Delish Food Editor Brooke’s cottage cheese Alfredo turned me on to creamy, high-protein sauces, and this protein-packed version of one of our most-saved dinners—one-pan chicken and gnocchi skillet—is my latest obsession. Loaded with bacon and spinach in a garlic herb sauce, this one-pan dinner is sure to become your go-to weeknight meal.
How to perfectly cook chicken breasts:
Here’s the secret to perfectly cooked chicken breast: a generous seasoning of salt and pepper, and a long sear on both sides at medium heat, before finishing either in the oven or in a sauce. While other meats can benefit from medium-high heat to achieve a good, hard sear without drying out in the center, chicken is best cooked at a moderate temperature. This prevents the chicken’s exterior from drying out as it browns, while also allowing it to cook through as much as possible over direct heat. Finishing the chicken by steaming it in an aromatic broth imparts flavor and keeps the chicken plenty juicy and tender.
Time-saving shortcuts:
At first glance, this recipe has quite a few ingredients and processes for an “easy weeknight dinner,” but don’t be alarmed. There are several shortcuts you can take:
- Buy pre-grated Parmesan: While you can grate your own Parmesan by whizzing it in a food processor, save yourself the time (and the cleanup) by just buying freshly grated Parm at the store. (And no, I’m not talking about the green can!)
- Slice your bacon with scissors: It takes literally 1 minute, and you can snip it directly into the cold pan.
- Save on prep time: Cut the shallot and garlic, and pick the thyme while the bacon and chicken cook. If you can incorporate most of the prep into the time the bacon and chicken are cooking, you’ll cut this recipe’s total time by a third. Not everyone is okay with multitasking like this, but I encourage you to give it a try. Set your cutting board up by the stove so you can keep an eye on the pan. If you start to feel rushed, just finish cooking whatever protein’s in the pan, take it out, and pause the cooking while you finish the prep. I promise, it will be fine—you’ve got this!
Make ahead & storage:
Because it’s a creamy sauce, this chicken and gnocchi is best served fresh. That said, leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan, adding a splash of broth if needed to loosen the sauce.
