Description
Creamy Italian-inspired gnocchi skillet blends tender chicken and homemade pesto in one comforting pan. Quick weeknight dinner delivers rich flavors and satisfying textures you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound potato or cauliflower gnocchi
- 2 (9 ounces / 255 grams) Perdue Short Cuts Original Roasted Carved Chicken Breast
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces (170 grams) fresh baby spinach leaves
- 4 ounces (113 grams) goat cheese, crumbled
Seasoning and Flavoring:
- 6 tablespoons store-bought pesto
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Garnish (Optional):
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and/or basil
Instructions
- Create a bubbling cauldron of water in a large pot, ensuring it reaches a rolling boil.
- Delicately submerge the gnocchi into the skillet, cascading boiling water to completely envelop them, then sprinkle salt and allow them to bathe for half a minute.
- Rescue the gnocchi using a perforated utensil, transferring them to a separate vessel and gently coating with olive oil, letting them rest momentarily before introducing an additional layer of pesto.
- Carefully extract a half-cup of the aromatic cooking liquid, then discard the remaining water.
- Position the skillet over medium flame and introduce the chicken, stirring until it reaches a warm temperature.
- Incorporate fresh spinach, gently wilting the leaves until they become tender and vibrant.
- Fold in juicy cherry tomatoes and remaining pesto, creating a harmonious blend of flavors.
- If the mixture appears parched, introduce reserved cooking water to maintain moisture.
- Tenderly fold the pesto-coated gnocchi into the skillet, ensuring each morsel is heated through.
- Artfully scatter crumbled goat cheese across the surface of the dish.
- Optional: Embellish with delicate herbs like parsley or basil for a final touch of freshness.
Notes
- Quick par-cooking softens gnocchi without making them mushy, ensuring perfect texture in the final dish.
- Reserved cooking water acts as a secret weapon to control sauce consistency and add subtle starchy depth to the skillet.
- Gently tossing gnocchi with pesto before combining creates a luxurious pre-coating that enhances overall flavor distribution.
- Wilting spinach briefly maintains its vibrant color and prevents becoming soggy or losing nutritional value.
- Warming chicken first ensures even heat throughout the skillet and prevents cooling down other ingredients.
- Goat cheese adds a creamy, tangy finish that beautifully complements the rich pesto and bright tomatoes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg