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 satisfying dinner the whole family will love!
Hi friends!
Today I’m sharing a big pot of 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 (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!
How to Make Chicken & Sausage with Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce
Full details are in the 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.
- Season 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. Check on partway through to ensure nothing is sticking. Once everything is cooked, remove Parmesan rind and discard. It has done its job!
- 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). Once everything is done and into the pot, garnish (if you like).
- Serve some up.
- Enjoy!
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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.
According to the Government of Canada, the internal temperature of poultry should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a food thermometer to be sure!
Browning the chicken (and sausage too) is totally optional! If you want to skip this step, that’s okay! Just cook them a little longer in the sauce until they are fully cooked.
More 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 ½ 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, parsley and grated Parmesan cheese is totally recommend!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Hope you love this comforting sausage, chicken and gnocchi recipe with tomato sauce!
Make this comforting gnocchi recipe? That’s awesome! Love it if you leave a comment below.
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Chicken, Sausage and Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound store-bought skillet gnocchi (cooked per package directions (3 cups))
- 4 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 1 pound skinless chicken thighs (boneless or bone-in)
- ¾ teaspoon salt , divided
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper , divided
- 1 yellow onion , peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 pound Italian sausage (4 sausage)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 26 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes (tomatoes crushed with hands prior to using or with potato masher. Also, reserve can for rinsing with water later. About a 796 millilitre can).
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste, optional)
- 1 cup water (rinse out can of tomatoes)
- ½ 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 tablespoons of olive oil. Season chicken with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). Remove from pan and lay to one side for later.
- Add 2 tablespoons 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 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 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in tomato paste. Cook 1 minute.
- Stir in canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, chili flakes (I like to use 1 teaspoon, but you can use less or omit, if you like), remaining ½ teaspoon 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 partway through to ensure nothing is sticking. Remove Parmesan rind, if used.
- During the last 5 to 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!
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 ½ 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 and grated Parmesan is totally recommend!
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Valentina
So many delicious things happening in this recipe. The browned gnocci, the spices, the garlic, all of it! Comforting, indeed. 🙂 ~ Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
For sure! Thank you Valentina 🙂
Laura
I love love love gnocchi, especially sautéed like this! And that whole dish does just look like a big hug! So perfect for this season! Nice recipe!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thank you Laura!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Looks fantastic, Dawn! My kids love any type of pasta, especially when sausage is involved. Pinning and putting this on our menu for the upcoming week! Happy Monday!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks Katherine! Hope you guys enjoy 🙂
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
What a perfect cozy family dinner… savory, hearty, and beyond delicious!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you so much, Heidi :)!!
[email protected]
I think I cried a little when I say this! Tears of joy, of course! You are speaking my language with this one, my friend! Have a cozy week!! xoxo
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Thanks, my friend! You too! XOXO
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
This dish has my name written all over it Dawn. The best kind of comfort food! All my favorite ingredients. Pinned and so excited to try!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I have seen those skillet gnocchi, but haven’t tried them yet! I love the idea of cooking in a skillet instead of boiling though, so I will definitely pick them up to try. This skillet is a great way to enjoy them. Love chicken and sausage together and of course anything with tomato sauce is always great comfort food 🙂
David @ Spiced
I’ve been a HUGE fan of gnocchi since before I even knew my way around the kitchen. Using gnocchi in this dish sounds absolutely delicious, Dawn. You’ve got so many awesome flavors going on here that it might make me forget about how cold it is outside…at least for a few minutes. Haha! In all seriousness, though, we’ve been on a comfort food roll lately due to the weather. This would be quite welcome at our dinner table!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
Just need to open a bottle of red wine, and you have the best night in with the most delicious of comfort food 🙂 Beautiful. Dawn!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
This sounds like such a yummy and cozy dinner for chilly nights! I love gnocchi in any form, so this is right up my alley. Have a wonderful week, Dawn!
Marissa
This dish looks so hearty and wonderful, Dawn! And I bet the leftovers are amazing too. Love this way to start the week with a couple of quick meals just a ‘heat up’ away! Have a wonderful week, my friend!