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This Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake recipe has pillowy gnocchi, tender chicken, the most delicious homemade Alfredo sauce, and a layer of melty mozzarella on top.
For another family-friendly meal, try this Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake next.
This baked gnocchi recipe is a good one. I ended up testing it a couple times to get it just right, and let’s just say that it’s hard not to dive in as soon as you’ve taken it out of the oven. The golden baked mozzarella is just the icing on the cake.
This recipe is pretty straightforward. You start by making the Alfredo sauce in a skillet, and then the gnocchi and cooked chicken are added in and warmed through. Half the parmesan cheese is stirred in, and then you then transfer it all to a baking dish and top it with the rest of the cheese and bake it. The gnocchi finishes cooking, the sauce reduces, and you’re left with one delicious dinner.
This chicken gnocchi bake is fast/easy enough for busy weeknights (it uses rotisserie chicken), but it’s great for company or when you’re having a bad day and pasta is your go-to. Or is gnocchi actually a dumpling? That’s a conversation for another day.
These photos weren’t exactly the easiest to take, and I feel like they don’t really capture the recipe in all its glory. Beige-on-beige-on-beige. 😛
I like adding cream cheese to my Alfredo sauce. It makes it easier to work with, and that tangy flavor makes it taste so good (so say my lovely readers, and I couldn’t agree more).
Love cozy pasta bakes? Try this Creamy Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini.
What kind of gnocchi to use?
I use the shelf stable gnocchi (found in the dry pasta aisle).
Recipe notes & tips:
- I haven’t had a chance to test this with cauliflower gnocchi (I’m actually in Canada and Trader Joe’s doesn’t exist here), so I can’t say for sure that it’ll work with it. The potato gnocchi release starch which helps thicken the sauce up. With that said, you could always give it a try and reduce the sauce for a bit longer or bake it for a little longer to get the desired consistency.
- I recommend grating your own parmesan cheese (yes, I say this in like every blog post because it really does make a difference). Keep a block of parm in your fridge and use this cheese grater to make magic.
- As always, sub ingredients at your own discretion. This recipe has been tested with the ingredients suggested, and using lower fat alternatives may not yield good results (i.e. thinner sauce and potential curdling issues), but feel free to experiment if you don’t have the ingredients in stock.
What to serve with Chicken Alfredo baked gnocchi:
This meal is quite rich, so a light side salad would go perfectly… or go all out with the carbs and have some garlic bread!
More delicious recipes with Alfredo sauce:
- Alfredo Tortellini Bake
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Easy Shrimp Alfredo
- Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo
- 15 Minute Creamy Alfredo Gnocchi
Questions about this Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake? Let me know in the comments below. As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you’ve made one of my recipes.
Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block Philly) softened
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least an hour prior to starting the recipe, or microwave it for 20-30 seconds (should be very soft). Preheat the oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the cream cheese (I cut it into smaller pieces first), cream, and broth. Cook it for 4-5 minutes, stirring nearly constantly, until the cream cheese has melted in. Don't cook it for much longer because we don't want the sauce to get too thick since it still has to be baked.
- Add the gnocchi and chicken to the skillet. Continue cooking, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
- Stir in half the parmesan then remove the skillet from the heat.
- Transfer the skillet mixture to a 9x13 baking dish. Spread it out in an even layer.
- Top the gnocchi with the remaining parmesan and the mozzarella.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes prior to serving (the sauce will thicken a bit more as it cools). Season with salt & pepper if needed.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on portion size/what you serve it with.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Natasha I need advice! I’m making doubles of this recipe for families staying at our church.
Can I make/assemble this ahead of time? I’d like to serve it freshly baked.
I just love your recipes!!
Hi! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying my recipes, Cindy!! I think you could get away with making it a bit ahead of time, but (and I am guessing here), the gnocchi may soak up some of the sauce if you let it sit for more than a few hours before baking. Also, if it’s cold from the fridge you may need to bake it for a tad longer.
This looks yummy and will try it. Wondering if it can be frozen.
Hi Christine! I don’t recommend freezing this one due to the dairy – the sauce can change texture.
This was really good!
we really enjoyed this but we added a lot more garlic and some salt and pepper.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us and this will be akeeper for me!
Wonderful! Thank you!
I don’t have heavy cream on hand but I have half and half. Could I substitute the half and half for the heavy cream in the sauce? Thank you in advance.
Hi! You could try but there’s a chance of curdling or the sauce may not end up as thick.
I have gnocchi I made fresh and then froze, should I boil it first or throw the frozen gnocchi in the dish?
Hi! I think you’d be ok throwing the frozen gnocchi in there, but I can’t say I’ve tested it with homemade gnocchi, so that is only a guess.
So I forgot to pick up cream cheese… I did have a bottle of food club garlic Alfredo and instead of rotisserie chicken I cooked my own with “thebigmansworld” cast iron chicken subbing have the Italian seasoning with half Cajun seasoning. Deglazed the pan, and added a tbs salted butter, a tap garlic to the pan before adding the food club and chicken broth made with chicken bouillon cube. Added a half cup Parmesan and a half cup whipping cream because I love my sauce! Same cooking instructions for the most part but omg! Awesome recipe! I can’t wait to try it properly!
Sounds good to me!! I’m glad you were able to tweak it 🙂