This Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Gnocchi is one of my favorite one pan meals right now. The creamy sauce coats juicy chicken thighs, pillowy gnocchi, fresh spinach and white beans for a 30 minute dinner that tastes restaurant-style!
One of my favorite ways to make chicken & gnocchi!
The other day I opened my fridge and saw leftover ingredients from making my Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup, which prompted me to come up with a meal that would include spinach, gnocchi and heavy cream. Not that hard, that’s an amazing combination as-is!
I also had some chicken thighs I needed to use, and at the last minute I grabbed a can of white beans from my pantry – because it doesn’t hurt to add a little extra fiber, right? And thus, this creamy chicken and gnocchi recipe was born.
We use a single pan (there is really no need to boil the gnocchi separately, it cooks quickly and the starches help to thicken the sauce) and cook the browned chicken, gnocchi and sautéed onion together in broth. Then, we finish the sauce with a little bit of heavy cream, spinach and parmesan. Takes almost no prep, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes.
We like it with a side of air fryer broccoli and a slice of crusty bread to mop up the sauce. Easy and so, so good!
Ingredients I use and some notes
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
- Chicken thighs: I like to use chicken thighs because they are easier on the grocery budget and don’t dry out. However, you can absolutely use chicken breast. Whatever you use, make sure to cut it into bite-sized pieces, not large chunks. More surface for seasoning and more surface for browning!
- Gnocchi: I use refrigerated gnocchi, I haven’t tried this recipe with shelf-stable gnocchi. I would assume using shelf-stable gnocchi would take a longer simmering time and a little extra broth.
- White beans/spinach: These are entirely optional and the recipe will work without. I have made it without spinach once because one of my kids complains about green leaves in the food… But I definitely like it better with spinach. The white beans add nice creamy texture, and a boost of fiber.
- Chicken broth: I say chicken broth because we are so used to that, but in reality, I use water and bouillon. Who wants to babysit half-used broth containers in their fridge with the high grocery prices right now?!
- Heavy cream: If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that I prefer to use cream in smaller doses – you won’t catch me cooking a sauce made from 100% heavy cream. It’s just not what tastes best to me. If you prefer a richer taste, you are absolutely free to add more than the recipe calls for!
- Seasoning: I use garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning here. Feel free to use your favorite garlic herb blend instead. Disclaimer: I have tried the recipe with Kinder’s Garlic Herb, but I prefer the Italian seasoning.
Let’s make creamy chicken gnocchi!
1 Brown the chicken:
We start the recipe off by browning our bite-sized, seasoned chicken pieces in some oil. I use a 4-quart cast iron braiser for this recipe.
I use medium-high heat to get a good color on the chicken, although with this seasoning and being chicken thighs without skin, it naturally stays a little paler.
2 Sauté the aromatics:
Once the chicken is browned, I like to turn down the heat to medium, make some space in the middle and melt some butter. Then I add the chopped onion and cook it with the chicken until it’s very softened – this takes about 5 minutes, so be patient!
Add the garlic at the end, and cook it for one more minute. During this stage, it’s important to stick to medium heat so the onion and garlic don’t burn and turn bitter!
3 Simmer the gnocchi:
Now it’s time to pour in the chicken broth and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. That’s where all the flavor sits!
Then bring it to a boil, add the gnocchi and white beans, reduce to a good simmer. Cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes (exact timing depends on your exact brand of gnocchi. My package says it takes 2 minutes to cook in boiling water, and I simmer for ~4-5 and it’s perfect.)
4 Add cream:
Now we’re going to add the cream. I like to whisk ½ tablespoon of corn starch into the cream before I add it to the pan – it makes the sauce thicker and it also helps the cream to stay stable/not split and curdle.
Reduce the heat to low before you add the cream, and do not boil the dish anymore now – stick to a low simmer.
5: Finish with spinach and parmesan:
Once the cream is incorporated, add the chopped spinach and parmesan cheese. Check the seasoning, adjust as needed, and cook on a low simmer for another 1-2 minutes, until the spinach has wilted.
At this point, you can also add more chicken broth or cream to thin out the sauce to your liking.
6 Serve!
I highly recommend serving this gnocchi dish straight away – the gnocchi start soaking up the sauce as it sits, so it’s best eaten fresh.
I like to add some chopped parsley and cracked black pepper, and my husband likes to add red pepper flakes! So good!
Top tips from my kitchen
- Chicken size: Cut the chicken bite-sized, not into large chunks. It incorporates much better into the dish, it’s more evenly distributed and you get more flavor out of it.
- Aromatics: Give the onion time to sauté – it takes a good 5 minutes. This provides a ton of flavor, so don’t rush this step.
- Don’t boil the cream: After you add the cream, do not boil the dish anymore. Yes we add cornstarch to help prevent splitting and curdling, but it still won’t withstand prolonged boiling. So, stick to a low simmer once you have added the cream!
- Leftovers: I don’t recommend to plan for leftovers on purpose here. The gnocchi soak up a lot of the sauce as it sits and cools, so everything gets a little bit mushy.
Serving ideas
If you don’t have the strength to put together any side dishes, this is absolutely an entire meal in one pan!
If you have the headspace to serve something on the side, this is what we’ve tried and loved so far:
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced (about 1 cup))
- 2 cloves garlic (minced (about 1-2 teaspoons))
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 (16-oz) package gnocchi
- 1 (15-oz) can white beans (rinsed and drained)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more to serve)
- 1 cup chopped spinach (packed – you can add more if you prefer!)
Instructions
- Chicken:Season the chicken thighs well with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.Heat a medium-large skillet or braiser to medium-high heat. Add the oil, then sear the chicken thighs until browned, about 3-4 minutes.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt & pepper, 1 tablespoon oil
- Aromatics:Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to melt, then add the onion to the chicken and sauté until fully softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.1 tablespoon butter, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Simmer gnocchi:Stir the chicken broth into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the gnocchi and beans, then cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the chicken and gnocchi are done.1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 (16-oz) package gnocchi, 1 (15-oz) can white beans
- Finish:Once the gnocchi and chicken are both done, reduce the heat to the lowest simmer. Whisk the heavy cream with the cornstarch and stir into the sauce. Add the parmesan and spinach and cook on the lowest simmer until thickened, creamy and heated through.½ cup heavy cream, ½ tablespoon cornstarch, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup chopped spinach
- Serve:Serve immediately with extra parmesan and cracked black pepper, if you like.
Notes
More quick dinners to try
- One Pot Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi
- Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Easy Bolognese Gnocchi Bake
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