Name: One Pan Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 tsp Italian seasoning; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 16 oz potato gnocchi; 1 cup baby bella mushrooms (sliced); 1 small onion (finely diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup chicken broth; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly shredded); 2 cups fresh spinach; fresh parsley (for garnish)

Jump to Recipe

I made this the first time because I had a package of gnocchi sitting in the pantry and no plan for it. Turns out gnocchi and a Parmesan cream sauce were made for each other — the potato dumplings soak up the sauce instead of just sitting next to it like pasta does. One pan, one pot to wash, chicken thighs that stay juicy because they go back in at the end instead of overcooking in the sauce. This is the kind of dinner that looks like it took effort and didn’t.

Why This Works

The order of operations here matters more than it looks like it should. Searing the chicken first and pulling it out — instead of leaving it in the pot the whole time — is what keeps it from turning rubbery. Chicken thighs left simmering in cream sauce for 25+ minutes straight will overcook past the point of being tender; pulling them out and adding them back for the last 5 minutes just to heat through and finish cooking keeps them from drying out.

The gnocchi cooking directly in the broth-and-cream mixture (instead of being boiled separately and added later) does two things: it thickens the sauce with the starch coming off the dumplings, and the gnocchi actually tastes like something instead of being a bland vehicle for sauce. Skip this step — boil the gnocchi on the side — and you lose both.

Ingredients

Chicken Thighs

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Creamy Sauce and Gnocchi

16 oz potato gnocchi
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
2 cups fresh spinach
Fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Season the chicken thighs with the Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken thighs about 5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through — internal temp should hit 165°F. A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of this part.
Pull the chicken out and set it aside.
In the same pot, add the diced onion. Sauté until translucent — add a splash more olive oil if the pot looks dry.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir it all together.
Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and soften up.
Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then add the gnocchi.
Stir well and let it simmer 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
Stir in the Parmesan and spinach until the spinach wilts down.
Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan.
Cover, drop the heat to low, and cook 5 more minutes, until the sauce is bubbling gently around the chicken.
Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan if you want it.
Serve hot, spooning sauce and gnocchi over the chicken.

Prep, Cook, and Servings

Servings: 3
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Equipment: Cast iron skillet, meat thermometer

Tips

A cast iron skillet holds heat evenly, which matters most in step 3 — an even sear means you’re not fishing around for undercooked spots later.
Don’t skip the thermometer. Chicken thighs are forgiving, but 165°F is still the number that matters, not a color or a “feels done” guess.
If the sauce looks thin after step 9, give it another minute or two — the gnocchi keeps releasing starch and thickens things up on its own.

Variations

Swap the mushrooms for sun-dried tomatoes if you want something brighter and more acidic against the cream — this one’s worth trying. Skip swapping the heavy cream for half-and-half, though; the sauce breaks more easily and never gets back to that same body.

Make-Ahead Notes

The chicken and sauce don’t hold up well made fully ahead — gnocchi turns gluey as it sits in the fridge overnight, and reheating never quite brings the sauce back to its first-cook texture. Prepping the chopped onion, garlic, and sliced mushrooms ahead of time is fine; do the actual cooking same-day.

FAQ

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? You can, but thighs are the better choice here — they stay juicier through the second cook in step 12, while breasts dry out faster in that same window.

Do I need to boil the gnocchi first? No — that’s actually the point of this recipe. The gnocchi cooks directly in the broth and cream, which thickens the sauce and flavors the dumplings at the same time.

What can I use instead of baby bella mushrooms? White button mushrooms work as a straight swap. Cremini and baby bella are actually the same mushroom at different stages, so you’re not losing much either way.

Is this recipe freezer-friendly? Not one I’d recommend. Cream sauces tend to split once thawed, and gnocchi gets mushy in the freezer-thaw cycle — better to just make it fresh.

Closing Thoughts

This one’s become a go-to for pairing with a simple green salad and crusty bread for mopping up the extra sauce — which, if you’ve made this before, you know there’s rarely much of left in the pan.

About the Author

I’m Kima, and I test every recipe on Kima Recipe in my own kitchen before it goes up — one-pan dinners like this are where I spend most of my weeknight cooking time.

Kima