Chicken and Butternut Gnocchi

04

I love this gnocchi. It has pesto (so you can’t go wrong), butternut squash (which my kids especially love), chicken thighs (> breasts), and it’s easy to make. The worst part is peeling and dicing a butternut squash (you have my full permission to buy the already-diced squash at the supermarket).

The original recipe calls for sauteing the squash, but when I did that I found that 1: it took forever and 2: was not the texture I wanted. So, every time I have made this after the first time (which has actually been quite a few times!) I’ve roasted the squash. It tastes better, holds its shape and texture better, and is pretty hands-off.

In this recipe, the gnocchi are essentially toasted in a (mostly) dry skillet for a couple minutes and then finish cooking in the broth, just for another minute or two. I am historically not the best at cooking gnocchi (I feel like I always overcook it and/or somehow make it…gummy?) but this method works much better than boiling gnocchi, for sure. Also, the last time we had this my husband got gnochetti (mini gnocchi) and in addition to being very adorable they were also just better all around. Easier to get a bit of everything in each bite, and a better texture all around.

Chicken and Butternut Gnocchi

  • 10 minutes
  • 30 minutes
  • 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 3 cups; seeds removed)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (18 oz.) package of gnocchi
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
  • 3-4 Tbsp. pesto
  • 5 oz. baby spinach or arugula
  • grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 425. Toss the diced butternut squash with one tablespoon of the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden brown, turning halfway through, about 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and then cook alongside the onion until the onion is softened and the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Place the entire mixture in a bowl.
  3. Add the gnocchi to the skillet, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth, pesto, sage, chicken mixture, and cooked squash, tossing gently to combine; cook 1 minute. Season to taste and top with grated Parmesan.
Adapted from Cooking Light
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4 thoughts on “Chicken and Butternut Gnocchi

  1. Stumbled upon your blog in my quest for Greek orzo recipes. My dad is Greek but my mom is not, so the struggle to make Greek food is real (I’m a Chicagoan, too)!! I’ve book marked quite a few of your recipes already–. everything looks great, even the non-Greek recipes like this one! 🙂

  2. This is my first time trying out the gnocchi and I really want it to come well. I went through many other recipes but everywhere, it said to boil gnocchi. But you are suggesting it toast it. I am going to try your method, so can you please say how long I must toast it and how will the outcome be.

    1. You only need to cook/toast it for about 3 minutes. It continues cooking a bit as you add the remaining ingredients/toss and cook an additional minute or two.

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