Creamy Pesto Baked Gnocchi & Chicken Skillet Recipe
This Creamy Pesto Baked Gnocchi & Chicken Skillet is a flavorful one-pan dish featuring tender seared chicken breasts baked with fluffy gnocchi, grape tomatoes, and a luscious pesto cream sauce. Finished with melted mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and toasted pine nuts, this recipe combines Italian-inspired ingredients into an easy, comforting meal ready in under an hour.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken & Seasonings
- 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb. total)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking & Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 (17-oz.) package refrigerated or shelf-stable gnocchi
- 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought pesto, divided
- 6 oz. mozzarella, torn (optional)
Garnishes
- Torn fresh basil leaves
- Lightly toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Preheat and Season Chicken: Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Pat the chicken breasts dry, then season both sides with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook, turning occasionally, until they develop a golden brown crust, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Once browned, transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Sauté Aromatics & Tomatoes: In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the thinly sliced onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened and tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the halved grape tomatoes and white wine, stirring and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine mostly evaporates and the tomatoes begin to wilt, roughly 2 minutes.
- Prepare Sauce & Add Gnocchi: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and heavy cream, then bring everything to a boil. Stir in the gnocchi, making sure they are evenly distributed. Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet among the gnocchi and sauce.
- Bake Chicken & Gnocchi: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the chicken is fully cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove Chicken & Add Pesto and Cheese: Take the skillet out and transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board to rest. Stir 2 tablespoons of pesto into the gnocchi and sauce mixture. Scatter the torn mozzarella evenly on top if using, then return the skillet to the oven for an additional 4 minutes or until the pesto is warmed and the cheese has melted.
- Slice & Serve: Let the skillet cool slightly. Thinly slice the rested chicken breasts and arrange the slices back into the skillet with the gnocchi. Dollop the remaining 6 tablespoons of pesto over the top. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and lightly toasted pine nuts before serving.
Notes
- Using fresh pesto elevates the flavor, but store-bought pesto works well in a pinch.
- Gnocchi can be either refrigerated or shelf-stable, but ensure they are fresh and pliable for best texture.
- For a lighter option, omit the heavy cream and mozzarella cheese.
- Lightly toasting pine nuts in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes enhances their nutty flavor.
- Make sure to use a straight-sided oven-safe skillet to move from stovetop to oven easily.
Keywords: pesto chicken gnocchi skillet, baked gnocchi recipe, creamy pesto chicken, one-pan chicken dinner, Italian skillet recipes
