Ready for a little comfort food? Try this chicken and sausage with gnocchi in tomato sauce! Garnished with lots of grated parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, it makes for one belly satisfying dinner the whole family will love!
Hey friends!
Today I’m sharing a big pot-o-comfort food.
Hearty chicken and sausage? Check!
Pillowy gnocchi? Check!
A creamy tomato sauce? Check!
As far as comfort food goes, this chicken & sausage with gnocchi in tomato sauce has it goin’ on. It’s basically like a hug (in food form) from me to you!
It’s super easy to prepare and your family will go crazy over it….at least we do in our home!
What Type of Gnocchi Do I Use?
I opted for a ‘skillet’ style gnocchi (these by Olivieri, to be exact…not sponsored, just enjoy the product). With this style of gnocchi you gently pan fry with butter instead of boiling.
You could totally use boiled gnocchi if you like. The choice is yours!
If you really want to go all out here, make homemade gnocchi! This potato gnocchi recipe from Fine Cooking would be great.
How to Make Chicken & Sausage with Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce
Full details in recipe card below, but here are the basics –
- In a large pot on medium heat, add some olive oil. Season chicken with a little salt and pepper and brown on both sides (not cooked at this point, we’re just looking for some colour). Remove from the pot and lay to one side on a plate for later.
- Do the same for the sausage.
- Cook some onion until softened.
- Minced garlic goes next.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for about a minute.
- Pour in canned tomatoes, scraping up any brown bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Don’t toss that tomato can just yet. We’re going to rinse out later with some water to use in the recipe!
- Dried herbs and chili flakes are next to go in the pot…
- Along with salt and pepper.
- Rinse out the empty tomato tin with water and use 1 cup of that. Pour into pot.
- Stir in heavy cream.
- If you have a rind of parmesan cheese hanging around in your fridge throw that into the pot. It adds so much flavour!
- Place browned chicken and sausage back into the pot and tuck in so they are mostly submerged in the creamy tomato sauce.
- Bring to a light simmer, cover ajar and cook until sauce has thickened slightly and chicken and sausage are completely cooked through.
NOTE: Check on part way through to ensure nothing is sticking.
- Meanwhile, cook gnocchi per package instructions.
- Stir gnocchi into pot with tomato sauce. You can temporarily remove cooked chicken and sausage to stir in gnocchi if you wish. Garnish and enjoy!
Note: Once everything is cooked, remove parmesan rind and discard. It has done its job!
What Type of Chicken Do I Use? Do I Have to Brown?
For any type of dish like this, I love to use skinless chicken thighs because they can withstand the cooking time and still end up nice and juicy.
You can use bone-in or boneless thighs, whatever you like best.
The bone-in thighs may take a little longer to cook and cook time may vary depending on their size.
Just cook until the temperature reaches 165 F, juices run clear and they are completely cooked through. Use a food thermometre to be sure!
Browning the chicken (and sausage too) is totally optional! If you want to skip this step, that’s a-ok! Just cook them a little longer in the sauce until they are fully cooked.
Tips for Recipe Success
I opted to dose the tomato sauce with a hit of cream, not a whole lot because I didn’t want to lose too much tomato flavour AND wanted to keep that vibrant hue. When the cream is initially added to the tomato sauce, it has a pinkish hue, but turns more vibrant as the sauce cooks/reduces/thickens. If you want things creamier, feel free to add up to another 1/2 cup of cream.
Chili flakes were added here, but you could use less if you prefer. Or, if you like things really spicy, add more.
Add the gnocchi just before serving.
Garnish like basil, parmesan and grated parm is totally recommend!
Other Easy Chicken Recipes You May Enjoy
- Chicken and Sausage Recipe with Peppers and Red Sauce – Perfect for Sunday supper. Serve with lots of bread for dunkin’ and you’re set!
- Easy Chicken Pot Pie – Using puff pastry, this creamy chicken pot pie comes together quickly. Make individual servings or one large casserole.
- Hunter’s Chicken – Also known as ‘chicken cacciatore’ this Italian classic combines chicken, peppers and mushrooms. So hearty and so delish!
Hope you love this comforting sausage, chicken and gnocchi recipe with tomato sauce!
Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon,
~Dawn
P.S. If you think this comforting gnocchi recipe will make your belly happy too, please be sure to hit that little Pin button. Many thanks, you guys! XO
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Chicken, Sausage and Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb store bought skillet gnocchi -cooked per package directions (3 cups)
- 4 tbsp olive oil -divided
- 1 lb chicken thighs -4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 tsp salt -divided
- 3/4 tsp black pepper -divided
- 1 onion -diced
- 3 cloves garlic -minced
- 1 lb Italian sausage -4 sausage
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 796 ml canned tomatoes -tomatoes crushed with hands prior to using or with potato masher. Also, reserve can for rinsing with water later.
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 – 1 tsp red chili flakes -or to taste, optional
- 1 cup water -rinse out can of tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream -also known as 'whipping cream', 35% milk fat
- small rind parmesan cheese
- fresh basil -garnish, optional
- fresh thyme -garnish, optional
- parmesan cheese -garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot on medium heat add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Season chicken with 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove from pan and lay to one side for later. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to pan and brown sausage on both sides. Remove from pan and lay to one side for later. Chicken and sausage are NOT cooked at this point.NOTE: If you prefer to skip browning, that's a-ok! Just add the chicken and sausage later per recipe. Just cook a little longer in the sauce until cooked through.
- Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in tomato paste. Cook 1 minute.
- Stir in canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, chili flakes (to taste…I used 1 tsp, but you could use less or omit, if you like), remaining 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Scrape bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to get any brown bits stuck on.
- Rinse out can of tomatoes with water and use 1 cup of that to stir in pot. Also, stir in cream. Place parmesan rind into sauce. Tuck in sausage and chicken. Bring to simmer, reduce heat so everything is at a low-ish simmer, cover ajar for 35 minutes or until chicken and sausage are cooked through. NOTE: Check on part way through to ensure nothing is sticking. Remove parmesan rind, if used.
- During the last 5-10 minutes of cook time on the chicken and sausage start to cook gnocchi. Once chicken and sausage are cooked, as well as gnocchi, remove chicken and sausage from pan, stir in cooked gnocchi and place chicken and sausage on top. Garnish, as desired. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I opted to dose the tomato sauce with a hit of cream, not a whole lot because I didn’t want to lose too much tomato flavour AND wanted to keep that vibrant hue. When the cream is initially added to the tomato sauce, it has a pinkish hue, but turns more vibrant as the sauce cooks/reduces/thickens. If you want things creamier, feel free to add up to another 1/2 cup of cream.
- Chili flakes were added here, but you could use less if you prefer. Or, if you like things really spicy, add more.
- Add the gnocchi just before serving.
- Garnish like basil, parmesan and grated parm is totally recommend!
