Chicken Gnocchi Pasta (ONE Skillet!)

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This restaurant-quality creamy Chicken Gnocchi Pasta with mushrooms and spinach can all be made in ONE skillet!

We love easy one-skillet dinners! Try some other popular one-pan meals next like this Creamy Tuna Pasta, Sweet Potato Burrito Bowl, or this sheet pan Italian Sausage and Veggies.

Chicken Gnocchi Pasta

Chicken Gnocchi Pasta

This is a meal dressed to impress with relatively little effort. The total hands-on prep time you are looking at is about 20 minutes, especially with some short-cuts I’ll share more about below.

Chicken Gnocchi Pasta all starts with some quick sautéed veggies, a ridiculously simple cream sauce, and then everything else gets added in the skillet and baked. Easy enough right?!

This dish is ultra creamy, totally comforting, and deeply savory — it’s like this Chicken Gnocchi Soup in casserole form!

QUICK TIP

In case you aren’t familiar, gnocchi is a traditional Italian type of pasta. They’re soft, pillowy, thick, and fairly small. Gnocchi are typically made with semolina, white flour, or a mix of both, but the main ingredient remains consistent — they’re always made with potatoes! Gnocchi are tender, light, and taste like a mix between dumplings and pasta. Although the main ingredient is potato, they don’t taste overwhelmingly like a potato — in fact, plain gnocchi don’t have a very strong flavor. This is what makes them so versatile and excellent for carrying other flavors in surrounding ingredients or sauces.

Process shots-- images of the onions, mushrooms, and garlics being sautéed.

Recipe Shortcuts

  • Use pre-sliced produce. Most grocery stores sell already sliced mushrooms and finely diced yellow onions in the produce section of the store. Pick these two ingredients and you won’t need to do any veggie chopping!
  • Buy jarred garlic or a garlic press. Instead of mincing your own garlic, use jarred to save time. Alternatively, a garlic press gets you fresh minced garlic in a fraction of the time that hand mincing takes.
  • Bring home rotisserie chicken. It’s the big time-saving “secret” for Chicken Gnocchi Pasta! Instead of cooking and chopping chicken, get a seasoned rotisserie chicken from the store and all you need to do is chop it up for this recipe (or see the “quick tip” box below).

QUICK TIP

Did you know you can buy rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded or chopped? I’ve seen it at Costco, Smith’s (Kroger), Trader Joe’s, and Walmart. It’s a little bit more spendy, but if you’re in a real hurry, this saves even more time! Costco also sells fully cooked chicken breast bites which are another great option for Chicken Gnocchi Pasta.

Process shots-- creating a roux for Chicken Gnocchi Pasta

Ingredient Tips

  • Use high-quality stock or broth. The better the stock, the richer this meal will taste. We love Swanson’s Chicken Stock® best (not sponsored).
  • Pick whole milk. While 1% or 2% milk will work, I highly recommend whole milk in this recipe — we don’t find it creamy or flavorful enough with lower fat percentages of milk. I have not personally tried dairy alternatives in this recipe, but again, I doubt it would be creamy enough.
  • Choose your favorite shelf-stable gnocchi. While no store-bought gnocchi can ever compare to homemade, the cream sauce does infuse it with lots of flavor. As the gnocchi bake, they get deliciously tender. To decide what gnocchi to purchase, here is a list of the top sellers on Amazon and a list of taste tester’s favorites. My local grocery store doesn’t have a huge selection, but Gia Russa® Gnocchi is typically my go-to.
  • Buy a well-seasoned rotisserie chicken. This recipe doesn’t have a lot of seasonings, so we’re definitely depending on flavorful seasoned chicken.

Process shots-- making the sauce

Chicken Gnocchi Pasta Tips

  • Prep everything before you start cooking. This is a dish where the cooking goes pretty quickly, so you want to make sure to have everything ready to go before starting.
  • Coarsely chop the baby spinach. While the spinach doesn’t have to be chopped it does integrate better in the dish. Plus, you’ll get spinach in more bites and the smaller pieces are easier to eat.
  • Use a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it on the small holes of the cheese grater. Measure loosely. I don’t recommend jarred or canned Parmesan cheese — the flavor will be overpowering and too salty.
  • Cook this dish in an oven-safe skillet. This way you can directly transfer from stovetop to oven — no additional dishes needed. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, I’d recommend a 9×13-inch pan for baking after assembling.
  • Broil. High heat at the end gives the gnocchi a slightly crisp texture which is divine! Watch carefully when broiling — everything can go from perfectly golden to burnt in a matter of seconds.

Process shots-- adding gnocchi and chicken to the mix

Chicken Gnocchi Pasta Side Dish Suggestions

Another nice thing about this recipe is that it’s really got everything you need in one skillet — veggies, protein, and carbs! It’s a great, well-balanced meal. That said, here are some side-dish serving suggestions:

Process shots--Finishing the Chicken Gnocchi Pasta

Storage

Because of the amount of dairy in this dish, it is not a great candidate for freezing and thawing. It will become grainy when thawed.

Overall, Chicken Gnocchi Pasta is best enjoyed the same day it’s made. Leftovers get a bit mushy — the gnocchi continues to absorb the sauce and bloats.

Chicken Gnocchi Pasta

More ways to use rotisserie chicken

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Chicken Gnocchi Pasta

4.94 from 33 votes
This restaurant-quality creamy Chicken Gnocchi Pasta with mushrooms and spinach can all be made in ONE skillet!
Print Recipe

Chicken Gnocchi Pasta

4.94 from 33 votes
This restaurant-quality creamy Chicken Gnocchi Pasta with mushrooms and spinach can all be made in ONE skillet!
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Chicken Gnocchi Pasta
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 586kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (We like cremini)
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (1 cup)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (~2-3 cloves)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup white, all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Fine sea salt and pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional (only add if you like heat!)
  • 2 cups whole milk Note 1
  • 1 and 1/4 cups Swanson's chicken stock Note 2
  • 1 package (16 oz.) gnocchi
  • 2 cups prepared rotisserie chicken, chopped
  • 2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (plus more for topping individual bowls if desire)
  • Optional: fresh parsley

Instructions

  • PREP: Move a rack in your oven to the upper third of the oven and then preheat to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
  • ONION, MUSHROOM, AND GARLIC: Place a large oven-safe pan (I use a deep 12-inch cast iron skillet) on the stove over medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sliced mushrooms. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is transparent and mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Transfer this mixture to a bowl or plate and set aside.
  • CREAM BASE: Keeping the heat at medium-high, add the butter in the skillet and melt. Once melted, add in the flour and whisk until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly for about 1-2 minutes. Add in the chicken bouillon, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Add cayenne pepper if desired.
  • CREAM BASE CONT.: Very gradually whisk in the chicken broth and then the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (about 5-7 minutes). If using a cast iron skillet, the cream base can settle on the bottom and not thicken properly, so be sure to scrape the bottom and whisk near constantly.
  • BAKE: Add in the chopped chicken, uncooked gnocchi (break apart any that are stuck together), cooked mushroom and onion mixture, and coarsely chopped spinach. Stir until everything is coated in cream sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and place in the oven. Bake for 18-25 minutes. If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes for a delicious crispy top. Watch closely -- it can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds!
  • ENJOY: Remove from the oven, gently stir, and let stand for about 5 to 10 minutes to slightly cool and thicken. (It's very creamy right out of the oven, but thickens as it stands.) Taste and add any additional salt/pepper as needed. Top with fresh parsley if desired. Serve and top individual bowls with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Milk: While 1% or 2% milk will work, I highly recommend whole milk in this recipe — we don’t find it creamy or flavorful enough with lower fat percentages of milk. I have not personally tried dairy alternatives in this recipe, but again, I doubt it would be creamy enough.
Note 2: Chicken stock: The better the stock, the richer this meal will taste. We love Swanson’s Chicken Stock® best (not sponsored).

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1178mg | Potassium: 915mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7965IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 436mg | Iron: 6mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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Recipe Rating




72 Comments

  1. This looks positively to die for, Chelsea! I can’t wait to make it, which I will be doing ASAP. I’m sharing on FB and Twitter!

    1. Tried this tonight. It was great and very filling. Had to swap out the Mushrooms with Yellow Squash as I’m allergic too Mushrooms.
      Will make again!

  2. Rotisserie chicken is seriously the most magical and amazing kitchen hack ever! This looks so delicious and would definitely make for the perfect weeknight dinner!

  3. Oh my gosh, this has to be the best gnocchi I’ve ever tasted! I’m not even a great cook, I barely started learning. However, I was able to make this without any problem and the outcome was just beautiful. The second I tasted it, I couldn’t stop eating. My taste buds were going crazy because this was just so delicious. Thank you!!

  4. 5 stars
    Making this as I type- looks and smells amazing! Just an FYI, I’m not seeing where you added back in the onion/mushroom mixture so I just assumed before baking along with all the other ingredients.. hope that’s correct!

    1. Yes correct!! I updated the recipe, thank you for pointing that out to me Julie 🙂 Hope you loved it!

    1. Hi Lisa! I’m so happy you liked the lemon chicken and asparagus dish! I hope you love this one 🙂

  5. 5 stars
    My mom came over for dinner this past weekend and I made this for us – she could not stop raving about how amazing it tasted and I could not stop reaching for seconds.. and thirds.. and you get the point 🙂 It was fantastic, super easy to make and full of incredible flavors. I used fresh gnocchi from the refrigerator section at my grocery store and shredded rotisserie chicken.. I’ll be making this again for sure!

    1. I’m so thrilled this was a huge hit! 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment Natalie; I always love reading your reviews on so many of my recipes you’ve tried — makes my day!

  6. This reminds me a lot of a chicken gnocchi soup recipe I love!!! I cannot wait to try this!!! Had anyone had a side that goes perfectly with this or is it more than enough on its own?

  7. 5 stars
    Just made this tonight with the help from my son. It was delicious. We did add the cayenne pepper which gave it that nice bit of heat. My family absolutely loved it. Will definitely make this again. This recipe is a keeper!

    1. I’m so happy this recipe makes it in the “keeper pile” 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment Michelle!

  8. I made this tonight and it was easy and delicious! My husband had 3 helpings and the first three bites he took he said this is really good after each one. I will make this again and again. Thanks for posting!

    1. Julie! This makes me so happy! Glad you and your husband enjoyed! It’s definitely one of our favorites too!

  9. 5 stars
    This was tonight’s dinner. Chelsea, this was fabulous and I thank you. You all need to make this! Like a rustic Tuscan dinner. Delish! I used 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne and it was perfect. I also used refrigerated gnocchi vs. shelf stuff. And I let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. It thickened up perfectly. This is restaurant quality, for sure. Will make again. Definitely.

    1. What a compliment! I am so thrilled you enjoyed this dinner; thanks for the comment Jeanne! 🙂

  10. This looks delicious and I hope to make it tonight. I don’t have an oven safe skillet however. DO you think I’ll get the same results if I just transfer the mixture to a casserole dish after i mix everything together?

  11. 5 stars
    Amazing dish. Made this for my family tonight. My husband is a chef and i am always trying to impress him. We all really wnjoyed this and he was impressed. He said really Pintrest.?

    1. Haha!! So great to hear you were able to impress your husband with a Pinterest recipe 😉 Thanks so much for the comment Cat!

  12. Hi chelsea,
    This is amazing and can’t wait to make it, now!!! ?
    Quick question… Can I use buttermilk instead of the butter and flour mixture? Will be as creamy as your recipe? If so, how much would you recommend?
    Thank you ??

  13. 5 stars
    This was delicious! My husband raved about how good it was. I make my own ricotta gnocchi and freeze them and I’m always looking for new ways to use them. Thank you for sharing this recipe, i know I’ll be making it again. Thank you for the chicken seasoning recipe too, I had all the ingredients so I whipped that up too. It really gives it all the flavor.

  14. 5 stars
    Hi I was wondering, what are your thoughts on using homemade gnocchi” have you tried it” I would imagine you would have to cook the first before baking, this recipe sounds so delist x

    1. I haven’t tried homemade gnocchi in this recipe but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be delicious! 🙂

  15. 5 stars
    This was so easy and quick. I found this and decided to use up a bunch of leftovers. The remains of last nights chicken and a package of spinach, left over cream that I used with skim milk, bouillon cube instead of broth, gnocchi in the pantry waiting to find a use, canned mushrooms. It still tasted great and I didn’t have any appropriate cheese to substitute. I also used a dutch oven as I had no oven safe skillet. I will definitely make this again as it is SO flexible with what you have on hand.

  16. 4 stars
    I made this for dinner last week and I loved it! Hubby and I don’t like mushrooms, so I left them out and I simmered it on the stove instead of baking it. Still delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!

  17. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and it was delicious! Instead of using a rotisserie chicken, I cooked two chicken breasts in my Instant Pot, which made broth in the bottom of the pot that I used in place of the chicken stock. I also forgot to saute the garlic with the onions and mushrooms, but added it to the roux. Turned out great and will be added to our recipe rotation. Thank you!

  18. 5 stars
    When people ask me what my favorite food is, THIS is my answer! I’ve made the recipe 5 or 6 times now, and I’ve found that cooking the mushrooms and onions on med-low heat (it will take ~20 minutes) creates an incredibly robust flavor. I substituted McCormick’s Grill Mates Roasted Garlic & Herb seasoning for the chicken seasoning the second time I made this, and much preferred it over the sage based chicken seasoning I had used the first time. When I don’t get the chance to pick up a rotisserie chicken, I enjoy cooking marinated (I mostly use Italian dressing) chicken breasts in butter+garlic in the pan first, and that adds an even deeper flavor to the dish. My mouth is salivating just thinking about it;)

    1. Oh my gosh this made my day!! I’m so happy to hear this! It’s definitely one of my all time favorites too!! And I love all your tips, I need to try them! Thanks Anna!! 🙂

  19. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I also used a rotisserie chicken. My hubby & I both loved it. Thank YOU so much for sharing this recipe. It was “the maiden voyage” in my new cast iron skillet.

    1. YAYYY!!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this! And i’m so honored it got to be the first in your new cast iron! <3

  20. This looks amazing. Going to make it tomorrow. For the spinach, what do you use — Fresh baby spinach? Chopped frozen spinach, thawed? Thanks.

      1. 5 stars
        I made this tonight and it was a HUGE HIT. Delicious. Toddler and husband gobbled it up. Didn’t have rotisserie chicken so I sautéed some fresh before. Perfect amount for 2 hungry adults and toddler. We used Poultry Magic as the seasoning and it tasted like chicken and dumplings. Next time I might changing out that flavor for a different one to mix it up (but this was delicious). Thanks for the recipe.

  21. 5 stars
    EXCELLENT!!! JUST MADE IT LAST EVENING, I MADE A DOUBLE BATCH AND FROZE HALF OF IT. IF YOU DECIDE TO DO A DOUBLE RECIPE IT TAKES 40 MIN FOR PREP AND LONGER TO COOK

  22. 5 stars
    This was so good! My daughters have celiac so I used gluten free flour (King Arthur Measure for Measure) and gluten free gnocchi and it was so yummy!! Thank you for this recipe.

  23. 5 stars
    This was delicious. I added red pepper with the onions and mushrooms because when I opened the fridge to get the mushrooms the red pepper was there and I thought why not?
    I am thinking that next time I might use some frozen/thawed broccoli too. I like to add vegetables to dishes like this to really make it a one pan dish. Then I don’t have to make a salad. Maybe I’ll even add some frozen peas. No matter what this is going in my personal cookbook.

  24. 5 stars
    This was a fabulous recipe! I searched for a recipe based upon ingredients I had on hand. Will most definitely add this to my go to list of recipes. So glad I found this yummy meal!

  25. Sounds absolutely divine! I normally do not have chicken bouillon in my kitchen. Is there a substitute I can use? Thank you.

    1. I’m sorry I’m not sure what a great substitute would be here; the bouillon adds a lot!

  26. This recipe looks DEVINE! I wanted to say how much I appreciate the step-by-step pics for the recipes! Sometimes when I make a recipe it doesn’t turn out so it’s helpful to see what something should look like at certain stages. THANK YOU!!!

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