Description
This Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Gnocchi is a rich and comforting dish featuring tender chicken tenders and pillowy gnocchi in a luscious sun dried tomato cream sauce. The sauce is made from aromatic garlic, tangy sun dried tomatoes, milk, half and half, and Parmesan cheese, thickened to perfection with cornstarch. Garnished with fresh parsley, this recipe is a delightful blend of creamy textures and robust flavors, perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Gnocchi
- 1 pound gnocchi (uncooked)
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Sauce and Cooking
- 1 tablespoon oil from sun dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 7 ounce sun dried tomatoes (drained and chopped, keep oil)
- 1 1/2 cups milk (3.25%)
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Cook Gnocchi: Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Once cooked, drain well and set aside. Drain the oil from the sun dried tomatoes jar into a small bowl and reserve this oil for cooking.
- Cook Chicken: In a large skillet, heat the butter and reserved sun dried tomato oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken tenders, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken on both sides until it is no longer pink inside and has a lightly golden brown exterior. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Garlic and Tomatoes: If the skillet seems dry, add a little more sun dried tomato oil. Add the minced garlic and chopped sun dried tomatoes to the skillet, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic becomes aromatic and fragrant.
- Make Cream Sauce: Pour in 1½ cups of milk, half and half, and add the Parmesan cheese to the skillet. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth, then add this mixture to the skillet. Stir or whisk continuously as the sauce begins to thicken and bubble from the cornstarch, cooking for about 1 minute.
- Combine and Serve: Stir the cooked gnocchi into the cream sauce and add the chicken tenders back into the skillet. Drizzle some of the sauce over the chicken, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
- Use high-quality sun dried tomato oil for the best flavor in the sauce and chicken.
- Ensure the chicken is cooked through but not overcooked to keep it tender.
- Gnocchi cooks quickly—avoid overcooking to prevent mushiness.
- For a thicker sauce, allow it to simmer a bit longer after adding the cornstarch slurry.
- Fresh parsley adds a bright contrast to the creamy sauce; feel free to add more as garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
