One Pot Chicken Florentine Gnocchi - Step by Step Guide

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One Pot Chicken Florentine Gnocchi – Step by Step Guide: With this easy-to-make One Pot Chicken Florentine Gnocchi, your regular dinner will taste like an Italian feast. This recipe makes a sauce with soft chicken, pillowy gnocchi, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella that will make you feel like you’re eating in an Italian house. This food is very easy to make because it only needs one pot and is ready in less than 30 minutes.

One Pot Chicken Florentine Gnocchi – Step by Step Guide

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil (or oil reserved from sun dried tomatoes)
1 pound chicken breasts (skinless and boneless, cut into small pieces)
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
¼ cup shallots (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (drained and chopped, keep the oil)
1 cup half and half cream
2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)

2 pounds gnocchi
2 cups fresh spinach (chopped)
2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)

Instructions

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. (see notes).
Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until it starts to brown, should take 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the shallots, garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

a serving of chicken florentine gnocchi in a black plate.

Add the half and half cream, chicken broth and stir. Bring to a simmer then stir in the uncooked gnocchi. Cook until gnocchi are tender, and sauce has thickened, should take about 4 to 5 minutes, they should also absorb and thicken the sauce.

Add spinach and fold into the mixture until wilted. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
Stir in the cheeses, cheese should melt almost immediately.

Notes

I reserved the oil from the sun dried tomatoes and used that instead of the olive oil for some extra flavor, but olive oil can be used as well.
Half and half can be found near the milk and cream in the dairy section of your local grocery store. Half and half is a blend of equal parts whole milk and light cream. It averages 10 to 12% of fat.

Store-bought gnocchi works well for this recipe. Look for it in the pasta aisle of your local grocery store.
Feel free to add more veggies or swap the chicken for another protein like shrimp or sausage for variation.

Using freshly grated cheese will ensure a smoother texture, as pre-shredded cheese often contains additives to prevent clumping which can affect the creaminess of your sauce.

Expert Tips

Choosing the Right Gnocchi: While both fresh and packaged gnocchi work well for this recipe, it’s essential to know that fresh gnocchi cooks faster than packaged ones. So, adjust your cooking time accordingly to prevent overcooking.
Reserve the oil from the sun dried tomatoes and use that to brown your chicken, it’ll add so much flavor to your dish!

Sautéing Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Garlic: When sautéing the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic, ensure you don’t burn them as it will lend a bitter taste to the dish. If the pan gets too hot, reduce the heat.
Adjusting the Creaminess: If you prefer a creamier texture, you can add more half-and-half cream or substitute it with heavy cream. Remember, this may increase the overall cooking time slightly as it might take longer for the sauce to thicken.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 serving
Calories: 606kcal (30%)
Carbohydrates: 62g (21%)
Protein: 37g (74%)
Fat: 24g (37%)
Saturated Fat: 11g (69%)
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
Monounsaturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0.01g
Cholesterol: 98mg (33%)
Sodium: 1224mg (53%)
Potassium: 689mg (20%)
Fiber: 5g (21%)
Sugar: 5g (6%)
Vitamin A: 1462IU (29%)
Vitamin C: 7mg (8%)
Calcium: 389mg (39%)
Iron: 7mg (39%)