Sheet Pan Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe: A Weeknight Game-Changer

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 and air fryers, 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.  

What you’ll love about this recipe:

• Easy Clean up – Everything cooks together on one sheet pan, so cleanup is a breeze!
• Hands Off – Let the oven do the work while you take a few minutes to relax
• Full of flavor – There’s tons of flavor in each bite, thanks to a bright and tangy lemon sauce

Did you know you can bake 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 had 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.

Ingredients for sheet pan chicken and gnocchi

• Chicken thighs. Thighs have so much flavor and, since they’re smaller, they’re perfectly portioned. You’ll need boneless, skinless thighs for this recipe. Sometimes I have a hard time finding thighs without the skin. If you run into that issue, you can either roast them with the skin on (yum) or pull it off for a lower calorie option. 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.

• Shelf stable gnocchi. You’re looking for the dried gnocchi in a vacuum pack for this recipe. Look for it in the pasta aisle! I like using traditional potato gnocchi, but I’ve also had success with gluten-free versions. I do not recommend whole wheat gnocchi for baking.
• Lemons. You’ll juice one to make the sauce and slice the second up to toss with the other ingredients on the sheet pan. Yay for lots of lemon-y flavor!
• Garlic powder and red pepper flakes. I kept the seasoning for this recipe simple. Feel free to play around with your favorites!
• Broccoli rabe. Did you know that broccoli rabe (also kown as rapini) is just the leafy green part of a broccoli plant? It tastes like a slightly more bitter, nutty broccoli and it’s so good! f you don’t like it, or if you cant fine it, feel free to substitute broccoli florets instead. You can also leave it out and toss the chicken and gnocchi with baby spinach before serving; it will only take a few minutes for spinach to wilt so don’t put it in the oven.
• Parmesan shreds. For that little extra something-something when you serve it.

WOW! Do you have any other recipes like this one?

I sure do! Check out my Lemon Parmesan Gnocchi with Asparagus. It’s one of my most popular recipes – everyone who makes it loves it!

Can I make this recipe with chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes. If you prefer to use chicken breasts, go for boneless, skinless cutlets. If yours are very thick, they might need an extra 5 minutes in the oven, so keep an eye on them.

My gnocchi stuck to the pan.

Ugh, that stinks. Lining your pan with parchment paper (not foil) definitely helps. Also, make sure the gnocchi is evenly coated with the lemon and oil mixture before spreading it on the pan. This will help it crisp up and keep it from sticking. Giving the gnocchi and good stir halfway through the cooking process will also help keep it from sticking.

Can I use fresh gnocchi?

I haven’t personally made this recipe with fresh gnocchi, but several commenters have and say they love it!

More healthy sheet pan recipes you’ll love

• 20 Easy Sheet Pan Dinners
• Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
• Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
• Baked Chicken Thighs with Root Vegetables
• Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken
• Sheet Pan Spanish Style Potatoes with Chorizo

You’ll also love my Healthy Eating One Pot Cookbook!

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Sheet Pan Chicken and Gnocchi with Broccoli Rabe

This weeknight dinner is made up of three main components: chicken thighs, gnocchi (which you can find in the pasta aisle at most grocery stores), and broccoli rabe. All three parts cook together in one pan with an extra boost of flavor from lemon and Parmesan cheese!

Course Chicken Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken and gnocchi, healthy sheet pan meal, sheet pan chicken and gnocchi, sheet pan recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 408kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs preferably organic
• 16 ounces gnocchi shelf stable
• 1 small lemon thinly sliced
• salt and pepper
• 1 bunch broccoli rabe or broccolini
• Parmesan shreds for serving (optional)

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 450ºF. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken, gnocchi, and lemon sliced and mix well to coat.
• Spread the chicken and gnocchi mixture onto your prepared sheet pan in an even 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1664IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 7mg

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Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 216kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• 2" Ice Ball Mold by Artic Chill | Makes Eight (8) Ice Spheres | Keeps your Whiskey Chilled Longer Than Ice Cubes | Made from BPA-Free and FDA-Approved Silicone | Free Cocktail Recipe E-Book Included

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whiskey
• 4 bags Irish Breakfast Tea or similar black tea
• ⅓ cup Blood Orange Juice from about 5 oranges
• ¼ cup Lemon Juice from about 1/2 lemon
• ¼ cup Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50
• Fresh Mint for garnish
• Club Soda optional

Instructions

• Pour the whiskey into a cocktail shaker and add the teabags. Let steep 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing them gently to extract the most flavor possible.
• Add the blood orange juice, lemon juice, and Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well.
• Add ice to four double old fashioned glasses. Strain the cocktail over the ice. Garnish with mint. If desired, top with club soda.

Notes

Big ice cubes melt more slowly and won't water down your drink – plus they look really cool! You can find round molds like the ones I used on Amazon

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Sodium: 2mg | Sugar: 20g

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Whole Earth Sweetener Co.. All opinions are 100% mine.

Take advantage of what’s left of citrus season with these Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails.

I’ve gotten really into watching award shows over the last few years. It’s funny, because I’m the kind of person who wouldn’t recognize a celebrity if I bumped into them on the street. But who doesn’t love an excuse to have a few friends over, dress up fancy, and drink cocktails? It’s pretty much my favorite. This weekend, we’ll be sipping these Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails while we cross our fingers and hope that Hidden Figures wins big. (If you haven’t seen it yet, you need to – it’s amazing!)

Making cocktails with tea has been my thing lately. It all started with these Earl Grey Apple Cider Cocktails, then kicked into high gear after I had an amazing Earl Grey Breakfast Martini earlier this fall. For this whiskey cocktail, I decided to take a detour from Earl Grey and infuse the whiskey with Irish Breakfast tea instead. The resulting drink is elegant, fun, and a little moody. Perfect for an award show!

Instead of fussing with simple syrup, I used Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 to sweeten these cocktails. You might remember them from my Sweet Potato Blender Muffins (if you haven’t tried them yet, what are you waiting for?).

The Agave 50 is a blend of agave and stevia, so it has 50% less calories per serving as traditional agave. It has a neutral taste, so it’s perfect for using in cocktails. Their Whole Earth Sweetener Honey 50, a blend of honey and stevia, also works really well in this drink – it reads a little sweeter, and the honey goes really well with the blood orange flavor.

Like the rest of their products (Baking Blend, Nature Sweet® zero calorie packets, Turbinado Raw Cane 50, and Monk Fruit Juice Concentrate), the Agave 50 and Honey 50 are non-GMO Project Verified and don’t have any weird aftertaste.

You can find Whole Earth Sweetener products at your local grocery stores (I’ve purchased them from ShopRite and Price Chopper). They’re also available on Amazon.

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Blood Orange, Tea + Whiskey Cocktails

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whiskey
• 4 bags Irish Breakfast Tea or similar black tea
• ⅓ cup Blood Orange Juice from about 5 oranges
• ¼ cup Lemon Juice from about 1/2 lemon
• ¼ cup Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50
• Fresh Mint for garnish
• Club Soda optional

Instructions

• Pour the whiskey into a cocktail shaker and add the teabags. Let steep 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags, squeezing them gently to extract the most flavor possible.
• Add the blood orange juice, lemon juice, and Whole Earth Sweetener Agave 50 or Honey 50. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well.
• Add ice to four double old fashioned glasses. Strain the cocktail over the ice. Garnish with mint. If desired, top with club soda.

Notes

Big ice cubes melt more slowly and won't water down your drink – plus they look really cool! You can find round molds like the ones I used on Amazon