Oh, tell me you know that feeling. It’s 6:30 PM, you’re starving, you know you should cook something decent, but the thought of pulling out five different pots and pans makes you want to just order takeout. Been there, done that, spilled lukewarm coffee on my shirt attempting to multitask! That’s exactly how this beauty came into my life. I was about three minutes from giving up when I remembered I had gnocchi hiding in the pantry. Seriously, the **Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet** saved my Tuesday night. It’s proof that huge flavor doesn’t need huge effort or a mountain of dishes to wash afterwards. This recipe fills the house with the most incredible garlic aroma, and it comes together faster than my kids can set the table. Trust me, once you try this, it’s going straight into your emergency dinner file.
Why This Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet is Your New Weeknight Hero
Seriously, this meal hits all the right notes when you’re short on time and energy. Forget complicated weeknight cooking; this is real food, real fast. I love how it packs so much satisfaction into less than half an hour. If you’re looking for more quick wins, check out these healthy dinner recipes you can whip up fast!
- Rapid flavor development—that garlic works magic fast!
- Creamy sauce that tastes like a weekend effort, not a Tuesday scramble.
- Only one pan to wash when you’re done. That alone is worth it, right?
Quick Prep and Cook Times for the Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
When I say quick, I mean it. You’re looking at maybe 10 minutes of actual chopping and seasoning work beforehand. Then, BAM! Fifteen minutes on the stove and the whole thing is ready. That’s 25 total minutes for dinner on the table. It’s honestly the definition of an easy chicken recipe because nothing needs pre-cooking or complicated steps.
One-Pan Wonder: Minimal Cleanup for Your Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
This is the best part for tired cooks like me. It’s a true skillet dinner. Everything happens right there in that one large pan—the chicken searing, the garlic blooming, the sauce reducing, and the gnocchi simmering. When the parsley goes in last, you just wipe off your spoon and you’re done. Less scrubbing means more time for relaxing!
Essential Ingredients for the Perfect Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
To get that amazing, velvety sauce we love in our easy chicken recipe, you have to respect the measurements here. It’s a short list, which is another huge win for speed, but using the right stuff keeps the flavor profile spot-on. You need one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut up into those perfect little bite-sized pieces. Four cloves of garlic is non-negotiable—don’t even think about using the jarred stuff here; we need fresh minced garlic for that punch! Then we build the sauce with one cup of chicken broth, half a cup of heavy cream, and definitely half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Don’t forget your potato gnocchi—a full pound package, of course.
If you’re interested in tweaking a few things for syrups or other bases, I have a great simple syrup recipe you might want to keep handy, but for this savory dish, stick to the list!
Ingredient Substitutions for Your Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
Life happens, and the grocery store doesn’t always cooperate! If you don’t have chicken breasts, please don’t stress. Chicken thighs work just as beautifully here; they stay juicy, which is always a plus. If you find heavy cream a little too rich for your liking, or maybe you just ran out mid-recipe (who hasn’t?), you can substitute it with half-and-half. It won’t be quite as thick, but it keeps the sauce wonderfully creamy without being overly heavy. Also, if you have dried herbs on hand instead of fresh parsley, use about two teaspoons mixed in with the Parmesan cheese—it still adds that nice pop of color at the end!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
You won’t believe how straightforward this is, but paying attention to these little details is what makes the sauce taste like it simmered all day long! Remember, you’re cooking this whole easy chicken recipe in about 15 minutes once everything is prepped, so move with purpose!
Searing the Chicken and Building the Garlic Base for the Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
First things first, toss your bite-sized chicken pieces with salt and pepper—we want them seasoned well before they hit the heat! Get that tablespoon of olive oil hot in your big skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for about five to seven minutes until it’s nicely browned all over and cooked through. scoop it out and set it aside for a minute—don’t wipe the pan!
Now, drop that minced garlic right into those meaty drippings! Cook it fast, just one minute until you can really smell it. This is where the flavor starts. Next, pour in your cup of chicken broth and get busy scraping up all those wonderful sticky brown spots stuck to the bottom of the pan. That’s pure flavor gold, trust me!
Simmering the Gnocchi and Finishing the Cream Sauce in the Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
Okay, time for the fun part! Stir in your pound of gnocchi and the heavy cream. Let that simmer for three to five minutes—or however long your package says—until those little potato dumplings puff up and start floating to the top. They should feel tender when you test one.
Once the gnocchi is happy, nestle that cooked chicken right back into the skillet. Now, stir in that half cup of Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring until the sauce really starts embracing everything and thickens up just a bit. You might need a tiny sprinkle more salt or pepper here, so taste it! Finally, pull it off the heat and stir in that beautiful fresh parsley. Dinner is officially done!
Expert Tips for the Best Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet Results
You’re going to nail this recipe, but I have a few little tricks I’ve learned over the years that make the difference between good and *amazing*. First, when you’re searing the chicken—and this is important—don’t pile it all in there at once! If you overcrowd the pan, the chicken steams instead of searing, and you lose that beautiful brown crust we need for flavor. Cook it in batches if you have to.
When the gnocchi cooks, watch it closely. You want it tender, but if you cook it too long before adding the cheese, it gets mushy fast. Pull it right as it floats, slightly before you think it’s ready, because it will keep cooking in the hot sauce. Speaking of sauce, if you find your broth is evaporating too quickly before the gnocchi is done, don’t panic! Just add a splash more—you can even use water in a pinch if you’re out of broth. It’s always better to add a little liquid than end up with a thick, pasty mess.
And one last thing! Adding the Parmesan right at the end, off the heat or on very low heat, keeps that sauce silky smooth. If you crank the heat up once the cheese is in, you risk it getting grainy. I learned that the hard way years ago! If you’re looking for more simple tips on avoiding kitchen mishaps, you might find my advice on ice tea mistakes surprisingly relevant to cooking heat retention!
Serving Suggestions for Your Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
Now that you’ve made this heavenly skillet dinner, you need something simple on the side to balance out all that creamy goodness. You definitely don’t want anything heavy competing with the gnocchi!
My favorite go-to is an incredibly simple side salad. Just some mixed greens with a bright, tart vinaigrette—maybe lemon and olive oil—to cut through the richness of that garlic cream sauce. It’s the perfect palate cleanser!
If you need something more substantial for dipping into every last bit of sauce left in the bottom of your bowl, grab a fresh baguette. Seriously, tear off chunks and use it to soak up everything. You can even toast those chunks up and toss them with some herbs to make homemade croutons, which are fantastic sprinkled right on top of the skillet meal!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
You’re probably going to have leftovers because this recipe makes a good amount, but if you’re worried about them getting gummy, I have good news! Store the leftovers right away in an airtight container—no more than three or four days max in the fridge. Honestly, I’ve never kept it longer than that because it disappears.
When it comes to reheating, skip the microwave if you can! The microwave heats unevenly and sometimes turns the gnocchi into little sticky blobs. For the best texture, put your portion back into a small skillet over medium-low heat. You will absolutely need to splash in a tiny bit of broth or even just water—maybe a tablespoon or two—to loosen up that creamy sauce that got so thick overnight. Stir it gently until it’s steaming hot, and it practically tastes brand new!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
I get so many questions about tweaking this recipe, which is fantastic! It just shows how much you all love making this quick mix dinner. Here are some of the things I hear most often about getting the best results from our **Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet**.
Can I make this Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet vegetarian?
Oh yes, you absolutely can! That chicken is easy to replace while keeping the unbelievable flavor from the garlic cream sauce. If you want to keep it vegetarian, treat mushrooms or chickpeas like your protein. Sauté about eight ounces of sliced mushrooms (cremini or button work great) in that olive oil until they get nice and brown before you add the garlic. Or, if you use white beans—like cannellini—just drain and rinse them well and add them in right when you return the ‘chicken’ back to the pan (Step 6). You get that hearty texture without the meat!
What type of gnocchi works best in this skillet recipe?
For the absolute best texture that cooks perfectly in that 3-to-5-minute simmering window, I always prefer the shelf-stable or fresh potato gnocchi you find in the bags near the pasta section. They hold up really well to the heat and the sauce!
Frozen gnocchi will work in a pinch, believe me, I’ve done it! However, frozen dumplings let out a lot more water when they thaw and cook. If you use frozen, you might need to simmer them a minute or two longer, and you might need to reduce your initial chicken broth slightly, just so your sauce doesn’t end up too watery.
Estimated Nutritional Snapshot for Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
I always like to give an idea of what you’re looking at when you sit down to enjoy this amazing skillet dinner. Remember, since we’re using regular heavy cream and Parmesan, it’s rich, but worth every bite!
Based on serving four people, you’re looking at roughly 550 calories per serving. It packs a solid 35 grams of protein, about 45 grams of carbohydrates, and 28 grams of fat. These numbers are estimates, of course, depending on how much cheese you sneak in when nobody is looking! But hey, for a meal this comforting and quick, those numbers look pretty darn good to me.
Share Your Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet Creations
Okay, now that you’ve tried the speed and flavor of this amazing **Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet**, I desperately want to hear about it!
Did you manage to get it on the table in under 25 minutes? Did you use chicken thighs like I suggested, or stick to the breasts? Don’t be shy! Head down to the comments section and give this recipe a star rating—it helps so much when other busy cooks are looking for a reliable quick dinner!
And please, snap a picture! Seriously, the lighting in my kitchen never does this creamy richness justice, so I love seeing your photos. Tag me when you post them! It makes my day to see this simple skillet dinner becoming a staple in your home too. If you have any burning questions or feedback that the FAQ didn’t cover, you can always reach out to me directly via my contact page!
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Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
A quick skillet meal featuring chicken, gnocchi, and a garlic sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb package potato gnocchi
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add minced garlic to the same skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the gnocchi and heavy cream. Cook according to gnocchi package directions, usually about 3-5 minutes, until the gnocchi floats and is tender.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Stir in fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts.
- For a lighter sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 110
Keywords: Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet, chicken gnocchi, skillet dinner, easy chicken recipe, weeknight meal