Garlic Chicken Gnocchi Skillet Recipe

When you're craving a restaurant-quality meal without the complicated prep, this garlic chicken gnocchi skillet is your secret weapon. You'll transform simple ingredients into a mouthwatering dish that looks far more impressive than its easy technique suggests. With just one pan and less than 30 minutes, you'll create a meal that'll have everyone asking for seconds—and the recipe. Curious how such a delicious dinner comes together so effortlessly?

Recipe Highlights

• A quick one-skillet Garlic Chicken Gnocchi can be prepared in under 30 minutes using just a few simple ingredients like chicken, gnocchi, garlic, and chicken broth.
• The cooking process involves searing chicken in butter, adding minced garlic, deglazing with broth, and simmering gnocchi until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
• This versatile recipe allows for easy customization with optional garnishes like fresh parsley, grated cheese, and potential herb additions such as basil or thyme.
• Proper skillet techniques include preheating, using medium heat, maintaining even cooking, and ensuring chicken is golden brown and cooked through before adding other ingredients.
• The dish offers a restaurant-quality meal that is perfect for weeknight dinners, requiring minimal cleanup and providing a delicious balance of flavors and textures.

History

Although gnocchi traces its roots back to ancient Rome, the modern potato gnocchi we know today emerged in Northern Italy during the 16th century, after Spanish explorers introduced potatoes from the New World.

You'll find that these delightful little dumplings quickly became a staple in Italian cuisine, transforming regional cooking techniques. Traditionally, families would hand-roll each gnocchi, creating soft, pillowy morsels that melted in your mouth.

As Italian immigrants spread across the globe, they brought this treasured recipe with them, adapting it to local ingredients and tastes. The technique of making gnocchi requires skill and patience, with each region developing its own unique variation.

Whether served with simple butter and sage or in rich, complex sauces, gnocchi represents a beautiful culinary tradition that continues to evolve and delight food lovers worldwide.

Recipe

Elevate your weeknight dinner with this simple yet elegant Garlic Chicken Gnocchi, a comforting one-skillet meal that combines tender chicken, soft pillowy gnocchi, and the rich, aromatic essence of garlic. This recipe transforms a handful of basic ingredients into a restaurant-quality dish that's both satisfying and quick to prepare.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility and ease of preparation. By cooking everything in a single skillet, you'll minimize cleanup while maximizing flavor, creating a harmonious blend of textures and tastes that will have everyone at the table asking for seconds.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound potato gnocchi
• 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: Fresh parsley for garnish

Begin by heating butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they're golden brown and cooked through, which should take approximately 5-6 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper during cooking to enhance its flavor.

Next, add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic. Pour in the chicken broth and gently add the gnocchi, stirring to combine all ingredients. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is tender and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency.

When preparing this dish, remember that gnocchi can quickly become gummy if overcooked, so watch it carefully during the simmering process. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash more chicken broth to achieve your desired consistency.

For best results, use uniformly cut chicken pieces and serve the dish immediately while the sauce is hot and creamy.

Cooking Steps

Start by heating butter in a large skillet over medium heat, letting it melt and create a golden base for your chicken.

Add your minced garlic and chicken pieces, cooking them until the chicken develops a beautiful golden-brown color and the garlic becomes wonderfully fragrant.

Pour in the chicken broth, gently stir in your gnocchi, and let everything simmer together until the gnocchi becomes tender and the sauce reaches a luxurious, creamy consistency.

Step 1. Heat Butter in Skillet

Melt butter gently in a large skillet over medium heat, ensuring an even, consistent temperature that will help brown the chicken without burning.

You'll want to choose a skillet that's wide and deep enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably.

Watch the butter carefully as it transforms from solid to liquid, noting its subtle color changes. The goal is achieving a light golden hue without scorching—keep the heat moderate and swirl the pan occasionally to distribute heat evenly.

You're creating a flavorful foundation for your entire dish, so precision matters.

A heavy-bottomed skillet works best for even heat distribution. Cast iron or stainless steel pans are ideal, providing excellent heat control and helping develop a beautiful, golden-brown sear on your chicken pieces.

Step 2. Add Minced Garlic

Sprinkle the minced garlic into the skillet with the golden-brown chicken, and let its aromatic essence begin transforming the dish. The moment the garlic hits the hot pan, you'll notice an immediate fragrance that signals the next flavor layer developing.

Quickly move the garlic around the pan, ensuring it doesn't burn—30 seconds is your golden window for releasing those intense, savory notes without creating bitter undertones.

• Use precise, even movements
• Watch for a light golden color
• Listen for a subtle sizzling sound

The minced cloves will soften and become translucent, releasing their natural oils and infusing the chicken with an irresistible depth. Stirring constantly prevents scorching and guarantees an even, rich garlic flavor throughout your skillet.

Step 3. Add Chicken Pieces

Because tender, evenly cooked chicken is the cornerstone of a delicious skillet meal, you'll want to prepare your chicken pieces with precision and care.

Start by selecting boneless, skinless chicken breasts and using a sharp knife to cut them into uniform, bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch cubes). This ensures consistent cooking and prevents some pieces from becoming dry while others remain undercooked.

• Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture
• Season generously with salt and black pepper
• Aim for even-sized chunks to guarantee uniform cooking

When your skillet is heated to medium and butter is melted, carefully add the chicken.

Let the pieces sear without overcrowding, allowing each chunk to develop a golden-brown exterior that locks in moisture and flavor.

Step 4. Pour in Chicken Broth

After searing your chicken to golden perfection, it's time to create the foundation of your sauce by pouring in the chicken broth. Measure out exactly 1 cup of broth, ensuring it's at room temperature to prevent temperature shock in the pan.

Slowly pour the broth around the chicken and garlic, allowing it to sizzle and begin deglazing the skillet's flavorful browned bits. The liquid will start to create a light, aromatic sauce that will help tenderize the chicken and provide moisture for cooking the gnocchi.

Watch as the broth begins to shimmer and steam, releasing the concentrated flavors of the garlic and creating a rich, inviting base for your skillet meal. This step is crucial for building depth of flavor.

Step 5. Stir Gnocchi Until Tender

Once the chicken broth shimmers with aromatic promise, it's time to introduce your gnocchi to the skillet's warm embrace. Gently stir the pillowy potato dumplings into the liquid, ensuring each piece gets coated with the fragrant broth and garlic. Let them simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking:

• Keep heat at medium-low
• Move gnocchi delicately with a wooden spoon
• Watch for subtle signs of doneness:
• Slight puffing
• Soft, tender texture
• Light golden edges

Within 4-5 minutes, your gnocchi should transform from raw to perfectly cooked. They'll absorb the rich chicken broth, becoming plump and tender.

The starch will naturally thicken the sauce, creating a creamy, luxurious coating that clings to each soft potato dumpling.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're a home cook looking for a quick weeknight meal or someone wanting to impress dinner guests, this garlic chicken gnocchi recipe offers something truly special.

You'll find the dish remarkably versatile, easily adaptable to personal taste preferences and dietary needs. Consider experimenting with additional herbs like fresh basil or thyme, which can elevate the flavor profile and add visual appeal.

Pro tips for success include maintaining medium heat while cooking, ensuring uniform chicken pieces, and not overcrowding your skillet.