Chicken & Gnocchi Bake

I have a gnocchi confession… I am secretly obsessed with it! I like it all sorts of ways, with all sorts of things but this bake is a perfect option for a yummy, comforting weeknight dinner.

A LITTLE CHICKEN TALK

I have recently become a BIG, BIG fan of chicken thighs. I am literally using them every week. Sometimes I just roast them up and pair them with a quick salad and veggie and sometimes I use them in a casserole… LIEK THIS ONE!

I always sear them in a pan. This not only adds some great color to the dish but also a TON of flavor. I also make sure and season it really well. The more the merrier honestly.

I also use more skin on, boneless thighs. I love how the skin crisps up and it also adds another layer of flavor. You can definately use chicken breast in this recipe, but I would definately use skin on to help ensure it does not dry out.

OH… THE SAUCE Y’ALL!

Ok… lets get super real, this parmesan cream sauce is just AMAZING! This sauce may make another appearance very soon, on its own, not in a casserole. So check back.

To start the sauce you melt butter and add in onion and garlic. It is already good in my opinion.

Next comes the liquid and then the cheese. For the casserole I used both cream cheese and parmesan cheese. The cream cheese adds a bit more body to the sauce and bakes down into a velvety smooth consistency, if you don’t have it or don’t like it you can leave it out for sure.

Oh and it is made in the same skillet as your seared the chicken and then the spinach, just adding more and more layers of flavor.

CHICKEN & GNOCCHI COMING TOGETHER

Once you have the chicken seared, the spinach cooked quickly, the gnocchi boiled and the sauce made it is time to bring everything together.

The chicken goes in first and then the gnocchi goes all around it. I then added in the spinach and then the sauce. The sauce just covers everything bringing everything all together into one happy casserole. And a super delicious casserole this is.