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This easy one pan chicken bacon gnocchi recipe is the ultimate comfort food! You will love the pillowy gnocchi, crispy bacon, and tender chicken in a creamy garlic sauce.
Try my Creamy Chicken Bacon Mushroom Pasta or Chicken Bacon Spinach Pasta for similar delicious flavors.
Why you’ll love it
While I have plenty of one pan gnocchi recipes on here, this was my first with chicken. My lovely readers have said their families rave about this chicken gnocchi dish with bacon and have called it “so completely amazing” and “restaurant worthy”! I think it’ll easily make it into your dinner rotation.
The gnocchi cooks right in the sauce, so no need to pre-cook it. Fewer dishes, a tasty 30-minute meal, and ingredients you already have on hand make this simple gnocchi recipe a no-brainer. It definitely does not disappoint, and there are no unusual ingredients.
What you’ll need
- Bacon – the crispy, savory quality of the bacon complements the creamy sauce
- Chicken – we’re using chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- Garlic – a touch of garlic adds even more flavor
- Chicken broth – for moisture and the base of the sauce
- Heavy cream – it adds that luxurious quality
- Italian seasoning – this blend of flavorful dried herbs comes in one jar, making it a convenient way to add herby flavor to sauces
- Gnocchi – I buy the shelf stable gnocchi that’s found in the dry pasta aisle
- Parmesan – it’s always best to grate your own
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- A pair of kitchen shears is great to effortlessly cut up the bacon.
- Use a garlic press to mince the cloves without even needing to peel them, and store the rest in a cute garlic saver.
- I always suggest freshly grating parmesan using a Microplane zester because it melts better and has superior taste.
- My favorite cooking spoon doesn’t scratch pots and pans.
How to make chicken bacon gnocchi
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove it from the pan, leaving behind a little bit of the fat. Add the diced chicken to the pan, and cook until it’s white on the outside, stirring often. Add the garlic, and give it a stir.
Reduce the heat and add the broth, cream, Italian seasoning, and gnocchi to the pan along with returning the bacon. Stir, cover, and cook for a few minutes. Remove the lid, then cook until the sauce thickens up. Add the parm, season with salt & pepper, and enjoy.
Helpful tips
- The gnocchi releases starch to thicken the sauce as it cooks right in it.
- Homemade gnocchi is normally too delicate for the one pan technique, so I don’t recommend using it for this one.
Substitutions and variations
- You can definitely use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken. Just skip the step where you cook the chicken.
- I tested this with specific liquid measurements and ingredients, so substitute at your own risk. I think half-and-half could work instead of cream, but the sauce is likely to have a different consistency.
- We haven’t tried it, but a number of readers enjoy adding in mushrooms and/or spinach in this one.
What to serve with this chicken gnocchi recipe
- It’s pretty rich, so I’d serve it with a side salad. Try my zesty Homemade Olive Garden Dressing or this bright Avocado Greek Salad as a complement.
- A dinner roll or slice of fresh crusty bread is always a good idea to balance the richness.
Leftovers and storage
- I prefer eating this one sooner rather than later, but it’ll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container.
- Reheat over a low heat in a saucepan, and give it a splash of broth or cream if desired.
- I don’t recommend freezing leftovers of this gnocchi recipe. It would probably turn grainy.
If you made this easy creamy chicken and gnocchi recipe, please leave a star rating and review below and tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram! Questions? Ask in the comments.
Chicken Bacon Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon cut into small pieces
- 2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until it’s crispy (about 10 mins.). I use kitchen shears to make cutting the bacon up quick & hassle-free.
- Once the bacon is done, take it out of the pan, and leave about a tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan. Discard the rest of the fat or save it for another use.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook it for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, or until the chicken turns white on the outside. If the chicken is sticking when you try to stir it, give it a little more time to release naturally.
- Add the garlic to the pan and give it a good stir.
- Reduce the heat to medium and then add the chicken broth, cream, Italian seasoning, gnocchi, and bacon back into the pan (stir well). Cover the pan and cook for 4 minutes.
- Continue cooking the gnocchi, uncovered, for a few more minutes until the sauce reduces/thickens to your liking (stir every so often).
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I use the shelf stable gnocchi found in the pasta aisle. No need to pre-cook the gnocchi (it cooks right in the sauce).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on February 23, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Stumbled upon your recipe on Instagram and the dish looked very good. Tried the recipe and the family loved it. We ate it with (boiled) snow peas on the side. Thank you!
Excellent! I am so happy to hear it. Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment 🙂
What do you serve with it?
It’s pretty rich, so a salad would go nicely 🙂
As a busy mom of 2, this is my go to meal for something easy and quick! I cook the bacon and chicken before hand to speed up the process a bit when actual dinner time comes around. I’ll also make a batch and freeze half to save for later.
Highly, highly recommend. It is such a tasty dish!
Thanks so much, Lindsay!! I am so pleased you like this recipe. That’s a good idea to cook the chicken and bacon ahead of time!
Is this recipe good for freezing?
Hi! I find that cream sauces can separate a bit when re-heating. You could definitely give it a try and warm it up on low heat.
Made it exactly as the recipe called for…was delicious! Even my picky eater boyfriend absolutely loved it!
Awesome!! So happy you guys liked it. 🙂
It is so tasty, I love it as did my son will be making it again. I had never had gnocchi before and was looking for a recipe to give it a go I don’t think I could have picked any better
I am so happy to hear that! 🙂
Would this be easy to add spinach too? If so would you need to change the recipe at all?
Hi Hannah! I’d add it in towards the end. I can’t really speculate exactly how it’ll work without testing, but I imagine it would be fine if you just let it wilt for a few minutes. Hope you like the recipe!
Amazing, quick, easy weeknight meal!! I had all ingredients on hand and only needed one pan! Definitely made clean up a breeze! Thanks!
Excellent… I am so glad you liked it and it was easy for you to make, Allysa!!
Quick, easy, simple and so delicious. This will surely go into heavy rotation on my weeknight meals. I used some leftover Calabrese and half the amount of bacon. It gave it just a little spicy flavor. Other then, that I followed the recipe exactly. I have been trying to find some great recipes for gnocchi and you have a whole collection. Thank you!
Aww so glad you liked it!! 🙂 Thank you for letting me know! XO
Your recipes have become a staple for weeknight dinners in our house!
I added blue cheese (1/4 cup stirred in as the last step) to this recipe to make it extra decadent.
Thanks for the amazing inspiration!!
That’s great to hear, Leslianne! 🙂 I am so happy you liked this one too. 🙂
Very good way to use gnocchi! I followed the recipe to a T but added red pepper flakes for a little heat! So good!!
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I’m a “newbie” cook and this recipe looked great. Indeed it was. Made exactly per recipe. Wow, was it good!!
I am so happy you liked it, Luke! Thanks for leaving me a comment. 🙂
I made this tonight and my family loved it! Thanks for sharing
Great!! 🙂