Description
A quick and comforting weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and a rich creamy pesto sauce made with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) potato gnocchi
- 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 ounces / 340g), diced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) good quality pesto
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream (full-fat)
- 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: Fresh basil leaves for garnish
- Optional: Spinach or cherry tomatoes for added veggies
Instructions
- Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and mince the garlic. Measure out pesto, cream, and broth.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook 2-3 minutes until they float. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. In the same skillet, sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Turn off heat and gradually stir in pesto and Parmesan cheese until smooth. Add a splash of broth or cream if sauce is too thick. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken to skillet and add drained gnocchi. Gently toss to coat everything in sauce. Add spinach or cherry tomatoes now if using and let wilt slightly.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
[‘Do not overcook gnocchi; cook until they float to avoid mushiness.’, ‘Use fresh garlic for best flavor.’, ‘Add cheese off the heat to prevent grainy sauce.’, ‘Add a splash of broth or cream if sauce thickens too much.’, ‘Leftovers reheat well with a splash of cream or broth.’, ‘Can substitute shrimp for chicken or make vegetarian by omitting chicken.’, ‘Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce.’, ‘Add lemon zest or red pepper flakes for variations.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
Keywords: creamy pesto chicken gnocchi, easy weeknight dinner, quick dinner, comfort food, chicken gnocchi recipe, pesto sauce, creamy sauce