About this recipe
Let's be real—sometimes you just need a massive bowl of carbs and cheese to end the day right. This creamy chicken and bacon gnocchi hits every single comfort food craving you have. It's basically a hug in a skillet, loading you up with crispy, salty bacon bits, tender chicken, and a heavy cream sauce. The absolute best part? The gnocchi cooks right in the sauce. The starches release straight into the broth and cream, creating this ridiculously glossy, thick coating that clings to every single bite. Plus, you toss in some fresh spinach at the very end. So hey, we're definitely eating our greens tonight—and the whole thing is ready in about 35 minutes!
Ingredients
Skillet
- 6 slices bacon (chopped)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (bite-size pieces)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 lb potato gnocchi
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)
Ingredient Notes
Gnocchi choice
Grab the vacuum-sealed, shelf-stable gnocchi from the pasta aisle. It cooks perfectly right in the sauce and keeps cleanup to exactly one pan.
Equipment
Large skillet
A heavy bottom pan works best to render the bacon fat evenly.
Knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Perfect for scraping up the fond.
Instructions
Cook the bacon
Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders out and the edges get incredibly crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, but leave all that glorious bacon grease right in the pan.
Cook the chicken
Toss your bite-sized chicken pieces into the skillet with the bacon fat, seasoning everything with kosher salt and black pepper. Let it sear without moving it for a few minutes to build a nice crust. Cook the chicken until it's golden brown on the outside and reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C.
Add garlic
Drop the minced garlic right into the center of the skillet. Stir it constantly for about 30 seconds—just until you can smell it in your kitchen. Don't let it brown or it'll turn bitter.
Simmer the gnocchi
Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, using your spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Toss in the uncooked potato gnocchi and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away until the gnocchi are pillowy soft and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Finish the dish
Turn off the heat and stir in the grated parmesan cheese and fresh baby spinach. Keep tossing until the spinach wilts down and the sauce looks luxuriously smooth. Top with your crispy bacon and fresh parsley right before serving.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Boiling the sauce too hard
Keep the heat at a gentle medium-low bubble once you add the cream. Boiling it aggressively can cause the dairy to split—we want a smooth sauce, not a grainy one.
Tips
- Always stir your greens in off the heat. The residual warmth is more than enough to wilt the spinach while keeping it a vibrant, appetizing green.
- Let the chicken sit undisturbed for a few minutes when it hits the pan. That seared crust adds tons of flavor to the final sauce.
Substitutions
- If you're really pressed for time, skip cooking raw chicken entirely. Just shred up some leftover rotisserie chicken and fold it in with the cream to warm through.
- Not a spinach fan? Toss in some torn kale or peppery arugula instead—just give kale an extra minute or two to soften up in the hot sauce.
- You can swap the heavy cream for half-and-half if you prefer a lighter dish. Just know the sauce won't be quite as rich and thick.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating
The gnocchi will soak up a lot of the sauce as it sits in the fridge. Reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat, splashing in a tablespoon or two of chicken broth or milk to bring the creaminess back to life.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 bowl
- Calories
- 710
- Protein
- 45g
- Carbohydrates
- 52g
- Fat
- 38g
- Fiber
- 3g
- Sugar
- 3g
- Sodium
- 1160mg
FAQ
Do I need to boil gnocchi first?
Nope, skip the boiling water! The shelf-stable gnocchi cooks directly in the hot cream and broth, which actually thickens the sauce beautifully as the starches release.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Absolutely you can. I honestly prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a skillet meal like this because they stay incredibly juicy and won't dry out.
Can I make it ahead?
I wouldn't make the whole thing ahead, since gnocchi gets a bit mushy if it sits in sauce for days. It's really best eaten right when it comes off the stove!
Recipe Card
Creamy Chicken and Bacon Gnocchi
A cozy skillet dinner with chicken, bacon, pillowy gnocchi, parmesan cream sauce, and spinach ready in 35 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Category
- Dinner Recipes
- Cuisine
- American
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Moderate
Ingredients
Skillet
- 6 slices bacon (chopped)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (bite-size pieces)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 lb potato gnocchi
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders out and the edges get incredibly crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, but leave all that glorious bacon grease right in the pan.
- Cook the chicken: Toss your bite-sized chicken pieces into the skillet with the bacon fat, seasoning everything with kosher salt and black pepper. Let it sear without moving it for a few minutes to build a nice crust. Cook the chicken until it's golden brown on the outside and reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C.
- Add garlic: Drop the minced garlic right into the center of the skillet. Stir it constantly for about 30 seconds—just until you can smell it in your kitchen. Don't let it brown or it'll turn bitter.
- Simmer the gnocchi: Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, using your spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Toss in the uncooked potato gnocchi and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away until the gnocchi are pillowy soft and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish the dish: Turn off the heat and stir in the grated parmesan cheese and fresh baby spinach. Keep tossing until the spinach wilts down and the sauce looks luxuriously smooth. Top with your crispy bacon and fresh parsley right before serving.
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