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This quick and easy Chicken Gnocchi with mushrooms, garlic, sage and thyme is tossed in a rich brown butter sauce. Ready from start to finish in less than 30 minutes, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner. Serve the tender potato gnocchi with a side of crusty bread and a crisp green salad.
It might taste and sound like a gourmet meal, but this simple supper is incredibly fast to stir together on a busy night. With shortcuts like a store-bought rotisserie chicken and pre-sliced baby bella mushrooms, you can have dinner on the table in well under 30 minutes. Gnocchi, little Italian potato dumplings, are a nice alternative to pasta — and they only require about 3-4 minutes to boil.
You’ll love the flavors in this fall-inspired meal, from the sage and thyme to the nutty brown butter and the toasted pumpkin seeds on top. It would be a great way to take advantage of leftover Thanksgiving turkey, too! Just swap out the chicken and use turkey in its place. With a salad on the side and some bread or biscuits for soaking up any extra buttery sauce, it’s a delicious meal that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a skillet of chicken and gnocchi dumplings. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Gnocchi: refrigerated gnocchi or shelf-stable gnocchi will work. I like Delallo brand, which I find in my grocery store near the dry pasta. I have not tested the recipe with alternative types of gnocchi (such as cauliflower gnocchi), but I imagine that they would probably work fine.
- Olive oil: to sauté the mushrooms.
- Sliced fresh mushrooms: use just about any mushrooms that you prefer. I like to buy sliced baby bella mushrooms for a shortcut, but white mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms would both be nice options as well.
- Salted butter: the base of the sauce.
- Shallot: adds a mild, savory flavor to the sauce that’s more subtle than onion. You can substitute with minced onion if necessary.
- Garlic: the perfect flavor booster for the butter, herbs and chicken.
- Thyme and sage: fresh, earthy herbs that give this dish its rustic fall flavor. Feel free to use other herbs that you prefer, such as rosemary, parsley, oregano or basil.
- Chicken: you’ll need cooked and shredded chicken for this dish. I like to use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut that also adds great flavor to the dish. If you prefer, you can boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs to use in this recipe, or brown the meat in the skillet before making the sauce.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped toasted nuts, Parmesan cheese, or additional herbs: optional garnishes that add flavor and texture to the finished meal.
How to Make Chicken Gnocchi
Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go, because this meal comes together quickly on the stovetop!
- Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions, about 3-4 minutes. Drain.
- Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil.
- Make the brown butter sauce.
- Stir in the cooked gnocchi and chicken; heat through for about 1 more minute.
- Garnish with optional toppings and serve!
What do you eat gnocchi with?
Serve the chicken and gnocchi dumplings with a simple green salad with red wine vinaigrette, Caesar salad, or a House Salad with candied pecans. You’ll also want something to soak up any extra brown butter sauce, such as a loaf of crusty no-knead Dutch oven bread, French baguette, homemade focaccia, flaky buttermilk biscuits or 3-ingredient sour cream muffins.
Storage
Store this leftover chicken and gnocchi recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet on the stovetop just until warmed through. The cooked gnocchi can be somewhat fragile, so stir cautiously so that it doesn’t fall apart on you.
I don’t necessarily recommend freezing these leftovers, since the mushrooms and herbs will have a watery, undesirable look and texture when thawed.
Recipe Variations for Chicken and Gnocchi
- Instead of the chicken, use cooked Italian sausage, smoked sausage, or leftover turkey.
- Try other herbs of your choice, such as rosemary, basil, parsley or oregano.
- Swap out the mushrooms and use other vegetables. Cooked broccoli or sautéed zucchini are nice options. You can also stir fresh spinach or frozen peas into the sauce at the very end.
Tips for the Best Chicken Gnocchi Recipe
- Use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a simple shortcut and great added flavor. If you prefer, you can cook your own chicken at home or use leftovers from a previous meal. If starting with raw chicken, you’ll need about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Boil the meat for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through, then chop or shred to use in this recipe. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in the skillet before starting on the sauce.
- Fresh herbs are always best, so use fresh sage and fresh thyme in this dish.
- Garnish the finished dish with toasted pumpkin seeds or toasted nuts (such as almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts) for great flavor and crunch. Additional herbs or some grated Parmesan cheese are also nice touches.
More Italian-Inspired Chicken Recipes to Try
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup {Olive Garden Copycat}
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Italian Hunter’s Chicken {Chicken Cacciatore}
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Gnocchi Bake
Chicken Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Brown Butter
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package refrigerated or shelf-stable potato gnocchi (I like Delallo brand)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (such as from a rotisserie chicken)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: additional fresh herbs, toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped, toasted nuts, Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of salted boiling water, according to package instructions (about 3-4 minutes). Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until starting to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, shallot, garlic, thyme, and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until you start to see little brown specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan and the butter has a nutty aroma, about 4-5 minutes (be careful not to cook the butter too long or it will burn).
- Turn the heat to low. Add the chicken and the cooked gnocchi to the skillet. Gently toss to coat in the warm butter sauce. Cook, stirring, just until warmed through – about 1 more minute.
- Garnish with additional fresh herbs, toasted pumpkin seeds, or toasted nuts; serve immediately.
Notes
- Instead of the chicken, use cooked Italian sausage, smoked sausage, or leftover turkey.
- Try other herbs of your choice, such as rosemary, basil, parsley or oregano.
- Swap out the mushrooms and use other vegetables of your choice. Cooked broccoli or sautéed zucchini are nice options. You can also stir fresh spinach or frozen peas into the sauce at the very end.
- Use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a simple shortcut and great added flavor. If you prefer, you can cook your own chicken at home or use leftovers from a previous meal. If starting with raw chicken, you’ll need about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Boil the meat for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through, then chop or shred to use in this recipe. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in the skillet before starting on the sauce.
- Fresh herbs are always best, so use fresh sage and fresh thyme in this dish.
- Garnish the finished dish with toasted pumpkin seeds or toasted nuts (such as almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts) for great flavor and crunch. Additional herbs or some grated Parmesan cheese are also nice touches.
