This one-pan Tuscan chicken meatballs with gnocchi is the ultimate healthy comfort food. It’s heartwarming, high in protein, and a flavorful meal the whole family can enjoy.
If you love gnocchi as much as I do, you know nothing beats that pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that perfectly absorbs any flavor, and these Tuscan chicken meatballs make the ultimate topping.
Nestled in a creamy, sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce, they offer a refreshing break from traditional marinara while packing a serious protein punch. It is the ultimate comfort food combination: rich, satisfying, and secretly nutrient-dense.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Made in One Pan – While the gnocchi needs to cook separately, the Tuscan chicken meatballs are made in one pan to minimize cleanup.
- High in Protein – The combination of ground chicken, parmesan cheese, and pasta ensures each serving is loaded with 35 grams of protein.
- Versatile – You can swap the gnocchi for any pasta shape you like.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Ground Chicken – To make the meatballs and add some protein. The recipe calls for ground chicken, but ground turkey would work just as well.
- Gnocchi – To add some carbohydrates. Shelf-stable gnocchi is easily found in the pasta aisle of most grocery stores. The recipe also works well with a small pasta shape or leftover pasta. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Heavy Cream -To make the sauce. The recipe calls for heavy cream, as I think it provides the best flavor and texture, but table cream or half-and-half would also work well. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Parmesan Cheese – To add flavor and protein to the chicken meatballs and sauce.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – To make the Tuscan sauce. You can use dry-packed or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes.
- Spinach – To add some leafy greens.
- Breadcrumbs – To add some moisture to the meatballs.
- Egg – To help bind the meatballs.
- Parsley – To add some greens and freshness to the meatballs. The recipe calls for fresh parsley, but you can use dried parsley if needed. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Onion and Garlic – To flavor the meatballs and sauce. The sauce calls for a whole onion and garlic cloves, but you can use onion powder and garlic powder if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Italian Seasoning -To flavor the sauce, dried thyme would also work well. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Broth – To make the sauce. The recipe calls for chicken broth, but vegetable broth would also work well.
- Salt and Pepper – To season.
Dietary Adaptions
To Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and gluten-free gnocchi.
To Make it Dairy-Free: This recipe cannot be made dairy-free.
Red’s Nutrition Tip
Ground chicken is one of the best high-protein, low-calorie foods, making it a great way to increase the protein content of the dish without making it too high in calories. While ground chicken does contain some saturated fat, it’s much higher in monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
Serving Suggestions
These Tuscan chicken meatballs and gnocchi are a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, and fat. It can be enjoyed as is or adapted to suit your personal calorie or macro needs. For example:
- To make them lower in fat, swap the heavy cream for table cream or half-and-half.
- To make it higher in carbohydrates, serve them with a side of crusty bread.
- To make it higher in fiber, add extra spinach and/or some broccoli.
Can you make them in a slow cooker?
Yes, prepare the meatball ingredients as per the instructions, then roll them into balls. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a slow cooker (except the spinach), stir to combine, then add the raw meatballs. Turn on the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Once cooked, turn the slow cooker on high, add the chopped spinach and gnocchi, stir to combine, and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the gnocchi is cooked.
Storage + Reheating
To Refrigerate: Allow the meatballs and gnocchi to cool completely, transfer them to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Once cooled, transfer the Tuscan chicken meatballs and gnocchi to an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Allow the meatballs and gnocchi to thaw completely before reheating. To reheat on the stovetop, place the meatballs and gnocchi in a pan on medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons of water, stirring gently, until the water has been absorbed and they are warmed through. To reheat in the microwave, place the meatballs and gnocchi in a microwave-safe container with 1-2 tablespoons of water and reheat for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the water has been absorbed and warmed through.
More Ground Chicken Recipes:
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Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Gnocchi
These Tuscan chicken meatballs with gnocchi are the ultimate healthy comfort-food dinner. Plus, leftovers keep well in the fridge and freezer, so you can make a double or triple batch and enjoy for nights to come.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes -
Cook Time: 30 minutes
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Total Time: 45 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Category: Dinner
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Method: Stovetop
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Tuscan Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, mined
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed, roughly chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
To Serve:
- 1 pound gnocchi
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix by hand until well combined.
- Using your hands, roll the ground chicken mixture into 2-tablespoon portions, about the size of a golf ball. Shape them one at a time and set each meatball aside on a plate.
- In a large pan or skillet on medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the meatballs and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping the meatballs halfway through, until fully cooked or they have reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Once the meatballs are cooked, transfer them to a clean plate.
- Fill a large pot with water and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
- In the same pan used to cook the meatballs, on medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or as per package directions. Once cooked, drain the water or scoop the gnocchi out with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
- In the pan with the onion mixture, reduce the heat to low-medium, add the chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any tasty bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the heavy cream and stir until well combined.
- Turn off the heat, then add the parmesan cheese and chopped spinach; stir to combine until the sauce thickens.
- Return the chicken meatballs to the pan, along with the cooked gnocchi, and gently stir to combine with the sauce.
- The meatballs and gnocchi can be served immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top, or cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Notes
To Use Ground Turkey: Swap the ground chicken for 1 pound of ground turkey in step #1.
To Use Dried Parsley: Swap the fresh parsley for 1 tablespoon of dried parsley in step #1.
To Use Onion Powder: Swap the onion for 1 teaspoon of onion powder. Skip the first part of step #5.
To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the garlic cloves for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder in step #5.
To Use Dried Thyme: Swap the Italian seasoning for 1 teaspoon of dried thyme in step #5.
To Use Table Cream or Half-and-Half: Swap the heavy cream for table cream or half-and-half in step #7.
To Use Small Pasta: Swap the gnocchi for 1 pound of small pasta (orzo, ditalini, conchiglie, or orecchiette) in step #6.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 667 calories
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Fat: 32 grams
- Carbohydrates: 63 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 35 grams
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