Chicken thighs, gnocchi, and broccoli rabe all bake together on one pan for a super easy weeknight dinner!
Be sure to check out my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook for more easy, healthy recipes like this one.
I can barely contain my excitement – I’m absolutely giddy over this recipe!
The other day, a few friends and I were talking about what we thought this year’s recipe trends would be. (It’s the kind of weird conversation that food bloggers have.)
I said I thought people would be looking for easy, hands-off recipes.
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t felt like spending a ton of time in the kitchen lately. Judging by the number of people I know who are suddenly all about their pressure cookers, I have a feeling I’m not the only one.
When it comes to easy dinner, it doesn’t get much simpler than this sheet pan chicken and gnocchi. Everything cooks together on one pan – no sautéing, no browning, no boiling, no special equipment. No stress. Very little mess.
In just 30 minutes, you’re rewarded with a meal of plump gnocchi, juicy chicken, and slightly charred broccoli rabe.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Gnocchi:
This recipe was inspired by one that I saw in last month’s issue of Eating Well (one of my absolute favorite magazines!) I’ve never heard of cooking gnocchi in the oven before, and I had a hard time believing that they didn’t need to be boiled first. I was still skeptical even as I pulled the pan out of the oven.
Then I tasted one, and my mind was completely blown.
The gnocchi were plump and tender, with crispy edges where they touched the pan and a mild lemon flavor. It’s a weeknight game-changer.
I used the same technique for this sheet pan chicken and gnocchi recipe. I’ve always been a huge advocate for chicken thighs, but I’ve only started to appreciate the boneless, skinless ones recently.
They aren’t the prettiest, but when you roast them in a hot oven, they come out really juicy and flavorful.
If you can afford them, splurge on organic thighs for this recipe – they’re not as greasy as conventional chicken thighs and have a cleaner chicken flavor.
What kind of gnocchi should I use?
For this recipe, you’ll want to use dried gnocchi. It’s shelf stable and sold in a vacuum sealed packet, usually in the same aisle as pasta.
Do I need to boil the gnocchi first?
No! That’s the beauty of this recipe. Use it straight from the packet. It will plump up and soften in the oven.
WOW! Do you have any other recipes like this one?
I sure do! Check out my Lemon-Parmesan Gnocchi with Mushrooms. It’s one of my most popular recipes – everyone who makes it loves it!
Sheet Pan Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (preferably organic)
- 16 ounces shelf stable gnocchi
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe or broccolini
- Parmesan shreds, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, gnocchi and lemon slices. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and spices. Mix well, then pour onto a sheet pan and spread in a single layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Stir well, then add the broccoli rabe to the pan. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Top with parmesan, if desired.
Notes
You can use broccoli rabe or broccolini for this recipe. Broccoli rabe is leafy and slightly bitter. Broccolini looks more like long broccoli, and has a mild flavor. I prefer broccolini, but can't always find it.
Nutrition Information
Amount Per Serving Calories 482Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 107mgSodium 672mgFiber 5gSugar 3gProtein 35g
Jacqi says
Can I use frozen gnocchi
Lauren Keating says
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be fine. If you make it let me know
Amy says
Made this tonight for me and my toddler girl we both absolutely loved it and I have sent it to a bunch of busy mums! Thank you! Used a little less lemon and added some fresh herbs and chicken spice too. Really delicious will be Making again!
Lauren Keating says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Mary Beth says
I had everything except the broccolini, but I did have Brussels sprouts, so I cut them in half and used them instead! The recipe still turned out quite tasty!
Kim says
Great recipe! I reduced the lemon to about 1 tsp, used fresh minced garlic and an Italian seasons blend, salt/pepper and kept the crushed peppers. Used broccoli and baby carrots. Roasted all at the same time for 25 minutes, sprinkled Parmesan over everything then under the broiler for 2 minutes. AMAZING
Steph says
Wonderful recipe, but my gnocchi completely burned on the pan. Probably a stupid question, but was I supposed to use parchment paper as it showed in the photos? Thank you.
Lauren Keating says
Hm. I’ve made it a bunch of times and they’ve never stuck or burned! Did you stir them well when you added the broccoli? That’s the only thing I can think of – if they start to stick, doing that loosens them back up. (I actually don’t line my pan with parchment when I bake them – I just did that for the photos because that pan has a beautiful textured pattern on it, but it’s a pain to wash and the parchment helps it not get too gunked up.)
Laurie says
Dumb question- do you cook the gnocchi beforehand?? The box says to boil it 3-4 minutes but the recipe doesn’t. I just don’t want to mess it up!
Lauren Keating says
Nope! Just use it straight from the box. 🙂
Bethany says
I wonder if I could replace the gnocchi with tortellinis? Only because I do not have any gnocchi on hand for tonight.
Thanks!
B says
yumm!
i only had one piece of chicken, so i onl used one lemon, but kept everything else the same. It seems like I want some kind of sauce with it…thoughts on what might go well?
Megan C says
I tried this again tonight and loved it! Who knew putting gnocchi in the oven would result in something so delicious?! You’re brilliant! The recipe is great as-is. This time, I added some fresh sage, used fresh minced garlic instead of the powdered, and used the juice of 1/2 lemon instead of an entire one, and was really happy with the results. I think next time, I’ll add some toasted slivered almonds to add some complexity to the texture. Thanks for this recipe!
Kristin Padilla says
Made this super easy dinner and it was delish for anyone who needs new dinner ideas! Only modifications were using broccoli instead of broccolini, defatting the organic chicken thighs, adding dried oregano, and leaving in the lemon slices but leaving out the lemon juice.
Ann says
I am a newly married 39-year old who never learned how to cook in so many years as a single lady, but I am trying! I came across this recipe and tried it last night — so very easy, and tasted awesome! Already had most of the ingredients, just needed to buy chicken, gnocchi, lemons, and broccolini. Could not have been easier to put together, and had a glass of wine during the 30-minute cooking time. Thank you!!