Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with Chicken (Printable)

Tender gnocchi in creamy pesto sauce with pan-seared chicken bites. A delicious Italian comfort dish ready in just 35 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Gnocchi

05 - 18 oz store-bought potato gnocchi

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup basil pesto
10 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh basil leaves
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Preparation steps:

01 - Coat chicken cubes evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and sauté for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add gnocchi and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp on the exterior.
04 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour heavy cream into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring continuously to deglaze the pan.
06 - Stir in basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce achieves a smooth, creamy consistency.
07 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet and toss all ingredients until evenly coated with sauce. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The pan-crisped gnocchi gives you this incredible texture contrast—creamy sauce meets golden crispy edges thatll make you wonder why you ever boiled gnocchi
  • Its the kind of dinner that makes people ask whats in this because the layers of flavor feel sophisticated but the prep is honestly foolproof
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken or the gnocchi—work in batches if needed so everything actually browns instead of steaming
  • The sauce will thicken as it sits off the heat, so if it looks too loose while cooking, give it a minute to rest before adding more cream
03 -
  • Pat the chicken and gnocchi dry before cooking—excess moisture prevents proper browning and you'll miss out on that crispy texture
  • Let the cream come to room temperature before adding to prevent it from breaking when it hits the hot pan
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