One Pan Creamy 'Marry Me' Chicken Gnocchi

Close up of creamy chicken gnocchi on a small pink plate with another plate in the background.

5 from 1 vote

One Pan Creamy 'Marry Me' Chicken Gnocchi

Soft, pillowy gnocchi, swimming in a luscious sauce packed with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and juicy chicken thighs make this creamy 'Marry Me' chicken gnocchi a cozy weeknight favorite. Plus, it's made in one pan, takes just 25 minutes AND there's no need to boil the gnocchi first - just throw it right in with the sauce.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: marry me gnocchi, tuscan gnocchi

Servings: servings

Calories: 477kcal

Author: Kate Phillips

Ingredients

½ lb skinless, boneless, free-range chicken thighs, diced (250g)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves crushed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup sundried tomatoes chopped
½ cup sour cream or use heavy/double cream, crème fraîche, mascarpone, or cream cheese
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 lb gnocchi (500g)
2 big handfuls of spinach leaves
½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more to serve
1 tablespoon lemon juice
A handful of basil leaves
Black pepper

Instructions

Cook the chicken.
Toss the diced chicken thighs with ½ teaspoon of salt. Set a high-sided skillet or pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken and spread it out into an even layer.
Leave it alone for about 5 minutes, until it's lovely and golden, then turn it over to brown the other side for another couple of minutes. Turn the heat off, then remove the chicken from the pan and pop it onto a plate covered with aluminum foil.
Add the garlic and seasoning.
Keep all that lovely chicken fat in the pan (this gives the dish incredible flavor!), but scoop out any burnt bits. Then add crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, dried thyme, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for just a minute, then add the sun-dried tomatoes.
Add the sauce and gnocchi.
Stir and cook for another minute, just to let the flavors get to know each other, then add ½ cup of sour cream, 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock, and 1 teaspoon of fish sauce. Mix to combine all the ingredients into a cohesive sauce, then add the gnocchi and stir to coat it in the sauce.
Pop the lid on your pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until the gnocchi is plump and cooked through.
Add the chicken and spinach.
Lift the lid off your pan and stir the gnocchi. The gnocchi itself should look more plump, but the sauce will still be quite watery at this point. Add the chicken back into the pan, along with the spinach.
Stir them through the sauce - the spinach will wilt into the sauce. Add the grated parmesan and stir again, then reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken up.
Finish and serve.
Finish by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and half the basil leaves, then you're ready to serve. Divide between plates, top with the extra grated parmesan and the rest of the basil.

Notes

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The gnocchi is best served right away, but you can refrigerate leftovers for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, at 30-second intervals, or gently in a pan on the stovetop for a few minutes. Add a splash of water when you reheat, just to loosen the sauce up.

INGREDIENT NOTES: Fish sauce adds a beautiful, deep savory flavor you won't get from salt alone so I really recommend using it here, I promise it doesn't taste fishy at all. I'm using shelf-stable gnocchi, but fresh will also work.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap chicken thighs for chicken breast if you like, and use vegetable stock or water with a splash of fish sauce instead of chicken. You could use shredded kale or arugula (rocket) instead of spinach.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: This gnocchi really is a meal in itself, but you can add some extras if you like. Fresh bread like my no-knead chili cheese focaccia or no-knead rosemary parmesan bread is great to mop up the sauce, or keep things fresh with a simple salad. I love an arugula (rocket) salad - just pile it up on a plate, and drizzle it with a little balsamic vinegar and parmesan shavings.

Nutrition