Baked gnocchi with chicken is seriously speedy comfort food — soft, pillowy gnocchi baked in a rich red pesto sauce with tender chicken and topped with bubbling cheese. It’s the kind of cozy, oven-to-table meal that’ll make everyone think you’ve spent hours in the kitchen when really it’s ready in under 30 mins!
Nicky’s recipe notes
Store-bought gnocchi is a great staple to have on hand in the fridge or freezer to bulk up a meal, whilst also making it feel a bit ‘fancy’. It takes big punchy flavours like pesto so well. If you wanted to change it up, swap out the red pepper pesto for regular basil pesto and you get a totally different meal!
There’s lots of lovely sauce hidden under the gnocchi in this recipe, so I recommend serving with crusty bread for dunking.
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients
📺 Watch how to make it
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
- First we par-bake the chicken pieces with a little oil and seasoning, in the baking dish.
- Then we add in EVERYTHING else, except the mozzarella (gnocchi, spinach, pesto, cream, peppers etc) – you’ll need two spoons to toss it together. It will feel like there’s too much in there, but it will mix together and the spinach will wilt down a lot.
- Top with mozzarella and bake in the oven until golden and bubbly. I love to sprinkle on a few basil leaves before serving.
Pro Tip
I love to use homemade red pepper pesto for this recipe (it only takes a few minutes to make), but you can use store-bought red pesto if you prefer. Sacla do a nice one, I’ve also seen it in Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
It’s so very moreish! and there’s a lovely pool of creamy red pesto sauce underneath that you can drizzle on top when you serve it up.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It🍽️ What to serve it with
- Crusty bread, garlic bread or dough balls
- A simple green salad
- Some tangy marinated onions (I have them with practically everything!)
🍲 More recipes with gnocchi or pesto
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make the recipe right up to the part before you put it in the oven for the second time. Let the chicken cool, add the rest of the ingredients, then cover the dish and refrigerate for up to a day.
When ready to cook, remove from the refrigerator an hour before you want to bake (to take the chill off). Place in the oven and cook, adding an extra 3-4 minutes to the stated cooking time (since the dish will be going into the oven cold). Ensure it’s piping hot throughout before serving.
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Baked Gnocchi with Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Baked Gnocchi
- 2 large chicken breasts (350g/12.3oz), chopped into small, bitesize pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 60 g (2 packed cups) baby spinach
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot chicken stock
- 500 g (17.6oz) pack fresh gnocchi (if using frozen, defrost before using)
- 8 tablespoons (140g/5oz) roasted red pepper pesto* See Tip
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and sliced
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree paste
- 150 g (5.3 oz) mozzarella ball torn into small pieces
To Serve
- Handful fresh basil leaves roughly torn
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chunks of crusty bread for dunking
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F (fan).
- Place the chicken breast pieces in a medium baking dish (approx. 30cm (11.8”) x 20cm(7.8”)). Drizzle on the oil and sprinkle on the salt, pepper and oregano. Toss together to coat the chicken evenly.2 large chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Place in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes remove the dish from the oven. Add in the spinach, then pour over the hot chicken stock. Add the gnocchi, red pepper pesto, bell pepper, cream and tomato puree. Stir everything together to combine.60 g (2 packed cups) baby spinach, 120 ml (1/2 cup) hot chicken stock, 500 g (17.6oz) pack fresh gnocchi, 8 tablespoons (140g/5oz) roasted red pepper pesto* See Tip, 1 red bell pepper, 60 ml (1/4 cup) double (heavy) cream, 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- Dot the torn mozzarella amongst the chicken and gnocchi pieces.150 g (5.3 oz) mozzarella ball
- Place back in the oven for a further 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbling.
- Serve topped with basil leaves and a sprinkling of black pepper, alongside some crusty bread.Handful fresh basil leaves, Freshly ground black pepper, Chunks of crusty bread for dunking
Video
Notes
Tip: Red Pepper Pesto
You can use store-bought red pesto, or try my homemade Red Pepper Pesto.Make it vegetarian
Swap the chicken for chunky pieces of courgette (zucchini). Swap the chicken stock for vegetable stock. Ensure you’re using vegetarian mozzarella and pesto. Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (this recipe serves 4)Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
