Creamy Chicken Gnocchi

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi

Don’t let the looks of this  Creamy Chicken Gnocchi intimidate you. It’s an easy recipe when you use store bought potato gnocchi.

If you want to go the all home made route you can make my Easy Ricotta Gnocchi. But if you decide to make your owe they need to be cooked in a separate pot of rapidly boiling water until they come to the surface, about 7 minutes and than tossed in the sauce. The same is true with the marinara but marinara sauce is so easy and is one of the sauces I always have on hand. I have linked the recipes for the gnocchi and the marinara. The most important thing about marinara is to use the best tomato products, since tomatoes are the main ingredient.

My absolute favorite is La San Marzano, you can’t always find it in the supermarkets but here is the link to find it on Amazon.

Three Tips When Making Creamy Chicken Gnocchi

Size matters!!! when we’re one pan cooking. The sauté pan has to be big enough and deep enough to hold in this case both the pasta and the sauce. Here’s a link to a good all around one pan cooking pot.

Another thing that’s important is to be sure the oil and butter is hot enough to sear the chicken without burning it.

One more thing, if the sauce is to thick add a little milk if it’s too thick coat a pat of butter with flour and put it in the sauce, the last few minutes.

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in cubes
  • 1/2 LB. store bought or my easy ricotta gnocchi
  • 3 cups prepared  marinara sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups chopped spinach
  • 2 tablespoons each olive oil and butter
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1/2 small onion chopped
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

  1. In a large sauté pan heat olive oil and butter to medium heat
  2. salt and pepper the chicken and sauté until lightly browned
  3. Add the garlic and onion sauté until tender and just beginning to brown
  4. Add the prepared marinara and cream simmer 15 minutes or until sauce thickens
  5. Add the gnocchi and spinach
  6. Simmer covered 7 to 10 minutes
  7. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and Italian parsley


Pesto Broccoli Gnocchi

Pesto Broccoli Gnocchi

This Pesto, Broccoli , gnocchi, dinner , is as Irish as am going to get on this Saint Patrick’s Day.

I am 100% Italian my husband is Irish, so I do cook corn beef and cabbage once a year, even though he could take it, or leave it.

Well this year, we are going to leave it, since I can’t get to the store with the Corona virus, and if I could the shelves are bare. That’s all am going to say about the  times were living in.

This Pesto, broccoli, gnocchi recipe was inspired by me wanting to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day even if it wasn’t traditional, with  ingredients I had on hand

So  here it is pesto, broccoli, gnocchi recipe that is easy and so quick it can be on your table in 30 minutes,  made in one pan and  your family and friends will love it.

It’s so easy it makes a great week night meal with family. Make it in a stove to table skillet and you have an easy gnocchi dinner, just fancy enough for Saturday night dinner with friends.

What Are  Gnocchi

Gnocchi is an Italian pasta, think small Italian dumplings. The most common is classic potato, the flavor  I used in this Pesto broccoli gnocchi recipe,

Homemade  are made of cooked mashed potatoes, flour and eggs. Some gnocchi recipes add ricotta to the dough. You can find these same flavors in store bought gnocchi.

Growing up, and in later years at the restaurants  I watched my Mama make gnocchi, on a floured broad using both hands, her skills never ceased to amaze me.

I was never as masterful  as my Mama, but in the restaurants before the prep cooks and after my  Mama passed, I make thousands of gnocchi, although I never learned how to use two hands.

Lucky for the home cook, in this pesto, broccoli, gnocchi recipe you don’t have to made homemade gnocchi. You can use store bought shelve or refrigerated gnocchi.

There are some good brands out there, experiment with different brands and flavors to find what fits your lifestyle and taste. I like, wait NO, I love one pan cooking, homemade

gnocchi don’t work as well for one pan cooking, you could up with mashed potatoes instead of little dumplings. In this pesto broccoli recipe I used classic refrigerated potato gnocchi.

Gnocchi cook quickly add them to the sauce the last 5 minutes of cooking, if at this point the sauce is to thick add a little chicken stock, if to liquid add 1 tablespoon of butter coated with butter.

When you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, that’s my favorite part!!!!

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. store bought potato gnocchi
  • 1 lbs. broccoli florets
  • 1 cup chopped pancetta
  • 1 cup prepared pesto sauce store bought or homemade
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons each chopped Italian parsley, basil and thyme
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large saute pan  with the butter render the pancetta until crisp
  2. Don’t drain the pancetta fat
  3. Add the chopped onion and garlic saute until limp
  4. Add the broccoli and chicken stock simmer covered 5 minutes
  5. Add the gnocchi simmer 5 minutes longer
  6. Add the parmesan cheese and herbs…..ENJOY!!!