Creamy Chicken Gnocchi in a Spicy Roasted Pepper Sauce
A family favorite! Quick and simple to prepare, I use skillet gnocchi for this recipe, which is essentially a pre-cooked product that is now widely available in most supermarkets (an MKL superstar ingredient). However, this recipe can also be made with regular gnocchi as well, simply boil per the package directions in salty water, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 6 shallots, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 10-ounce jar roasted red peppers
- 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes and green chilis (use regular diced if you don’t like spicy)
- 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken stock concentrate or chicken base/bouillon
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 24 to 36 ounces skillet gnocchi or traditional gnocchi (typically two packages; see note)
- 10–ounces frozen spinach, thawed and very well squeezed/drained of water
- 5.2 ounce package of garlic and herb cheese spread (such as Boursin)
Instructions
- If you’re using traditional packaged gnocchi (not skillet gnocchi), boil it in salted water until just done, according to the package directions. Drain, and set aside for now (you can drizzle with oil to keep them from sticking).Â
- Add 2/3 of the sliced shallots and 1 cup of the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Slowly let them cook and frizzle away until they’re deeply browned and crispy, about 15 minutes, If they get too brown too fast, lower the heat. Transfer the crispy shallots to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving a couple tablespoons of the flavorful oil behind to cook the chicken. The rest can be saved for later use, but you’ll continue to use it as we cook through the recipe (see note).
- Meanwhile, put the whole jar of roasted peppers into a blender (liquid included) along with the tomatoes and chicken stock concentrate. Blend until smooth.
- Place the chicken onto a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and using a rolling pin or other heavy implement, pound to about half of their original thickness (give or take).Â
- Add a little more shallot oil to the pan, if needed. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown deeply on both sides over medium-high heat, in batches if needed; takes about 5 minutes per side (depending on actual thickness of chicken). Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining shallots and the gnocchi to the pan (and more shallot oil if needed). Saute’ for a few minutes to knock the rawness off the shallots and to crisp/brown up the gnocchi. NOTE: if you’re using traditional gnocchi that you’ve boiled already, it will be quite soft and won’t really crisp/brown the same way. That’s okay! A quick toss with the pan drippings and shallots is all you need before proceeding.
- To the gnocchi/shallots in the pan, add the spinach, the pepper/tomato sauce, and the garlic and herb cheese spread (use as much or as little of that as you like – I use all of it, but half would also taste great). Add â…“ cup water, stir to mix and slide the chicken into the pan. Simmer over medium-low heat, covered partially, for about 10 minutes. Serve with the crispy shallots over top.
Notes
You can store any leftover shallot-scented oil in a lidded container if the fridge for a couple of months.