One-Pan Creamy Garlic Chicken Gnocchi (Print Version)

Tender chicken and soft gnocchi in a rich, garlicky Parmesan cream sauce with spinach, all cooked in one skillet.

# Components:

→ Chicken & Seasoning

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Sauce & Gnocchi

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - ½ cup dry white wine, optional; substitute with chicken broth if preferred
09 - 1 cup chicken broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 18 ounces potato gnocchi, fresh or shelf-stable
12 - 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
13 - ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate to finish cooking in the oven.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and garlic to the same skillet, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Deglaze pan with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
06 - Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Add gnocchi to the skillet, stir to coat. Return chicken thighs and any juices to the pan, nestling them into the sauce.
08 - Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Transfer skillet to preheated oven.
09 - Bake uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and gnocchi are tender.
10 - Stir in spinach immediately after removing from the oven, letting the heat wilt the leaves. Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One skillet means one thing to wash, which is honestly the real magic here.
  • The cream sauce clings to every pillowy pocket of gnocchi like it was made for each other.
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while the oven does most of the heavy lifting.
  • Ready in under forty minutes but tastes like you spent your whole evening cooking.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken thighs; water on the surface will steam instead of sear, and you want that golden crust for flavor and appearance.
  • The oven-safe skillet is non-negotiable here; trying to transfer everything to a baking dish defeats the whole one-pan purpose and means extra dishes anyway.
  • Stir the spinach in after removing from the oven rather than before; it will cook perfectly from residual heat and won't turn an unappetizing gray-green color.
03 -
  • Use full-fat cream and good butter; they are not the places to save money on this dish, and the richness is kind of the whole point.
  • If your gnocchi are frozen, you can add them straight from the freezer; they will thaw as the sauce heats and actually cook more evenly that way.
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