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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!
So easy to make!! So delicious!! Very rich
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe! I was looking for a quick and easy gnocchi recipe. So glad I found it. I cook it multiple times and it never gets old. I recommend you try it!
Wonderful! Thanks so much!
This was a hit at our place. I’ve never made gnocci before and came a cross your recipe. I didn’t have half and half and substituted evaporated milk and worked just fine. I also added a little bit of sun dried tomatoes and it was a huge hit. There so many varieties you could use with your base…. like adding mushrooms and maybe zucchini … at the very end of course so it doesn’t make it watery.
I’m so glad it worked out! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe 4x now and everyone LOVES it!
So easy to make and so delicious! Thank you
Love that!! 🙂 Thank you!
Could this be made in a crockpot?
I don’t recommend it. You’d have to cook the bacon and chicken separately anyway. I think the slow cooking would destroy/separate the cream sauce, and you’d end up with a gloopy mess from the all starch released from the gnocchi unfortunately.
Love this recipe
So glad to hear that! 🙂
Wonderful recipe! I was out of parmesan so I used half smoked gouda, half gruyère, sauteed some garlic and sweet onion in the bacon fat and used parsley and a tiny bit of nutmeg in place of the italian seasoning. SO GOOD! Will make again with other cheeses and spice combinations.
Love your twist on this!!
Love this recipe!! Question – could it be doubled to feed a larger group? Thanks!!
So glad you like it, Kate! Sure, but the only issue is you may need to cook things in batches or use two pans/a really large one depending on whether you think what you have will fit.
This was AMAZING! I added a 1/4 cup of chopped onions with the garlic as well. Big hit, will definitely make this again
I’m so happy you liked it!! 🙂
I was planning to make this for my hubby who is big gnocchi fan but plan to make the gnocchi from scratch. Do you think i would treat it the same as the shelf gnocchi in the recipe?
Hi! I would make the sauce separate. I’ve had people try the one pan method and homemade gnocchi tends to be very delicate and disintegrate unfortunately.
Hey, the sauce isn’t that delicate at all and I wonder if perhaps the heavy cream and fat content aren’t working for you. I’ve made this several times now and the sauce turns out thick, and then adding the cheese really puts it over the top.
I’ve also found that using chicken thighs turns out a little more tender (trim the fat) and it gives a deeper flavor.
Have you modified it in any way, such as trying to reduce the fat?
I’m so glad you like it! I’m a bit confused by your comment since you replied to my reply to another reader. I didn’t say that this sauce was delicate… I said that homemade gnocchi the reader wanted to make is delicate and that I don’t recommend making it with the one pot method in this recipe. 🙂 (I’d make it separately). I have not tried modifying this sauce in any way.