and simmering until the gnocchi is cooked and the creamy sauce has thickened. A perfect cosy weeknight meal.

And while yes, the name ‘Marry Me’ chicken is a little bit silly, there is seriously nothing silly about the taste of this lovely recipe. I love it so much I’ve created a couple of variations on the original – try my creamy ‘Marry Me’ white beans or ‘Marry Me’ chicken pasta too if you’re as much of a fan as I am!

A lot of gnocchi recipes call for you to boil the gnocchi separately before adding them to the sauce, but I’ve found that’s unnecessary in a recipe like this. Because there’s a lot of sauce, the gnocchi will cook perfectly in the sauce itself, saving you time and the fuss of washing up multiple pots and pans.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick and easy – it takes just 25 minutes from start to finish.
• Made in one pot, so less washing up for you.
• PACKED with gorgeous flavour the whole family will love.

Ingredients

Nothing fancy here – you’ll be able to find everything at a regular grocery store.

• Chicken thighs. I prefer thighs here because they have more flavour than breasts, and are less prone to drying out in the pan. But you can absolutely use chicken breasts if you like. Always use free-range for the best quality, and I’m using skinless and boneless.
• Gnocchi. I’m using shelf-stable gnocchi (which you can find with the pasta at the store), but fresh gnocchi will also work.
• Sun-dried tomatoes. Level up the flavour of the gnocchi even more by using the oil from your jar instead of olive oil to cook your chicken and garlic, or use sun-dried tomato pesto.
• Chicken stock (broth). Use vegetable stock if you prefer or if that’s what you have. You could also use water with a splash of extra fish sauce if you don’t have any stock to hand.
• Sour cream. Low-fat sour cream works too, as does heavy (double) cream, crème fraîche, mascarpone or cream cheese. Don’t use Greek yogurt – the heat will curdle the yogurt and you’ll end up with a grainy sauce.
• Fish sauce. This is probably my most used ingredient. It brings a deep, savory flavor that you can’t get with salt alone, so I really recommend including it here. I promise it doesn’t taste fishy in this recipe!

How to make it

Toss your chicken with a little salt, then cook in olive oil until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan, but keep that lovely chicken fat in there for the flavor.

Add your sundried tomatoes, sour cream, fish sauce and chicken stock. Add the gnocchi, stir so it’s submerged in the sauce then cover the pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes, until the gnocchi is almost cooked through.

PRO TIP: If your pan doesn’t have a lid, use a large dinner plate, or a wooden board, or use aluminium foil.

Remove the lid from your pan and stir the gnocchi. Add the chicken back into the pan, along with the spinach. Stir to mix them through the sauce, then add the parmesan, lemon juice and basil. Stir again, then you’re ready to serve. Scatter extra parmesan and basil on top, then dig in.

Got a question?