Description
A comforting and flavorful Cajun Chicken and Gnocchi Bake featuring tender chicken breasts seared and baked in a creamy, spicy Cajun sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and tender potato gnocchi, all topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning (divided)
Sauce and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained)
Liquids and Pasta
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
Topping
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F and move the oven rack to the top position to prepare for baking.
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle each chicken breast evenly with garlic powder and half of the Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning (1/2 teaspoon).
- Sear Chicken: Heat butter and olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, sear the chicken breasts for about 5 minutes on each side until they are lightly golden but not fully cooked through. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and red bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened, adding a splash more olive oil if the pan is dry.
- Add Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Stir in the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Pour in the heavy cream and low-sodium chicken broth, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of Tony Chachere’s seasoning. Stir well to combine.
- Add Gnocchi: Stir in the uncooked potato gnocchi, allowing the mixture to begin bubbling. Then turn off the heat.
- Arrange Chicken and Cheese: Place the seared chicken breasts on top of the gnocchi mixture in the skillet, then evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the entire dish.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce thickens.
- Optional Broil: For a golden brown cheese topping, broil for a few minutes at the end of baking, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- This dish offers a delicious combination of creamy Cajun flavors, perfectly seared chicken, and pillowy gnocchi, all baked to perfection with gooey mozzarella cheese on top.
- If you don’t have Tony Chachere’s seasoning, you can substitute with a Cajun seasoning blend.
- Use a large oven-safe skillet to make transferring to the oven easy and to consolidate steps.
- Make sure the chicken is not fully cooked before baking to keep it juicy and tender after baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 chicken breast with gnocchi and sauce)
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
