Creamy garlic chicken gnocchi

This chicken gnocchi recipe from by Melanie Lionello ticks many boxes: Protein-packed. Affordable. Creamy. Garlicky. Potato. One-pan. Delicious. You’ll fall in love.

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 6–8 boneless chicken thighs (about 800 g/1 lb 12 oz), skin on
• 30 g (1 oz) smoked paprika
• 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 250 g (9 oz) frozen spinach cubes
• 750 ml–1 litre (3–4 cups) chicken stock (adjust based on desired consistency)
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) shop-bought potato gnocchi (or homemade gnocchi)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) thickened (heavy) cream, or to taste (optional – I love this recipe both with and without, so you can enjoy it either way)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F) fan-forced.
2. Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with the paprika, ensuring all sides are coated.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium–high heat. Place the spiced chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan. Sear for about 4–5 minutes each side until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
4. To the same pan, add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes until softened and slightly caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add the frozen spinach cubes to the pan and stir until they start to thaw.
5. Pour in 750 ml (3 cups) of the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Stir in the uncooked potato gnocchi, distributing it evenly in the pan. Place the seared chicken thighs on top of the gnocchi, skin-side up.
7. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the gnocchi is tender.
8. After baking, remove the chicken thighs from the pan and set them aside.
9. If using, stir the cream (add more if desired) into the gnocchi and spinach mixture until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the gnocchi. Add more stock if the sauce is too thick and season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken thighs to the pan or plate them separately. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the dish and serve immediately.
10. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 days or freeze the chicken and sauce for up to 3 months but cook the gnocchi fresh.

This is an edited extract from Easy Italian Dinners From My Little Kitchen by Melanie Lionello, photography by Mark Roper. (Murdoch Books $39.99.)

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.