Dinner
Skillet Chicken and Gnocchi with Bacon and Spinach
Chicken and gnocchi share a skillet with a creamy cottage cheese and Parmesan sauce, wilted spinach and crisp bacon.
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Cuisine
- Italian-inspired
Serving ideas
Scatter the remaining bacon over the skillet just before serving.
Ingredients
See the ingredient checklist
- 1 1/4 cups whole-milk cottage cheese
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 oz each
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to season the chicken
- ground black pepper
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 17 oz gnocchi
- 3 oz shredded mozzarella, about 3/4 cup
- 2 oz finely grated Parmesan, about 1 cup
- 4 cups fresh spinach, about 4 oz
Before you cook
Blend the cottage cheese until no curds remain for a smooth sauce.
How to make Skillet Chicken and Gnocchi with Bacon and Spinach
Blend cottage cheese and 3/4 cup broth until smooth. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, 7 to 9 minutes, then transfer to a plate and reserve the fat.
Season the chicken and brown in the bacon fat about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Cook the shallot and 1 teaspoon salt in the skillet until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, then add garlic, thyme and pepper flakes for 1 minute.
Pour in 1/2 cup broth and scrape the pan. Return the chicken, cover and simmer 4 to 6 minutes, until it reaches 165°F. Transfer to a clean board and cover to keep warm.
Reduce the liquid in the skillet until nearly gone. Add the cottage cheese sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until tender.
Fold in mozzarella, Parmesan and spinach. If the sauce is thick, add the remaining 1/4 cup broth. Stir in three-quarters of the bacon. Slice and return the chicken to the skillet, then season to taste.
The full recipe
Check off ingredients as you get them ready.
The ingredient list scales when you change the servings. Adjust any quantities mentioned in the steps to match your batch.
Skillet Chicken and Gnocchi with Bacon and Spinach
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups whole-milk cottage cheese
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 6 oz each
1 tsp kosher salt plus more to season the chicken- ground black pepper
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 17 oz gnocchi
- 3 oz shredded mozzarella about 3/4 cup
- 2 oz finely grated Parmesan about 1 cup
- 4 cups fresh spinach about 4 oz
Instructions
- Blend cottage cheese and 3/4 cup broth until smooth. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, 7 to 9 minutes, then transfer to a plate and reserve the fat.
- Season the chicken and brown in the bacon fat about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Cook the shallot and 1 teaspoon salt in the skillet until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, then add garlic, thyme and pepper flakes for 1 minute.
- Pour in 1/2 cup broth and scrape the pan. Return the chicken, cover and simmer 4 to 6 minutes, until it reaches 165°F. Transfer to a clean board and cover to keep warm.
- Reduce the liquid in the skillet until nearly gone. Add the cottage cheese sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until tender.
- Fold in mozzarella, Parmesan and spinach. If the sauce is thick, add the remaining 1/4 cup broth. Stir in three-quarters of the bacon. Slice and return the chicken to the skillet, then season to taste.