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Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterCulinary Producer at The Kitchn
I'm a recipe developer, food writer, stylist, and video producer, with more than 10 years of professional experience. As an expert meal planner and avid home cook who loves grocery shopping and helping people figure out what to cook for dinner, I'm a natural fit as The Kitchn’s Dinner Therapist. Since graduating from The University of Scranton and The French Culinary Institute, I've authored three cookbooks: Buddha Bowls, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, and The Probiotic Kitchen. My kitchen superpower is turning a random assortment of ingredients into easy, delicious dinners that even my young son will eat.
published Aug 5, 2024
Dinner Therapist
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The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is everything.
Serves4 to 6Prep10 minutes to 15 minutesCook20 minutes to 25 minutesJump to Recipe
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Dear Dinner Therapist: I struggle with figuring out what to make and grocery shopping. I’m looking for a dinner recipe that checks a lot of boxes — one that feels new and interesting, tastes amazing (with little effort required), and is quick & easy to prepare with ingredients I have on hand. —Liz
Liz: You’ve come to the right place, because what you’re asking for basically sums up my favorite approach to cooking. I love dinner recipes with basic ingredient lists (the shorter, the better!), that require minimal cookware (ideally just one pan), and don’t require a ton of effort, yet taste absolutely amazing, if not downright impressive. At home I affectionately call these types of dinners “weeknight fancy.”
This Tuscan chicken gnocchi is a one-pan meal inspired by the popular recipe for Tuscan chicken. Boneless chicken thighs are used in place of mild-mannered breasts, and they’re partnered with a package of store-bought gnocchi and cooked in a creamy-yet-light sun-dried tomato sauce. A few handfuls of fresh spinach and some grated Parm round things out to make it a complete meal. Best of all, it requires basic ingredients and about 20 minutes of cooking, plus there’s ample room for substitutions.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s creamy and comforting without feeling heavy. This creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is everything. Using milk rather than heavy cream or half-and-half keeps the sauce from feeling too heavy. A few handfuls of leafy greens also add freshness to keep the meal in check.
- It’s easy to prepare yet feels really special. All of the ingredients are basic, easy-to-find items that come together in four simple steps and about 20 minutes of cooking time. The final, incredibly flavorful result tastes far greater than the sum of its parts.
Key Ingredients in Tuscan Chicken Gnocchi
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Because they have more fat than breasts, thighs bring a lot of flavor to this dinner. I like to go for thighs on the smaller side to ensure they all fit in the skillet, and you’ll need 1 1/2 pounds.
- Shelf-stable gnocchi. Look for this in the dried pasta aisle. The beauty is that the gnocchi doesn’t need to be cooked first. Simply heat it directly in the sauce until soft and pillowy.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. This is a signature ingredient in Tuscan chicken. Be sure to use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes here.
- Milk. Here’s where the creaminess in the sauce comes from. Take your pick between whole milk or two percent. While I usually opt for whole milk, here I personally prefer two percent milk, as it makes a sauce that’s still thick and creamy but slightly less rich.
- Baby spinach. A few handfuls of leafy greens make this skillet a complete meal and add a pretty pop of color.
How to Make Tuscan Chicken Gnocchi
- Sear the chicken. Be sure to pat the chicken dry to ensure it doesn’t stick to the pan (I love a cast iron skillet for this recipe). Sear the chicken on both sides until it’s nicely browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Make the sauce. Sauté shallot, garlic, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes until fragrant, then sprinkle with all-purpose flour and cook just until lightly browned. Stir in the milk and bring to a simmer.
- Heat the gnocchi. Break up the gnocchi and add them to the skillet. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and the gnocchi are tender.
- Wilt the spinach and return the chicken to the skillet. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and baby spinach off the heat. Nestle the cooked chicken back into the sauce before serving.
Helpful Swaps
- Could you use boneless chicken breast instead of thighs here? Absolutely. Use 1 1/2 pounds (about three medium breasts), then pound each piece to 1/2-inch thick so they cook quickly and evenly.
- If you aren’t a fan of spinach, feel free to skip it entirely. On the other hand, if you really love it, feel free to add an entire five-ounce package. Arugula and chopped kale will also work as a substitute for spinach.
Dinner Therapist is my column dedicated to solving your dilemmas around the most important — but let’s be honest, sometimes most dreaded — meal of the day. Prepping dinner night after night can be so hard. Here, I deliver practical and hopefully fun advice to make cooking less complicated and more enjoyable. Follow along for all the recipes. Got your own dinner struggles? We want to hear from you! Fill out this super-quick form for your chance to be featured in an upcoming column.
Tuscan Chicken Gnocchi Recipe
The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is everything.
Prep time 10 minutes to 15 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes to 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
medium shallot
- 3 cloves
garlic
- 1/2 cup
drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (2 1/2 ounces)
- 1 ounce
Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup firmly packed freshly grated or 1/3 cup store-bought grated)
- 1 1/2 pounds
boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6)
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon
all-purpose flour
- 2 cups
whole or 2% milk, plus more as needed
- 1 pound
shelf-stable potato gnocchi
- 3 packed cups
baby spinach (about 3 ounces)
Instructions
Finely dice 1 medium shallot (about 1/4 cup). Mince 3 garlic cloves. Thinly slice 1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Finely grate 1 ounce Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 packed cup) if needed, or measure out 1/3 cup store-bought grated.
Pat 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron or high-sided nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour evenly over the tomato mixture and cook until the flour begins to brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add 2 cups whole or 2% milk and bring to a rapid simmer, stirring regularly.
Add 1 pound shelf-stable potato gnocchi (breaking the gnocchi apart if needed). Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is reduced slightly and thickened and the gnocchi is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Add the Parmesan and 3 packed cups baby spinach. Stir until the cheese melts and the spinach wilts. If the sauce gets too thick, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Nestle the chicken into the gnocchi mixture, and add any accumulated juices on the plate, before serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Filed in:
Main Dish
italian
Chicken
poultry
quick
stovetop
